SeatGuru adds search by flight number and route

by Scott Carmichael on

The ever-awesome SeatGuru.com just made life for travelers a whole lot easier. In the past, you’d need to look up your plane type before heading to SeatGuru – but now you can simply enter your flight number or route, and the Guru will instantly present the seat map for your flight.

If you have never used SeatGuru, you’ve probably been stuck in a less-than-desirable seat in the past (or on an airline without pre-assigned seating). The site displays 706 graphical seat maps for 98 different airlines – and each map also provides feedback on the quality of the seat, whether there are downsides (or upsides) to a specific seat and what kind of amenities are available, including the location of power outlets, bassinets and more.

So, next time you are able to pick a seat on your flight, head on over to SeatGuru for their expert advise on the best seat for your trip.

Travel Trends: The rise of the ‘Free Independent Traveler’ (FIT)

by Gadling Staff on

Over the last few years, the world travel landscape has undergone significant changes brought by security concerns, the economic crisis and green considerations. These new conditions have given rise to a new type of tourist: the “Free Independent Traveler,” or FIT. The term refers generally to people over 35, of above average income, and who like to travel in small groups or as couples. They avoid mass tourism and the holiday package of traditional travel operators, and favor a more individualistic approach to travel. They may or may not be “Four Percenters.”

Free Independent Travelers as an alternative movement?
FITs tend to be environmentally aware, with the desire to experience new ways of life and usually are enthusiastic, off-the-beaten-track explorers with a thirst for experiencing the “real thing.” They enjoy good food, architecture, and the heritage of local cultures.

Also, they are an important and growing sector in the travel market. Governments, regional tourist boards and other public sectors responsible for tourism development try to attract them. Why? The basic principle is economics. FITs spread their money around in a more efficient fashion, buying from multiple locations driven by their own particular itinerary and tastes and by the intention of enjoying the local way of life. In contrast, tour groups concentrate in a few providers, which tend to spread money in a less than optimal manner.


The Power of Information
How FITs garner information for their trips is of vital importance. Not surprisingly, a wide variety of sources and/or tips from social websites are key.Sites such as Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum or GoNOMAD.com are both examples and represent the fundamental difference between the FIT and other types of traveler. Many FITs are even leraging Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and other social networking sites to get information about trips. After all, independent travel is about the sharing and passing on of ideas and knowledge. The FIT vacation is a custom-built menu fed by suggestions from friends, forums, specialty providers or others. The rise of low-cost airlines in the US and Europe has also increased the supply of alternative and lower cost short haul destinations fueling demand for these newly available markets.

The internet is fundamental to the rise of the FIT, and as such, many traditional Travel Operators interested in tapping into this new, growing market are starting to offer fully customized travel options through their websites to create almost an oxymoron: Independent Travel Operators.

Take a look at the trends in information gathering and travel booking below. (Please note that all data points for 2010 and 2011 have been forecasted to show future trends. We can’t see into the future.)

Information Sourcing for Travel
As you can clearly see below, FITs have turned almost exclusively to the Internet for information gathering and trip-planning.

Where do people go to price airline tickets?
As you can see from this chart, FITs have largely abandoned advice from tour guides, tour books, friends, and relatives to price airline tickets. [Ed’s note — who ever asked their friends for details about airline ticket prices?!] With the rise of the Internet, FITs are instead going directly to the source to learn about and compare airline ticket prices. For anyone who has ever visited a booking aggregator or an airline website, of course, this makes perfect sense.

Where do people go to book tours?
As with the chart above, FITs have almost entirely abandoned tour operators for actually booking their trips and/or extended tours.

So are you a FIT traveler?

Data Sources:

See more Travel Trends.

Top free Android travel apps

by Scott Carmichael on

Several days ago, the Apple iPad got some attention from us with an overview of its best travel apps – and today we take a look at the best in free travel apps for the Android platform. Launched in September 2008, Android has seen an astounding growth, and has made its way onto phones from almost every major manufacturer and almost every mobile operator.

Recently, Gadling showed why we think Android is the future of smartphones, and the best pick for travelers. So, if you have an Android powered device, check out these free apps that can make traveling easier.

A gallery with barcode download links to all these apps can be found at the bottom of this article – just download the Android Barcode Scanner and point your phone at the special QR code, and it’ll take you to directly to the Market download link.

Kayak

Kayak is a real personal favorite of mine – mainly because it does so much in a single app. Within Kayak for Android, you get access to flights, hotels, car rentals, flight status, airline information, flight price trends and more – all in a free app. Think of Kayak as your Swiss Army travel tool set.

The app even offers integration with Kayak.com, offering instant access to saved trips.

Transport Maps

Transport maps is one of the least good looking apps in this lineup – but it does one thing really well – provide worldwide maps of public transit systems. The app covers 100’s of bus, train, tram and light rail networks, and maps can be downloaded before your trip and saved locally on your device, reducing data costs.

Sadly, it lacks route planning, so you’ll need to know how to read a map and determine where you are when you use the app.

StayHIP

We mentioned this brand new app yesterday – and it really does deserve a spot in this list. StayHIP is the first mobile app designed specifically for hotel reservations at boutique properties. Forget finding the same old chain hotels – let StayHIP find you a chic, intimate or hip hotel and get away from the ordinary.

Google Goggles

Google Goggles has quickly become my absolute favorite app to play with on my phone. Think of Goggles as Google search, using your camera. Point your phone at a product, and Google Goggles will search for it, and provide product links.

Do the same with foreign languages (French, Italian, German and Spanish), and it’ll provide an instant translation – all without having to touch your keyboard. This is obvious fantastic for quick translations of signs or anything else you encounter on the road.

Taxi Magic

Need a cab? Let Taxi Magic pull up your location, along with a list of all available cab companies in your area. Some companies even support instant reservations through the app – others just offer a phone link. The app has helped me over and over again when I find myself in need of a cab because I’m too drunk to stumble back to my hotel.

Yelp

Yelp is the grandaddy of travel friendly apps. Use Yelp to find food, drinks, stores and more – and get feedback on the location from fellow Yelp users.

No longer will you have to suffer through a horrible dinner – simply avoid anything with poor ratings, and stick to the top rated locations. Best of all, Yelp offers instant access to things like the address, prices and opening hours, which lets you stay clear of flash heavy restaurant sites.

XE Currency conversion

XE.com is one of the best currency calculators on the web – and their Android mobile app makes access to live currency rates even easier. Simply refresh the current rates, and calculate whether that fantastic pair of jeans or new iPod really is much cheaper than it is back home.

Google Maps with navigation

Android phones running Android versions 1.6 and newer get access to Google maps with navigation. The application is powerful enough to be a full replacement for your GPS unit – but it will require access to a data connection to receive its maps – it can’t store maps locally.

Still, free is always a good thing, and best of all – Google maps with navigation lets you get directions specifically for driving, walking, public transit or cycling.

Hotels Near Me

StayHIP a little too hip for you? Hotels Near Me offers a more generic search system of hotels in your area. Simply enter your location, or let it detect where you are using GPS – and it’ll provide a list of all hotels in your vicinity.

Sort by star rating, price, distance and more – and read a description of hotel amenities, guest reviews and room prices. Then, complete the entire booking process right inside the app.

Where

Where is the kind of app that can make you feel less like a stranger – no matter where you are. Let Where pick up your location, and it’ll offer the weather, news, local coupons, events, gas prices and more. Inside the app, you even get quick access to the Yellow Pages, for those rare emergencies where you really need a locksmith, doctor or worse…

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Global Action Atlas connects people with causes the world over

by Kraig Becker on

The stated mission for National Geographic is “to inspire people to care about the planet” which is greatly exemplified in a new project that looks to connect people with causes from around the world.

This new project is called the Global Action Atlas, and while it is still listed as being in beta, it is very easy to see the potential to do great things. The site is essentially a database of local cause-related projects from around the planet, with information on how concerned global citizens can get involved on some level, ranging from simply donating funds to volunteering to help in person. Likewise, by being listed in the Atlas, those causes have the ability to reach out to a wider audience that might never have known it existed, garnering support from new sources.

Some of the causes that are currently featured on the Action Atlas front page include rallying support to protect wetlands from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, working to make Washington DC schools to be more energy efficient, and saving elephants in Mali. Geographically, the opportunities to get involved stretch across North and South America, Africa, Asia, and into Oceania, with projects that are diverse and rewarding on a variety of levels.

At the heart of the Global Action Atlas is the Action Map, powered by Bing. The Action Map shows all of the projects in the database graphically laid out by location around the globe. With multiple zoom levels, you can zoom in on specific areas of the planet to more closely examine local projects in that region, and a handy search function lets you find projects based on keywords or location. Add in the ability to filter the projects by category, such as “conservation”, “exploration”, or “energy”, and you have a powerful tool for finding important causes to participate in.

Looking at the Action Map, I personally couldn’t help but be impressed with all of the great projects that are underway all over the world. There really are some amazing things being done to improve the lives of people or to protect the environment, and the Global Action Atlas allows us to get involved with those efforts no matter where we live.

Google maps adds bicycle navigation feature on Android phones

by Scott Carmichael on

Google Maps with navigation is one of the more powerful selling points of the Android platform. The navigation features within Google Maps are absolutely fantastic – but best of all, they are free.

This afternoon, Google issued a market update that adds bicycle directions to its app. This means you can now get driving, walking, public transit and cycling directions from within Google maps.

To get the new features, just allow Google Maps to download its update and pick your transportation method in the navigation screen. Of course, you may want to invest in a bike mount for your phone. At the moment, bike directions are only available within US based maps, but knowing Google, this may make its way abroad pretty soon.

Other new features include the ability to share your location through email, messaging or Twitter (in addition to Google Latitude) and a new quick-launch navigation icon for your program launcher.