Traveler Update Blog

We've recently made the following improvements to the Traveler Update service...

More airport info available
In addition to information from the OrbitzTLC team about parking options and Wi-Fi availability at each airport, we now have information available about ground transportation options to/from each airport (e.g. taxis, trains, subways, etc.) as well as some information about airport terminals including links to maps on the airport websites. Here's an example of this new information: Chicago O' Hare ground transportation and terminal information. Of course, we also continue to offer airport tips from actual travelers -- post an airport tip now.

Updates & tips from travelers have been consolidated
We've now made it easier for you to find all the relevant posts from actual travelers by combining what were previously separate lists of "Traveler Updates" and "Traveler Tips" for each airport. After selecting an airport, you'll now find all posts from travelers on a single "Traveler Updates/Tips" tab (example). Additionally, when posting your own airport info, there are no longer separate pages for posting an update (something happening right now which will only be relevant for a short time) and posting a tip (a piece of advice about an airport that doesn't expire). Simply click the "Post Update/Tip" button -- which can now be found at the top right of every page -- and when posting, we'll ask you how long you think the information you're providing will be relevant (today-only, next few days, next few weeks, next few months, or indefinitely). We use this information to decide when to remove your post from the site so that, at any given time, we're only displaying the items that continue to be relevant. On the "Quick View" tab for an airport, we help you distinguish between items that are only relevant for today vs. those that will be relevant for longer by grouping items into "today" and "ongoing" lists (example).

We hope you find these improvements useful as you travel -- particularly, given the recent flood of flight cancellations. As always, we love to hear your feedback.

- Ryan

Just in time for those of you traveling to Durham, NC for this weekend's big game (men's basketball - Duke vs. North Carolina), we've added Raleigh/Durham airport (RDU).

So, when traveling through RDU, don't forget to check out OrbitzTLC Traveler Update (via web, mobile web, or SMS) for the latest travel conditions and updates from other travelers. A handful of helpful tips from travelers have already been submitted.

- Ryan

Since month one, users have been requesting enhancements to one of our more popular features - the Security Wait Times page. What do the checkpoint names mean? Where are the checkpoints located and which terminal are they in? Can I see the wait times for my flight in chart format instead of a large graph? We’ve heard you loud and clear, and have made some changes to address your concerns.

Graphs customized to your flight:
Visiting the Security Wait Times page, you will now see an orange area where you can select your airline, day of travel, and the time of your departing flight. Click the “go” button and your page will refresh with all the appropriate terminals and checkpoints based on your information. Taking this customization a step further, we know you will care the most about the average wait times just before your flight. Therefore, we have created more concise graphs that display the average wait times by checkpoint, three hours prior to your flight departure.

Friendly Checkpoint Names:
Let’s face it, not many people outside the TSA know where checkpoint 31/CS Terminal is in Houston, or where checkpoint Blue is in Detroit. Myself, a developer of this site, had no clue. That’s why we have updated these archaic names with more user-friendly ones. For example, "31/CS Terminal" checkpoint is now listed as "Terminal C – South" checkpoint. We hope the new names and customizable graphs will ease your battle through the airport and get you to your flights on time.

As always, please submit comments or use the feedback link above to tell us how you feel. If the checkpoint names still don’t make sense, let us know and we’ll improve them.

- Joe

Tools that allow travelers to stay informed about the departure and arrival status of their flights continue to become increasingly important. The Chicago Tribune recently reported that -- once the final numbers are in for 2007 -- U.S. airlines will most likely have had their second-worst on-time performance record since this data began being tracked in 1995.

Although Orbitz obviously can't help your flights depart and arrive on-time, we do have a number of tools to help you keep informed about the status of your flight.

We recently upgraded our Flight Status feature to enable you to check the status of flights operated by just about any airline in the world -- that’s more than 250 airlines including previously unavailable U.S. airlines such as Southwest, JetBlue, and AirTran as well as previously unavailable international airlines like Qantas, Cathay Pacific, and others. As an example of the status information we provide, take a look at the status of American Airlines Flight #1123.

And did you know that you can also check your flight status from your mobile device while en route to the airport or while waiting in the inevitable check-in or security line at the airport? There are two ways to do this:

Mobile Web: Our Flight Status feature is available on the version of our site that’s optimized for mobile devices. So, if your mobile device has a web browser, just point it to mobile.orbitz.com* (Send this URL to your mobile device now | Learn more about our mobile site).

Text Messaging / SMS: If your mobile device doesn’t have a web browser (or you just don’t like it), you also have the option of checking your flight status by sending a text message (SMS) to Orbitz*. Just text an airline code and flight # (e.g. aa 1123) to ORBITZ (that's 672489 on your keypad), and we'll text you back the current status of your flight. More details and other SMS features

Of course, if you booked your flight on Orbitz, then you can also automatically receive emails, text messages*, or phone calls regarding your flight status whenever it changes. Learn more a... more

- Ryan

With the new Web 2.0 trend, sites are focusing more and more on their users and creating a sense of community. It is in that spirit that we launched OrbitzTLC Traveler Update a few months ago. Our team recognizes that online travel should mean more than simply helping a customer purchase tickets or book reservations, it should aid in every step of travel planning: from helping you find the best flight or hotel, to simplifying your trip through the airport, to pooling its traveler community's knowledge base so everyone can learn from each other's experiences.

With that I'm pleased to announce another step forward in our attempts to give back to our growing population of online travelers: the Traveler Update Blog. You, our users, have taken much effort to help support this product in the form of submitting airport updates, travel tips, and sending feedback on our system. We, the Traveler Update team, are happy to say we have been listening and now will use this forum to communicate what steps we are taking to make your experience the best possible.

Today we are pleased to release two new features:

The Traveler Update Blog
Our way of keeping users up to date on all things related to OrbitzTLC Traveler Update. Building off our display name feature, you can also use your account to leave comments to our blog posts.

New profile page
Formerly known as "My Stats" and "Settings", you now have a home to view cool details on how you, and others, have helped Traveler Update. You can see an overview of your most recent updates, most helpful tips, and even a map of which airports you've contributed to. Use the tabs at the top and see every update and tip submitted by a user, their stats, and configure settings specific to your account.

This site's goal is about the traveler and making your trip preparation as easy as possible. Please do not hesitate to submit feedback, request new features, or leave blog comments on how we can help make this goal a reality.

- Joe