FARGO - Planning a vacation with friends (or family) can be complicated.
Booking airline tickets, hotels and restaurants and figuring out costs can be overwhelming with multiple travelers.
But a useful app can relieve some of the stress and confusion. I tried TripIt, a travel itinerary service, for the first time recently when I planned a multi-city West Coast getaway with two of my girlfriends.
The free version of the smartphone app allows multiple users to access travel plans, like flights, costs, rental cars, etc., in one place by linking email addresses with the application.
Here's how it works: Once you've booked your travels, forward confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com . If you use Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook email, TripIt will import those emails automatically.
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After it's imported, TripIt organizes all of the information from each person into one detailed daily itinerary that's available to all travelers.
I was able to clearly see all of my travel information in one spot. It was especially useful to have the flight check-in option and electronic boarding pass grouped with my other travel plans in an easily accessible app.
TripIt also shows price information for hotels and other travel purchases, which helps when you're splitting costs with multiple people.
The pro version costs $49 a year and has perks like real-time flight alerts, an alternate flight searcher, seat tracker, fare monitor and more.
The free version works well for most travelers. I'd invest in the pro app if I traveled frequently for my job, for instance, or more than three to four times a year.
Bottom line: TripIt is a smart travel app for individuals but it's even more important for groups because it ensures that you're all on the same page (or flight!).
