UPTOURIST

There’s nothing worse than wasting countless hours booking your flight online, just to save a few bucks and get stuck with a time-wasting itinerary full of layovers and multiple connecting flights.

Worse, delayed or cancelled flights that waste your time, patience, and hard-earned dollars with unexpected accommodation fees. Why should you foot the bill when the airline’s at fault?

These and other problems are addressed with the following techie travel hacks from USA Today’s Jennifer Jolly:

1. I’ve never made the switch from Kayak over to Hipmunk, but maybe I should give their “Agony Filter” a shot? Please leave a comment and let me know your experiences with both.
2. RentLuggage.com — looks interesting, though I’d definitely be concerned about renting a rucksack for an extended hike up Everest (might end up buying the darned thing if it’s damaged anyway.)
3. AirHelp — Oh thank goodness for this! We’ve all been bitten by costs associated with airline delays: lost business, hotel stays, transportation, expensive airport meals, etc.
4. Inflight Reader app — Used it. Your selection may vary.
5. SkyRoam — Looks interesting. I probably won’t use it, since using the phone isn’t an essential part of any of my travel plans. However, I’m sure many of you will or do currently use it.