To tweet or not to tweet? The burning question that seems to be on everybody’s mind these days and for the curious among us setting up a Twitter account is the first step. The next is asking: now what? Read on to find out exactly how to use this micro-blogging site for all your travels and much more.
For starters this hot networking site is quickly becoming an indispensable tool (it’s not an application) for savvy travellers and anyone in the travel industry. Whether you’re looking for the best deals, the latest travel news or travel advice, Twitter is the way forward. And with just 140 characters to work with, ‘tweets’ have to be short and straight to the point – no room for fluff. It’s now the faster way to engage in real-time dialogue with other travellers and the airlines’ themselves.
Follow the tweeter
The trick is to follow the right travel tweeters (see the Telegraph’s Twitter: 50 great travel tweeters). Start by following your favourite airlines. Low-cost US airline JetBlue is a good example. The airline has 430,243 followers to date on its main page (@JetBlue) and has also set up a dedicated deal alerts page (@JetBlueDeals) that sends followers the latest deals. Some have even commented about the fact that it’s quicker to get a response from the airline via Twitter than over the phone or email. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are also reaching out to their customers by posting deals and updates on their Twitter pages.
Twit for tat
Bargain hunters will revel in the world of Twitter, again by following the right people. Matt Gross, the New York Times Frugal Traveler columnist famous for travelling the world in 90 days on a budget, is a great Tweeter to follow. His Twitter page (@frugaltraveler) is constantly updated with links to affordable hotels and cheap eats around the world plus tons of invaluable budget tips.
The Telegraph recently published an article about how Twitter can help you plan your holiday and in it Andy Washington, Director of Sales at lastminute.com (@lastminute_com) explained how they use Twitter to advertise their deals: "When we secure great last-moment deals we often only stream them on Twitter because they are so time sensitive. Customers following us have access to the best bargains we offer."
If you’re worried about missing out on twitter-only discounts that are promoted exclusively on the airline, hotel or any other travel site then setting up Twitter feeds is your best option. The easiest way to do this is by either clicking on ‘RSS feed updates’ on the profile page of the Tweeter you’re following or through Twitter applications designed specifically for your smartphone. Click here for a list of the top Twitter applications for smartphones including the iPhone (see related travel tip) and Blackberry.
Entering the Twittersphere
According to expert tweeters, the most useful Twitter tool is Twitter Search which has a simple search box that pulls related results from all over the site. So, for example, if you’ve booked a flight with BA from Heathrow Airport and want to know whether it’s delayed or on-time you would simply type ‘British Airways LHR’ in the search box and Twitter will display all related real-time Tweets from travellers, the airline or even the airport.
TweetDeck is another tool that acts as your personal browser. Simply download the application onto your desktop and the possibilities are endless. You can create customised columns that allow you to view everything from friends tweeting to updating your Facebook account in a matter of seconds.
Here is a list of some of our favourite travel-related tweeters, including our very own Cheapflights Twitter page of course:
Cheapflights UK: @Cheapflights_uk
Cheapflights Canada: @Cheapflights_ca
Cheapflights Australia/New Zealand: @Cheapflights_au
Cheapflights US: @Cheapflightscom
Travolution: @travolution
World Hotel Link (WHL): @whltravel
Travel Rants: @travelrants
Boingo (Wifi for travellers): @boingo
Travel writer Leif Pettersen:@leifpettersen
Boarding (stranded travellers): @boardingproject
Related Twitter articles:
The Guardian's How to make the most of Twitter
Telegraph's Twitter: how to set up your account
The Top 21 Twitter Applications by TechCrunch
Seema Salaam
© Cheapflights Ltd
Updated April 2009
