Know how a good hotel provides thoughtful and useful amenities like a sewing kit, a toothbrush, an umbrella? Think of this page as one part amenities mixed with two parts hack. If you have a favorite travel helpful site you'd like to share, please drop us a line so we can check it out.
Jump to: Airlines | Hotels | Auto | Money | Luggage | Visas and Passports | Trip Planning and Sharing | Ask Fathom | Guides - Online |Guides - Books and Maps | Apps
Find the Best Fares
Do you need to check every search engine? Of course not. We've picked our favorites from dozens of options. When you find yours, stick to it. Generally speaking, prices won't vary that much. FATHOM founder Pavia is partial to Orbitz for their outstanding customer service and day-of-flight texts.
Kayak - general search flights, hotels, cars; first in class
Mobissimo - general search flights, hotels, cars
Vayama - general search flights, hotels, cars
Momondo - meta-searches of 800+ travel websites
Hipmunk - streamlined search by price and agony; nice design
Adioso - specializes in spontaneous and budget travel; searches low-cost airline
WhichBudget - specializes in low-cost airlines; enables search by country and airport
Wegolo - specializes in low-cost airlines
InsideTrip - search by price and quality
Rome2Rio - specializes in complicated itineraries with flights, trains (Europe, India, China), driving, and ferries
Track Flights
FlightStats - track by flight number, airport, route; best in class
Compare Flights
FareCompare - airline ticket comparison
Skyscanner - specializing in cheap flights
Yapta - track flights before you buy
Skytrax - airline and airport reviews
Find a Good Seat
SeatGuru
SeatExpert
Frequent Flyer Miles
MileMaven - deals, tips, and tricks
The Points Guy - info and advice for making the most of miles
Travel Hacking Cartel - tips and tricks for earning and using miles (fee-based)
Reviews and Information
Hotels.com - hotel reviews worldwide
Oyster - hotel reviews in major U.S. cities
Mr & Mrs Smith - boutique and luxury hotel reviews and booking
Tablet Hotels - boutique and luxury hotel reviews and booking
Travel Intelligence - boutique and luxury hotel reviews and booking
Room77 - search by preference; see room previews
Stash Hotel Rewards - points program for indie and boutique hotels
The Most Perfect View - global collection of hotels with great views
Home-type Stays
LuxuryLink - auctions and sales on properties worldwide
Hosted Villas - high-end European rentals
HomeAway - worldwide rentals
Rentmix - searches vacation rental sites
AirBnB - nightly rentals in homes
Caravan - house swap geared to creative types
Spaces42 - architecturally interesting rentals
Camp in my Garden` - AirBnB for private gardens; big in the UK
Rentals
AutoEurope - specializes in car rental in Europe
Kemwel - specializes in car rental in Europe
Cars with Drivers
GroundLink - order private car service online or by app; worldwide coverage
Uber - order private cars by text or app; in a handful of major U.S. cities and Paris
Limos.com - order private cars, vintage limos, mini-buses, and even trolleys
Should I change money before I get to a foreign country?
No. You’ll get better rates in the country whose currency you want.
Where should I change money?
ATM machines are amazing: They're ubiquitous, always open, and consistently offer the best exchange rates. Most banks charge small fee for using foreign ATMs, but they're still the way to go when you consider the upside: convenience, not carrying around wads of cash or having to deal with travelers checks. Never get money at Travelex airport kiosks unless you're desperate for cash. (And there's no need to feel desperate: Airports have ATMs.)
I hate seeing "foreign transaction fee" on my credit card statement.
Everyone does. If you do a lot of overseas travel, it's worth signing up for a credit card that doesn't charge such fees and using that when you travel. Call your bank and ask, but excellent options include Capital One and American Express. If you fly often with one airline, get more bang from your loyalty and purchases with a card like British Airways Visa Signature.
xe.com - currency conversion (with apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry)
To avoid having to check or carry your bags, these services will ship your luggage to your destination before you arrive. It's an expensive option, but could be smart if you only need your golf clubs for three days of a two-week trip. You could ship yourself using FedEx or UPS, but these companies offer better customer service. Don't forget to inform your hotel if you're shipping before you arrive.
Luggage Free
The Luggage Club
Luggage Forward
Sports Express - same family as Luggage Forward; specializes in sports equpiment
U.S. Passports
U.K. Passports
Canada Passports
VisaHQ - passport expeditors in U.S., U.K., Canada
Passports and Visas.com - passport and visa expeditors in U.S.
Project Visa - visa information by country
TripIt - saves your travel plans into mobile, shareable itinerary
Travelstormer - manage group travel
Everlater - free travel blogs and journals
TripTracker - social travel mapping
Instagr.am and ToyCamera - iPhone apps that make travel pictures look nostalgic the moment you take them
Gmap Pedometer - FATHOM editorial director Jeralyn uses this to figure out running routes in new cities
General Advice
I'm Sick. What Now? Medical Advice
How Can I Get into Sold Out Restaurants?
How Can Credit Cards Help Me Travel?
Site-Specific Advice
What's Romantic in NYC?
What Doesn't Suck in South Beach?
How Can I Party in Berlin?
Can I Go to the Middle East?
Have a travel question that you can't figure out? We're here to help. Drop us a line at askfathom@fathomaway.com.
Unlike City Guides - city guides with cool, hipster appeal
Wanderfly - plan trips by price and interest
In the MO - personalized recommendations
Fabsearch - glossy magazine articles arranged by destination
DailyCandy - trendy finds in major US cities, geared to women (full disclosure: FATHOM's founders used to work here)
Thrillist - trendy finds in major US citites, geared to men
Luxe City Guides - trend-focused, useful pocket guides
Rough Guides City Maps - tried and true maps with a waxy coating, so you can fold them a million times (in the rain) and they won't rip or get soggy
City Secrets Guides - historians, artists, and their clever ilk reveal favorite places in Italy, London, NYC
Useful
FareCompare - airfare alerts (iPhone)
GateGuru - navigate day-of travel with info on airport wait times, restaurants, delays (iPhone)
Unlike City Guides - city guides with cool, hipster appeal (iPad, Android)
Xe.com - currency converter (iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry)
Fun
Instagr.am and ToyCamera - apps that make travel pictures look nostalgic the moment you take them (iPhone)
Peaks - identify mountain ranges on scenic drives or hikes (iPhone)
Point Inside - maps for airports and malls (iPhone, Android)
Postcard on the Run - turns digital pictures into snail mail postcards (iPhone, Android)
Postagram - send postcards from phone (iPhone, Android)
