Travel Glossary

Travel glossary for planning and expense splitting

Shared vocabulary keeps group trips civil. When one person says “per diem” and another hears “daily fun money,” budgets skew before anyone boards. This searchable glossary defines itinerary, fare, split, and settle-up language you will see in booking emails, finance policies, and Trip Saathi logs.

When a term affects money — rack rate, custom split, prepaid expense — decide handling before paying deposits. Cross-reference expense categories and group expense splitting. Multi-currency trips should use the currency converter alongside these definitions.

How to use the glossary search

Type a keyword in the search box below to filter terms instantly — try “layover,” “settle up,” or “shoulder season.” On mobile, scroll after filtering; matching entries stay visible while others hide. Use glossary lookups when writing split rules in your trip chat so everyone reads the same definition.

Students and business travellers encounter overlapping jargon — compare student tips and business travel expenses for policy-specific twists on per diems and receipts.

• Itinerary

  A day-by-day plan of where you will go and what you will do on a trip.

• Layover

  A stop between flights at an intermediate airport before you reach your final destination.

• Open-jaw ticket

  A flight booking that arrives in one city and returns from another.

• Per diem

  A fixed daily allowance for meals and incidentals, common in business travel.

• Shoulder season

  The period between peak and off-peak when prices are lower and crowds thinner.

• Rack rate

  The official published hotel price before discounts.

• All-inclusive

  A package where stay, meals, and some activities are bundled into one price.

• Split expense

  A shared cost divided among trip members by equal or custom shares.

• Settle up

  The process of paying outstanding balances so everyone is even after shared expenses.

• Prepaid expense

  A cost paid before the trip starts, such as flights or hotel deposits.

• Dynamic packaging

  Building a trip by combining flights, hotels, and cars yourself instead of a fixed tour.

• Travel insurance

  Coverage for medical emergencies, cancellations, delays, or lost baggage.

• eVisa

  A visa issued electronically, usually applied for online before travel.

• Homestay

  Lodging in a local residence, often cheaper and more cultural than a hotel.

• Red-eye flight

  An overnight flight that arrives early morning.

• Connection time

  The time available between arriving and departing flights at a hub.

• City tax

  A per-night tax charged by some cities on top of hotel rates.

• Fuel surcharge

  An extra fee airlines or operators add related to fuel costs.

• Multi-currency trip

  A journey involving expenses in more than one currency.

• Emergency fund

  Money reserved for unexpected trip costs, typically 10–20% of the budget.

• Equal split

  Dividing an expense so each included person pays the same amount.

• Custom split

  Dividing an expense by unequal shares, percentages, or exact amounts.

• Tourist SIM / eSIM

  A local or digital mobile plan used while traveling.

• Travel advisory

  Official guidance about safety or entry conditions for a destination.

• Port of entry

  The airport or border point where you formally enter a country.

• Refundable rate

  A booking you can cancel within rules for a refund, usually priced higher.

• Overlanding

  Long-distance travel over land, often by road across regions or countries.

• Base fare

  The ticket price before taxes and fees.

• Gratuity

  A tip paid for service, sometimes mandatory at restaurants or resorts.

• Group lead

  The person coordinating bookings or expense tracking for a shared trip.

Terms that most often affect splits

Planning vs pricing vocabulary

Itinerary is your day plan; open-jaw ticket flies into one city and home from another — great for road loops. Shoulder season sits between peak and off-peak pricing; dynamic packaging means you assemble flights and hotels yourself instead of buying a fixed tour. Connection time is the gap between flights — too tight risks missed bags; too loose wastes vacation hours.

International and document terms

eVisa arrives electronically; port of entry is where immigration stamps your passport. Travel advisory is official safety guidance — not gossip. Travel insurance covers medical and cancellation per policy fine print, not every fear.

Using glossary language in Trip Saathi

When logging, mirror glossary terms in memos: “Prepaid hotel — equal split,” “Custom split trek — 3 participants.” Consistent words make trip budget planner totals reconcile with live logs. Road crews should know fuel surcharge and toll pass vocabulary from road trip planning.

Fare construction basics

Base fare plus taxes plus fuel surcharge equals what airlines quote before seat fees and bags. Red-eye flight saves a hotel night but adds fatigue cost — budget coffee and post-flight rest, not just ticket price. Connection time under 60 minutes on international hubs is risky when immigration clears slowly.

Hotel and package language

All-inclusive resorts vary wildly — confirm alcohol, excursions, and gratuities. City tax arrives at checkout surprise if ignored. Refundable rate costs more but protects monsoon flexibility — compare against budget tips on cancellation strategy.

Splitting vocabulary in chat

When writing rules, link terms: “Prepaid hotel = equal split among four; trekking guide = custom split only participants.” Consistent language reduces the “what did we mean?” thread on day three.

Overlanding and homestay nuance

Overlanding implies self-sufficient long-distance land travel — budget fuel and repair categories heavily. Homestay may include meals; clarify if breakfast is included before comparing to hotel rack rate in spreadsheets.

Group lead responsibilities

Group lead coordinates itinerary; finance lead owns logging — glossary clarity prevents one person drowning in both roles without credit.

Multi-currency trip definition

Multi-currency trip means expenses in more than one currency — pick ledger base currency in Trip Saathi and note FX on each line; glossary alignment prevents “which rupee?” confusion on Thailand plus India layover trips.

Dynamic packaging in practice

Dynamic packaging lets you swap hotel after flight booked — useful when shoulder season rates drop; track each prepaid line as separate prepaid expense in Trip Saathi for refund tracking if one leg cancels.

Travel advisory levels

Travel advisory tiers guide insurance and itinerary risk — not entertainment news. Check official government source before debating glossary term with friends.

Gratuity vs service charge recap

Gratuity is discretionary tip; mandatory service charge may already sit on bill — splitting group meal requires knowing which applied before equal split math in Trip Saathi.

Emergency fund in group context

Emergency fund glossary term becomes operational when group agrees 15% reserve no one taps for shopping — define in split rules alongside equal vs custom split vocabulary.

Open-jaw planning note

Open-jaw ticket pairs naturally with one-way car rental returns — align glossary term with rental drop fee line in Transport category so group sees full picture.

Connection time glossary reminder: international connections under 90 minutes risk missed bags — budget longer layover when booking group flights on single PNR.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between base fare and total fare?

Base fare is ticket before taxes and fees; total is what your card pays.

Is gratuity the same as service charge?

Not always — read bill; service charge may be mandatory, tip optional.

Open-jaw vs round trip?

Round trip returns from origin city; open-jaw returns from another city.

What does all-inclusive mean?

Bundled stay, meals, and some activities — verify alcohol and excursions.

Group lead vs finance lead?

Group lead coordinates plan; finance lead owns logging — roles can split.