Track Your Flights, Learn About Delays, and Discover Gate Numbers Quickly Using Your Apple iPhone

As a frequent flier, I often encounter flight delays and gate changes on the days I fly (or when I need to pick up someone at the airport). I also need to know baggage claim information when I land.

Well, to keep track of last-minute travel problems, you can call the airline directly and deal with an automated system. Or, you can visit the airline's website if you have access to the Internet. You can also check the Arrival and Departure monitors located within airports.

Another much more convenient option for Apple iPhone users is to utilize the Flight Tracker application from SplashData. This $2.99 program is available from the App Store on iTunes, and makes tracking flights in real-time quick and easy - from just about anywhere. In fact, the flight data this program utilizes is often more current than the Arrival and Departure monitors at airports.

If you know your airline and flight number(s), you can access flight information in seconds from your iPhone. If you don't know your flight number(s), you can look them up with a few extra screen touches. After you enter your flight info the first time, Flight Tracker remembers the data, so you can obtain updates in seconds. The program can access data about virtually all of the major airlines. While an airplane is still in the air, detailed maps are available to show flight progress graphically.

As a frequent flyer, the $2.99 Flight Tracker program is a "must have" application on your iPhone when you're on-the-go.

Holiday Gift Ideas For Frequent Travelers

The holidays are just around the corner, so if you're looking for some last-minute holiday gift ideas for a frequent traveler, here are my top suggestions...

GIFT IDEA #1...

A Timbuk2 Messenger Bag or one of the company's new suitcases. These bags are made using extremely durable nylon and are water-resistant. You can custom-design your own messenger bag, choose its size and colors, plus add extras (like a padded shoulder strap or a padded insert for a laptop computer). 

The messenger bags are priced starting around $90.00, but plan on spending about $150.00 for a really nice one with all of the extras. I personally own two of these bags and have traveled all over the world with them. 

The larger messenger bag holds my laptop, camera, papers, etc., and is a perfect carry-on bag. The Timbuk2 bags offer a great design, they're extremely durable, and you can personalize them to match your needs and personality. If you're buying one as a gift for someone, consider getting them a gift card from Timbuk2, so the recipient can design their own bag online and have it shipped to them within a few days.

GIFT IDEA #2...

Anyone who travels often by airplane knows how annoying it is to be surrounded by chatty people, crying babies, plus the noise of the airplane's engines. One of the greatest travel accessories that any frequent flier will come to love is a pair of Bose Noise Canceling Headphones. 

Bose's prices range from $299.00 to $349.00, depending on the model, but each offers a rechargeable battery plus a carrying case. These headsets allow the wearer to literally tune out the noise around them and get some sleep, or enjoy the flight's movie or in-flight music programming. 

Pair up these headphones with an Apple iPod or iTouch (which allows you to watch TV shows and movies), and you have the perfect entertainment system while on-the-go. Less expensive noise canceling headphones are available from other companies, like Sony.

GIFT IDEA #3...

If you live in a city where the airport has a CLEAR kiosk at the security checkpoint, give a membership to the CLEAR program as a holiday gift, so your favorite frequent traveler can get through airport security much faster and more efficiently. Depending on how busy the airport is, being a CLEAR member can save the user 15 to 45 minutes per trip. See my earlier blog entry about CLEAR. Annual membership is priced at $199.00.

GIFT IDEA #4...

Especially for frequent travelers who visit sunny climates, it's essential to be protected from the harsh sun. Sure, wearing sunblock and sunglasses is essential, but adding a Tilley Endurables hat to a frequent traveler's wardrobe will keep them looking stylish and well protected from sun or rain. 

I own a Tilley Hemp Hat (price: $79.00), which I've traveled all over the world with. It's extremely durable, comfortable and excellent in sunny or rainy weather. So, whether you're hiking through the Amazon jungle, white water rafting in Mexico, relaxing on a beach in Hawaii, or sailing throughout the Caribbean on a cruise ship, a Tilley hat makes the perfect travel fashion accessory. 

The company offers over a dozen different hat styles, plus a large selection of other clothing designed for frequent travelers. The prices aren't cheap, but the quality is top-notch. All of Tilley's products have a lifetime warrantee. They'll even replace a hat that gets lost or stolen while the wearer is traveling.

GIFT IDEA #5...

If the person you're shopping for utilizes the same airline often, a membership to that airline's club or lounges will be a welcome gift. The airline clubs/lounges offer concierge service, drinks, snacks, comfortable couches, quiet work areas and other amenities designed to make a long layover at an airport more relaxing and/or productive. 

All of the major airlines have their own clubs. Membership to the US Airways Club, for example, starts at $315.00 per year. However, one-day guest passes are available for $40.00 each. Annual membership to United Airline's Red Carpet Club costs $500.00. (One-day guest passes cost $50.00 each.) To learn more about gift memberships for the clubs and lounges offered by other airlines, visit the airline's website.

ADDITIONAL HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS FOR TRAVELERS...

If you're looking for a less expensive gift for a frequent traveler, some great options include:

• Leather Passport Cover (Price: $35.00 to $200.00)
• Handheld Luggage Scale (Price: Under $50.00)
• Travel Power Adapters (Price: $20.00 and up)
• Padded Eye Mask (Price: $20.00 to $40.00
• Downloadable Audio Books for an MP3 Player (from Audible.com)

For any iPod, iTouch or iPhone user, one "must have" accessory that I can't recommend highly enough is the $49.95 Rechargeable Backup Battery Pack from Richard Solo. 

These battery packs give the user many hours of extra usage, which is ideal for long flights or for using an iPhone when there's no electrical outlet nearby to recharge the phone. My iPod's battery normally lasts for about two hours of video watching. Using my Richard Solo Rechargeable Backup Battery, I get at least six hours of continuous usage (just about enough for a coast-to-coast flight). 

Oh, another great gift or an iPod, iTouch or iPhone user is a gift card for Apple's iTunes service. These can be used by the receiver to purchase music, TV show episodes or movies that can be watched while on-the-go. Gift cards for $15.00, $25.00, $50.00 or $100.00 are available and they can be redeemed online using the popular iTunes service.

As you get your shopping done this holiday season, remember to spend some quality time with the frequent traveler you're shopping for, before he or she takes off on their next trip. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Easy Internet Access For Travelers

Apple iPhone, Palm Treo and Blackberry users enjoy easy access to the Internet from virtually anywhere using their handheld wireless device. This is extremely appealing to travelers who know the importance of staying connected and require the ability to access their email and the web whenever and wherever they happen to be.

The drawback to accessing the web using a cell phone or wireless personal digital assistant (PDA) is the small screen, limited keyboard and dramatically scaled down web surfing capabilities these tiny devices offer. As a result, some travelers also travel with a laptop computer, allowing them to access the Internet from wireless (Wi-Fi) hotspots or from hotel rooms.

This solution also has its drawbacks. While most airports and hotels offer high-speed Internet access, it comes at a cost. Airports, Internet cafes, bookstores and coffee shops (including Starbucks) throughout the country often charge a daily fee of between $6.95 and $9.95 to connect to the Web via a wireless hotspot. Hotels typically charge between $9.95 and $19.95 per night to access the Internet from a guestroom. For a traveler constantly on the go, these charges add up quickly. If you opt to use the Business Center within a hotel or resort, you can expect to pay between $.20 and $.50 per minute for internet access, plus up to $2.00 per page to print something out.

For budget conscious web surfers, it is possible to seek out free, public Wi-Fi hotspots and utilize them during your travels. The www.jiwire.com website, for example, offers a listing of more than 150,000 free Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide. The www.wifi411.com website also lists public Wi-Fi hotspots that offer free and paid access in cities across America.

The CyberCafes website (www.cybercafes.com) provides an online directory listing thousands of Internet cafes worldwide that allow users to access the Web using supplied desktop computers for a low hourly fee, usually between $5.00 to $10.00 per hour. Most public libraries and Apple Stores across America also offer free Internet access to the public. Using this solution, there’s no need to travel with your own computer.

There is another alternative. For between $49.95 and $79.95 per month, notebook computer users can subscribe to a wireless Broadband service offered by Sprint PCS, T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon. By connecting an inexpensive wireless modem to a notebook computer, true wireless, high-speed (Broadband) access is available from almost anywhere, especially within major cities. No phone lines or extra cables are required, plus you’re not limited to Wi-Fi coverage areas.

When choosing which wireless Broadband Internet service provider to sign up for, don’t just compare the price of the monthly service. It’s also necessary to evaluate the service coverage map and connection speeds offered by each provider. Also, look at the duration of the required service agreement, the cost of the wireless modem, and whether or not unlimited Internet access is granted through the service plan.

For someone who stays in a hotel three to four nights per month, or who needs Internet access while on the go, wireless Broadband Internet is an extremely convenient tool for enhancing productivity and staying connected. For those not on a corporate expense account, utilizing free Wi-Fi- hotspots, Internet cafes and Web access through public libraries continues to be a low-cost option for surfing the Web while on the go.