TripIt Blog

TripIt.com Gets "iPadified" with New Map View

By Aaron Friedman, Product Manager at TripIt

We're always looking for new, smarter ways to organize all your travel plans in one place, and bring minute-by-minute details of your trip to your fingertips.

But we realize that sometimes the "where" matters more than the "when" - especially when you're in a new place.

Inspired by TripIt’s iPad app, the new itinerary map view let's you interact with your entire trip geographically. You can get the "lay of the land" and quickly create directions between your activities. 

To explore the itinerary map, open an upcoming trip on tripit.com and click the "Map" button.

PS - Did you know there are lots of cool, unique things you can only do on tripit.com? Here's a quick list:

• Total trip cost: see how much was spent on air, car and hotel reservations at-a-glance
• Weather: itineraries automatically include historical averages for each day of the trip
• Calendar sync: subscribe to a calendar feed of all trip plans or download one trip’s calendar file
• Group trip planning: add travelers to an itinerary with the ability to add or edit trip plans
• Social networks: share trip plans automatically on Facebook, LinkedIn, Salesforce Chatter and Yammer
• TripIt Groups: access a company calendar to see when and where colleagues are traveling

Keeping Tabs on Travel: TripIt Now Available on the Samsung GALAXY Tab

Live from CES, TripIt is making its debut on the Samsung GALAXY TAB 10.1 and 7.0 Plus. So no matter what kind of hot new tablet you got for the holidays (or perhaps, pre-holiday splurge?) you can easily organize and view trip plans. 

What’s new with Samsung Apps? Itinerary-driven maps and the ability to view multiple layers of travel details - including air, car, hotel and more - all in one place. Here’s more detail:

Trip Details Organized for Flexible Viewing

You can view your itineraries in two layers at all times, which makes it easy to dive into details like confirmation numbers or seat assignments, while maintaining an eye on the full trip schedule. The other option is to view a list of all trips, alongside a single itinerary overview. Also, new with TripIt for Samsung GALAXY Tab devices is the ability to view a list of all trips in landscape or portrait mode.

Enhanced Maps Make it Easy to Navigate Trips Geographically

Now, you can dynamically view and navigate maps, directly from the itinerary. For example, when you select a flight, the airport location will light up on the map, and you can choose to get directions.

We realize you prefer native apps, so we’re excited to add Samsung’s hot new tablets to our growing family of smartphone and tablet apps. 

Did you recently join the world of tablets? Let us know how your tablet of choice improves life on the road, in the comments section below.

 

Quite a Journey: Looking Back at 2011

It's been quite a year. Before 2012 kicks into full gear, we wanted to take a moment to look back and celebrate the most recent leg of our journey together...

Collectively, you've traveled more than 5 billion miles! That's more than double the miles logged last year. Thanks for taking us with you, and providing suggestions from the road. We love hearing from you - and we celebrate the victories you share @TripIt or on Facebook, whether it's dollars earned back on airfare with TripIt Pro, or when you get the last seat on an alternate flight. 

This year we welcomed fresh new faces to the TripIt team, and there's room for more (check out our open positions here). We even had our first Hack Day! And the team was very busy this year...

We launched the iPad and Windows Phone apps, gave the Android and iPhone apps design refreshes, and joined the Amazon app store and Kindle Fire in December. There's more to come in January, so all those recently unwrapped tablets will be able to download TripIt in no time.

In October, we announced an exciting partnership with Avis to make booking a rental car even easier in less clicks. We're also helping power the new Frommer's Remix by HP. Putting itinerary data to work for you is an idea that we'll continue to bring to life with the 1,200 developers now using our open platform.

Joining Concur in January opened the door for exciting new features and partnerships. In June, we made it easy for TripIt users to automatically create an itinerary any time they book travel through Concur, and for TripIt Pro itineraries to feed expense reports in Concur. Companies of all sizes now have endless options to organize travel and expenses, seamlessly.

TripIt for Business really started to take off this year with a convenient way to see who's in or out of the office - and it's about to get really interesting in early 2012. We also introduced trip sharing through Salesforce Chatter and Yammer, as another way to keep colleagues in the loop.

One of the biggest highlights of the year was winning our first Webby Award. We were delighted to be recognized among top innovators in tech, and also later within the travel industry, when we received honors from Travel Weekly's Magellan Awards and the Telegraph Travel Awards.

It really is an exciting time to be a traveler, and we can't wait to show you what we have up our sleeves for 2012. 

Cheers,

Gregg, Scott, Andy and the TripIt team

 

5 Billion Miles Traveled with TripIt in 2011

There's no place like home for the holidays, but it sure took a long time to get here. Collectively, TripIt users have logged more than 5 billion miles with TripIt in 2011. That's the equivalent of a round trip to Pluto! See the infographic below for more fun facts.

Have you checked to see how many miles you've traveled this year? When you log into TripIt, scroll down to the bottom of the page where it says "full stats" and tweet @TripIt to tell us how far away you've roamed.

Speaking of fives, we're offering $5 off the gift of TripIt Pro for the holidays, to bring peace to the next billions of miles traveled. Grab it before it melts away and let it Pro, let it Pro, let it Pro. Cheers!

Grab the embed code here.

4 Easy Ways to Put Your Itinerary Data to Work

Today at PhoCusWright, we announced four exciting new innovations built on TripIt's open platform, which is now a vibrant community of more than 1,200 developers.

Put your itinerary data to work, and get personalized reservations, travel guides, and deals in return:

1. Personalized Reservations in Fewer Clicks on Avis.com

Booking a rental car is now easier and faster if you connect your TripIt account with Avis.com. Itineraries auto-populate new reservations and help Avis anticipate any changes in your travel schedule.

2. DIY Travel Guides with Frommer’s® Remix by HP

To get a personalized travel guide from Frommer’s Travel powered by HP custom publishing technology, import your TripIt itineraries at www.frommersremix.com, and you can get expert recommendations on activities, restaurants, nightlife, shopping, as well as money saving coupons for your trip. 

 

3. Trip Recommendations from Friends by FlyMuch

By sharing trip itineraries automatically on FlyMuch.com, you can get recommendations from friends and social networking connections, and build an online travel profile.

4. Destination-Based Dining Deals from FoodieBytes

Get personalized restaurant deals in the cities you’re traveling to by connecting your TripIt account with Foodiebytes.com.

To date, TripIt’s open platform has welcomed hundreds of apps and services to improve life for travelers before, during and after the journey; some of which include USA TODAY Auto Pilot, GateGuru and MemoLane.

To see more examples, go to http://www.tripit.com/uhp/tools. 

Android Takes Flight in 2011: Version 1.9 Now Available

Time to get the charger out, your smartphone has been busy! Today we announced that overall mobile usage has doubled - and Android usage in particular has tripled - in one year among TripIt users. 

Also, Android 1.9 is now available for download in the Marketplace. The design changes will help you find important trip information quickly. Other highlights:

• Links and phone numbers in your notes are now fully clickable, so you can quickly make a call, right from the app. 
• You now have more options to preserve memory when you're not running the app.
• TripIt Pro users can customize reward point expiration alerts.

 

“It’s exciting to watch mobile adoption take off this year, as innovation in the industry heats up,” said Gregg Brockway, Executive Vice President and General Manager of TripIt. “Each generation of smartphone provides even more opportunities for us to improve life on the road for travelers. The idea of a personal assistant in the palm of your hand – one that organizes important trip details, or sends helpful reminders and alerts – is becoming a reality.”

What do you think of the Android app's new look?

TripIt Wins Across the Pond: Telegraph Travel Awards

By Lisa Hutt, VP of Marketing, Concur EMEA

Each year, the world’s most renowned travel brands flock to The Telegraph Travel Awards annual ceremony in the hope of winning one of the coveted awards. A new category of "Favourite Travel App" was introduced this year, and we were delighted to hear that TripIt had bubbled up top alongside Trainline.com and Skype in this category.  

This year, the ceremony was held at the newly opened Renaissance St. Pancras Hotel, originally built in 1873 and hailed as London’s most romantic building. The ceremony was filled with familiar faces, well known editors and presenters like Judith Chalmers OBE. 

Shortly into the proceedings the highly respected travel journalist Graham Boynton, comedian and impersonator, Rory Bremner and actress and founder of the children’s charity Starlight, Emma Samms took to the stage to present the awards.

TripIt was voted Favourite Travel App and we were thrilled and honoured to join other category winners like Virgin Holidays, Eurostar, Emirates and Tripadvisor on stage to accept the award. 

This is a tremendous accolade considering that the awards are in their ninth year and attract over 23,000 voters. 

We’d like to thank everyone that voted!

 

 

TripIt and Avis: Making Travel About the Traveler, Again

In 2009 we started talking about the concept of a “traveler-centric future.” What we meant was that the needs of travelers would increasingly drive innovation because fundamental technology trends like mobility, social networking, and open data offered powerful new opportunities to make life easier for travelers. 

Well a lot has happened since then. Especially lately; we’ve witnessed a juxtaposition of nostalgia and innovation. Within the same week that Facebook broke new ground for the social web at F8, we were swept back to the Golden Age of travel with the premiere of “Pan Am.”

Today, I’m very excited to tell you that we’ve partnered with Avis to bring travelers the best of both worlds. The Jet Age meets the Information Age.

Together, TripIt and Avis are supercharging car rental reservations by putting your itineraries to work for you. By connecting your accounts, you’ll be able to make new car reservations in just a few simple clicks. And in the future, Avis will be able to anticipate your need for a car and present you with options without requiring any searching at all.  Surely this is how they would have rented spacecraft on the Jetsons.

Our goal is to make your journey go smoother. Using itinerary data, we’ll remind you when you haven’t booked a car yet, and Avis will know if you’re running late. 

Oh, and there are prizes involved. Check out Avis' and TripIt's “Supercharge Your Itinerary to Win” sweepstakes.

 NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

Promotion open only to residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia who are at least 18 (or the age of majority in entrant's state of residence). Promotion starts 12:01 AM PT on October 3, 2011 and ends 11:59 PM PT on November 27, 2011. Winner will be selected by random drawing on December 6, 2011 and notified by phone and/or e-mail by December 17, 2011. Prize: (1 winner): one 14 day Avis car rental (luxury, passenger van, or convertible) (approx. retail value: $2876 and one 12-month subscription to online TripIt Pro (approx. retail value: $49). Combined approx. retail value of all prizes: $9,054. To enter, follow the directions in Section 7 of the Official Rules at www.tripit.com/promotions/rules_avissweepstakes ("Rules") to enter online (via www.tripit.com/promotions/avissweepstakes) or by mail. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited. Promotion subject to Rules, see Rules at www.tripit.com/promotions/rules_avissweepstakes for full details. Sponsor: Concur Technologies, Inc., 500 Treat Ave., Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94110.

Wanderlust & Weddings: Why Couples Travel to Tie the Knot

Part II of TripIt’s Destination: Wedding Week series

Last week we debuted the Where in the World are Weddings? data visualization and Labor Day wedding travel infographic. Today, we’re diving into the ins and outs of destination weddings, and why couples choose to hit the road to get hitched. 

“There was never a doubt in our minds that we'd have a destination wedding on the beach. It was just a question of where and how many people would be there. 

Fortunately, our friends and family share our love of travel, and are willing to fly to Mexico for our wedding trip. We'll end up having 80-100 people join us for our most special vacation.”

-David Hotz, TripIt user

Destination weddings can be the stuff that fairytales are made of, or just darn practical. Lucy Williams, of Gallery Events breaks it down:

A land far, far away

A destination wedding brings excitement for your guests - a new environment, new cultures and typically beautiful scenery - plus I have never heard a guest complain for having an excuse to travel somewhere they might never have, otherwise.

Destination weddings provide you with the peace of mind that your guests will experience something completely unique. 

When it makes cents

I've met many a couple who just want to escape the stress of feeling like they need to invite their 400 nearest and dearest family members. 

And more often than not, a destination wedding will save you money and help you control your budget. A lot of couples use it as a way to limit the guest count.

Location, location, location

I love when a bride & groom select a hidden gem - the small hotel up in a mountain village in Spain, among the vineyards of Napa Valley, a private home cliff-side in Hawaii, or a charming neighborhood park in Southern Italy. Privately owned venues will be far more flexible with timing, music requirements and menu selections. 

- Lucy Williams

Did you know?

TripIt allows you to add travelers to a group itinerary. So if you’re planning a destination wedding, the whole bridal party, or your future in-laws, can coordinate travel plans - all in one place. 

Up next: hear from an international wedding guest on what it takes to get there - and back - in one piece.

Introducing: Company Calendar

By Edith Harbaugh, Senior Product Manager

Is Brian out? Is Scott in today? When is Mike going to Redmond for training? Uh-oh, I didn't realize IYang was taking a week vacation this month!

TripIt is a small office; smaller than you might think given how much cool stuff we get done. However, even with 50 people, I often have no idea when my coworkers are in and out of the office.  

If someone's not at their desk, it could mean they're in a meeting, or at Coffee Bar - or at a meeting at Coffee Bar.  Or it could be that they're in Portland for a Java conference, in Yellowstone with family or otherwise "out". A very common travel problem is just knowing when and where people are.

To help offices get organized, today we announced a new company travel calendar. Now, the 25,000+ companies who already use TripIt Groups and the chrono-philes out there (you know who you are), can see when people are in and out. Don't worry, your group still only sees your trip location and dates, no details.   

TripIt’s company calendar will help you pinpoint those high traffic out-of-the-office days (hello, summer Fridays), and plan meetings if several people are visiting a remote location.  You might have an a-ha moment when you realize multiple people are in New York and you can have a spontaneous get-together. 

The TripIt calendar is completely free to you and your company. However, you can upgrade to TripIt for Business for more goodness: 

• Get a "today" quick view of who's in and out right now (and where they are)
• View travel in the coming months and see past travel on the company calendar
• Make multiple custom groups for your company, so each group only sees each other's travel. Or invite people outside of your company (like contractors or potential hires) to join your company group.  

To learn more about how company calendar works, click here.