7 ms·

My main gripe about the vast majority of travel websites is the complete lack of an "anywhere" option in the destination field. Sometimes I have a week off work

by simmosn 15y ago

My main gripe about the vast majority of travel websites is the complete lack of an "anywhere" option in the destination field. Sometimes I have a week off work, a set amount of cash and don't necessarily care where I go. I just want to see all possibilities for destinations/flights etc. I think SkyScanner is the only site I've seen this option on.

trin_ 15y ago
oh yes! i just want to set a list of departure locations, a range of days (3-6) and a maximum cost. i dont care if i use the train a plane, a ferry or even a bus just get me somewhere interesting! :)
ed209 15y ago
You should try http://adioso.com/ http://adioso.com/
mtr 15y ago
Have you seen http://www.kayak.com/explore/ http://www.kayak.com/explore/ ?
batista 15y ago
My main gripe about the vast majority of travel websites is the complete lack of an "anywhere" option in the destination field. Sometimes I have a week off work, a set amount of cash and don't necessarily care where I go. A "first world problem" if I ever saw one...
- scarmig 15y ago
  Not to derail the thread, but I think the entire "first world problem" meme, though useful in that it reminds us of our relative privilege, isn't totally fair to either the people experiencing the problem or to the people solving it. First world problems are still problems. And the existence of people experiencing much worse problems doesn't mean those first world problems are not worth solving. Indeed, virtually any problem could be considered not worth solving if you can identify anyone anywhere in the world in a worse off situation. Typing in a couple words and having a machine return documents automatically based on the input isn't a solution to a real problem, because people exist in East Palo Alto who are functionally illiterate. Finding a cure for Alzheimer's isn't a solution to a real problem, because a supermajority of people in Zimbabwe die decades before they might even get it. It's all a matter of degree. And if you buy into market economics, it's not even clear that focusing on first world problems is a detriment to solving other problems. If the parent spends 10 minutes buying a plane ticket instead of 2 hours because of the implementation of an "everywhere" option, that creates a consumer surplus that could very well be worth a couple hundred dollars. Flyers can be routed to places on planes that are underutilized, reducing GHG emissions by a meaningful amount (which is incredibly valuable for residents of developing nations). Hundreds of thousands (millions? I don't know the market size) of person-hours could be saved. Some of that value inevitably would trickle down to people with graver problems.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
tomhoward 15y ago
As another commenter mentioned, this is exactly what we're building at Adioso (YC W09). It turns out it's very hard to do for reasons mostly to do with decades-old technology and business conventions in the travel industry. This is why it still barely exists, even though so many travellers want it. But we're making good progress. Stay tuned.
sjaakkkkk 15y ago
For people in Europe check http://www.qfly.com http://www.qfly.com
anamax 15y ago
> My main gripe about the vast majority of travel websites is the complete lack of an "anywhere" option in the destination field. Next you'll be wanting "somewhere new" and "somewhere fun".
- simmosn 15y ago
  "somewhere new" - sounds good, keep track of cities I've previously booked flights to and exclude these from my results
  - viscanti 15y ago
    "somewhere fun" sounds good too. It could keep track of your ratings of places you've been and recommend new places based on that.
joedev 15y ago
http://www.google.com/flights http://www.google.com/flights Select: departure airport, departure date, and return date (optionally price range). Do not choose a destination. See: a map of destinations with price labels shown for major cities. Set: the max price and see possible destinations fade away. Click: on a destination dot on the map and instantly get details of available flights. All without pressing a single "submit" button and without entering a single destination.
- akx 15y ago
  Trying to select Helsinki as departure airport: "Sorry, locations outside the US are currently not supported." Ah well.

by simmosn 15y ago

trin_ 15y ago

oh yes! i just want to set a list of departure locations, a range of days (3-6) and a maximum cost. i dont care if i use the train a plane, a ferry or even a bus just get me somewhere interesting! :)

ed209 15y ago

You should try http://adioso.com/ http://adioso.com/

mtr 15y ago

Have you seen http://www.kayak.com/explore/ http://www.kayak.com/explore/ ?

batista 15y ago

scarmig 15y ago
Not to derail the thread, but I think the entire "first world problem" meme, though useful in that it reminds us of our relative privilege, isn't totally fair to either the people experiencing the problem or to the people solving it. First world problems are still problems. And the existence of people experiencing much worse problems doesn't mean those first world problems are not worth solving. Indeed, virtually any problem could be considered not worth solving if you can identify anyone anywhere in the world in a worse off situation. Typing in a couple words and having a machine return documents automatically based on the input isn't a solution to a real problem, because people exist in East Palo Alto who are functionally illiterate. Finding a cure for Alzheimer's isn't a solution to a real problem, because a supermajority of people in Zimbabwe die decades before they might even get it. It's all a matter of degree. And if you buy into market economics, it's not even clear that focusing on first world problems is a detriment to solving other problems. If the parent spends 10 minutes buying a plane ticket instead of 2 hours because of the implementation of an "everywhere" option, that creates a consumer surplus that could very well be worth a couple hundred dollars. Flyers can be routed to places on planes that are underutilized, reducing GHG emissions by a meaningful amount (which is incredibly valuable for residents of developing nations). Hundreds of thousands (millions? I don't know the market size) of person-hours could be saved. Some of that value inevitably would trickle down to people with graver problems.

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

tomhoward 15y ago

As another commenter mentioned, this is exactly what we're building at Adioso (YC W09). It turns out it's very hard to do for reasons mostly to do with decades-old technology and business conventions in the travel industry. This is why it still barely exists, even though so many travellers want it. But we're making good progress. Stay tuned.

sjaakkkkk 15y ago

For people in Europe check http://www.qfly.com http://www.qfly.com

anamax 15y ago

> My main gripe about the vast majority of travel websites is the complete lack of an "anywhere" option in the destination field. Next you'll be wanting "somewhere new" and "somewhere fun".

simmosn 15y ago
"somewhere new" - sounds good, keep track of cities I've previously booked flights to and exclude these from my results
- viscanti 15y ago
  "somewhere fun" sounds good too. It could keep track of your ratings of places you've been and recommend new places based on that.

joedev 15y ago

http://www.google.com/flights http://www.google.com/flights Select: departure airport, departure date, and return date (optionally price range). Do not choose a destination. See: a map of destinations with price labels shown for major cities. Set: the max price and see possible destinations fade away. Click: on a destination dot on the map and instantly get details of available flights. All without pressing a single "submit" button and without entering a single destination.

akx 15y ago
Trying to select Helsinki as departure airport: "Sorry, locations outside the US are currently not supported." Ah well.