Really Useful Sites for Really Busy People
50 timesaving sites that deliver top-notch information, support, and services.
Kim Zetter
TRAVEL WITH LESS HASSLE
Track Flight Arrivals and Departures
Looking for arrival or departure information for a flight whose number you don't know? Flight Arrivals is the one-stop spot to get real-time arrival and departure data for flights and airports around the world (although not every airport is listed). Choose an airline and airport, and get data on flights in your specified time frame. The site's info is updated every 4 minutes. Wireless access will be added soon.
Learn the Baggage Rules for Your Airline
Every airline has different policies for baggage limits, lost-luggage reports, and itinerary changes, but the details are often buried in small print on a Web page or an airline ticket. One Travel's " Rules of the Air" tool provides a place to get all that info quickly. The site lists only U.S.-based carriers, so not all airlines are covered, but the tool is simple to use and the data is easy to read.
Reserve Airport Parking in Advance
Book discount airport parking before you arrive at a terminal, by using the DiscountAirportParking site. The parking lots, at 54 U.S. airports, are located a few blocks or a few miles from the terminals but offer shuttle service. A recent search found parking for a three-day weekend at San Francisco airport lots for $37 to $52.
Find a Radio Station for the Road
Why waste time scanning the radio dial for your favorite tunes while you're on the road, when Radio-Locator can help you find a station that plays music you like? You can search for stations throughout the United States or the world by geographical region, radio call letters (in the U.S.), or format (pop, heavy metal, talk radio). You can also download a list of stations for any region to your PDA, using the free AvantGo software.
Get Weather Reports Worldwide
Weather.com can deliver travel weather alerts to your Web-enabled cell phone. Just input your itinerary and get alerts for cities across the globe. Alerts arrive via e-mail or wireless text messaging two days before your departure and 3 hours before takeoff.
Look Up What Shots You Need
Before embarking on a trip to another country, get health information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC lists needed vaccinations, water precautions, and other health advice you should consider before you depart.
Learn a Foreign Language
You may not be able to learn a foreign language on the fly, but through the www.travlang.com site you can master a few crucial words to help you ease through the airport in Paris, find a hotel room in Istanbul, or avoid an international incident in Moscow. Though its many pop-up ads can be annoying, the site has words in 80 languages, and by using a free audio program you can hear pronunciation for some of them.
Obtain Foreign Visas
Travisa's online visa application page can help you obtain visas to more than 160 countries and expedite your passport renewals. Not every country will let you apply online, but the site provides a postal address and phone number for embassies that require conventional mail or in-person applications.
