TripIt releases what are probably the world’s best airport maps
Directions, travel times, amenities and everything else you could want.
Do you have time for a pre-flight pastry? On the one hand, you've earned it. On the other you'll never forgive yourself if you miss a flight just for a croissant. You decide to go for it, but the queue is moving slower than anticipated. There's still time though. You'll have to sprint through the terminal afterwards, but it's doable.
Unfortunately you run in the wrong direction. You've never been to this airport before, the direction signs were apparently hung backwards, the airport layout makes zero sense and frankly you probably shouldn't have taken this kind of risk in such unfamiliar territory.
The TripIt app creators may have found themselves in the same position at some point. Nothing else could explain the incredibly detailed airport maps that just landed.
You can now see the distance between two specific points in the airport, as well as how long it will take you to get there. If you're in a rush it can also direct you along the quickest and most direct route. The enhanced maps also show charging stations, ATMs, bathrooms, your food options and plenty more, neatly colour coded for your ease of use and visual pleasure.
The downside? It's coming as part of the paid TripIt Pro package, which comes in at USD$49 per year. The upside is that it adds more value to what was already a well worth it travel app package for frequent flyers.
The other downside is that it only supports about 50 different airports right now, most of which are in the USA, so it's probably not worth going for the upgrade just for the maps, unless you find yourself lost in American terminals a lot.
If you're mostly looking for an app that can integrate with your calendar to manage travel plans in one place, or to help out your business travel in an easy way, then the free version is probably enough.
Having said that, those shiny maps, and the consequent ability to enjoy airport baked goods with complete confidence, aren't the only Pro function. You'll also get:
- Real time flight alerts, and alternative seat availability notifications
- Flight rescheduling tools, and an alternative flight search
- Notifications if you're eligible for a flight refund
- VIP travel benefits
If you want to try Tripit, you can download it on iOS, Android and iPad.
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Picture: Shutterstock, cntraveler
