Airfarewatchdog Debuts User Route Reviews

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

See recent posts by Carl Unger

Our sister site, Airfarewatchdog, now allows travelers to rate and review their flights, as well as the airline they flew. Similar to TripAdvisor, the feature is designed to give consumers a chance to share their opinion, tips, and fair warnings with other readers, and gives travelers a new way to determine whether or not a good price is actually a decent value.

The functionality only launched last week, but there are already some good reviews on the Boston-to-San Francisco and Seattle-to-New York pages. As you can see, travelers can rate the check-in process, in-flight service, and seat comfort, and give an overall rating and detailed review.

Honestly, some sort of user-generated review function for the airline industry is long overdue. There are so many variables when it comes to flying—from gate locations and nearby airport amenities to plane type and size—that getting a first-hand sense of what you can expect is essential.

And just like with hotels, no one likes to be surprised. Imagine shopping around for a route you’ve never flown—Boston-to-New York, perhaps. A review like this one could save you a lot of headaches:

I fly this route a few times a year for work. While I love, love flying JetBlue (hence why I’m willing to fly into JFK!), it’s still a hike to get from JFK to the city. It’s usually an hour ride via taxi. It’s worth it to me since I love the in-flight amenities that JetBlue offers, but something other travelers should consider. If you are limited on time, BOS to LGA (or the Acela) might be a better option.

Pretty cool, in my opinion, and highly useful.

Readers, do you think flight reviews could be useful in your travel planning process? Any thoughts on how Airfarewatchdog could make this a better feature? Check out the route reviews and write your own, and leave a comment below. Thanks!

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