Can TripIt Pro Ease Connection Angst?

I’ve been an enthusiastic TripIt user for a few years now, but only recently upgraded to TripIt Pro. And last week, thanks to a diverted flight that caused me to miss my connection, I discovered just how handy one of its features can be.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, TripIt is a website (and an app) that lets you put all your travel information in one place. Since most of your flight/hotel/car information can be imported, there’s not much manual inputting, and it centralizes all the important stuff like confirmation numbers, addresses, and flight times.

With TripIt Pro, you get extras such as flight delay alerts, gate change updates, alternate flight listings, and open seat alerts.

Here’s what happened to me: My first of two flights (St. Maarten to JFK) was diverted to Boston due to weather, ensuring that I would miss my connecting flight home to San Francisco that night. While waiting on the runway in Boston, I whipped out my phone and started checking for other flights, and just as I was getting frustrated trying to read schedules on my small screen, a TripIt Pro alert popped up listing the very alternate flights I was looking for. Not only did it immediately lower my traveler frustration level (which was pretty high right then, not least because I was looking at an overnight at the airport) but it made it easy to rebook when I eventually did get to JFK, since I had my options in one easy-to-reference place.

While the $49 yearly price tag may be too steep for occasional travelers, frequent flyers—especially those who regularly book flights with connections—may find it invaluable for accessing clear travel information in a hurry. Tip: You can try TripIt Pro out free for 30 days.

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