Using TripIt and TripIt Pro to Organize Travel Plans

I am a big fan of TripIt® for organizing my trip plans. I forward confirmation emails from my reservations to [email protected] and TripIt automatically puts them all into one itinerary that I can access on a smartphone, calendar, or anywhere online. The program automatically breaks your plans into multiple itineraries based on dates.

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Most hotel, booking site, car rental and airline emailed confirmations will convert automatically into the TripIt itinerary format. After forwarding the confirmation to [email protected], you will receive an immediate confirmation that your plans have been saved.

TripIt Itinerary

If the program is unable to recognize the formatting of a confirmation the information will be saved under Unfiled Items and you will receive an email saying that is where you can find it. You can then sign in to your account and cut and paste the info from your Unfiled Items folder into the appropriate spot in your itinerary. You can also hand edit or type in your own additions to your itinerary at any time.

After a few years of using TripIt which is a free service, I signed up for TripIt Pro when it was introduced. At $49 per year I have found it very worthwhile. TripIt Pro acts like a personal travel assistant sending you emails and/or alerts on your smartphone regarding flight status, alternate flights, departure gates, and more. I often get an alert before the airlines has even announced a delay or cancellation at the gate. This allows you to be the first to start searching for and booking alternate travel plans.

The biggest bonus of TripIt Pro for me has been their system of alerting you if there has been a fare reduction since you booked your flight. Each year that I have had TripIt Pro I have more than paid for the subscription by calling airlines and receiving refunds after TripIt has alerted me to a fare reduction. While you can do this on your own it would mean monitoring all of your flight reservations several times a day to see if there is a reduced fare at that moment. TripIt Pro tracks it 24/7 for you.

I know this reads like a press release, but it is written based on my very positive experience with this company.

The following info is from their media department and outlines the difference between the free TripIt and the paid TripIt Pro. They are both worth trying based on your particular needs.

TripIt is the travel organizing app that automagically creates a master itinerary so you can access all your travel plans, any time, on any device. With TripIt (free), you can:
• Organize all your travel plans in one place with master itineraries for every trip
• Simply forward all your flight, hotel, car rental, and restaurant confirmation emails to [email protected]
• View your detailed  itineraries any time, on any device
• Sync your travel plans with your favorite online or mobile calendar
• Selectively share itineraries or specific travel plans with family, friends, and colleagues via email or text
• Add or edit plans with ease

TripIt Pro is the all-in-one travel organizing app for stress-free travel that organizes, monitors, alerts, and notifies so you’re always in the know, on the go. With TripIt Pro ($49/year), you can:

  • Get real-time alerts for delays, cancellations, and gate changes
  • Find alternate flights with open seats, fast
  • Get notified when the seat you want becomes available
  • Keep track of reward-program points and miles in one spot
  • Get notified when you’re eligible for a fare refund
  • Selectively share itineraries, specific trip plans, and flight alerts with family, friends, and colleagues in your inner circle, automatically
  • Save money with VIP benefits from trusted travel partners

If you have any experiences with TripIt or TripIt Pro to share with other readers, please let us know in the comments section below.

Kathy Stafford
Kathy Stafford

Kathy Stafford is a writer, publisher and editor. She was a contributing author to "Sasha Cohen Fire on Ice". She has been a contributing editor to several publications including, "Discover Balboa Park: A Complete Guide". Kathy was publisher and editor of "Skating Sketches", reporting on figure skating worldwide, for over ten years. She was a credentialed journalist as a figure skating specialist for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. She has covered international skating events in Switzerland, France, Finland, England, Canada and the United States with published articles in Canada, Japan, and the United States. Although she never accepted an assignment, she was on the list of approved Lonely Planet authors for three years. She is currently combining her love of travel, and her background as a writer and editor, as a publisher and author of travel related journalism. In addition, she blogs about her search for her family roots at www.cherokeerootsblog.com.

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