Frequently Asked Questions
General FAQ
What is TripCompanion?
TripCompanion’s mission is to help bring families together around the world.
TripCompanion is a peer-to-peer matching service that connects travelers needing extra assistance with a caring air flight companion.
For example, TripCompanion makes it easier for seniors to travel to visit distant family. From your smartphone or tablet you can safely post a companion request, select a companion and coordinate with the companion and family.
How does TripCompanion work?
After you sign-up to the app, our app will guide you to create your first trip. After you indicate your role as either a traveler planning your own travel, a planner, or a companion and then your desired route, travel dates, required assistances and languages spoken.
TripCompanion will display the trip companion postings which match your itinerary and assistance requirements. You then browse through these postings and review their abilities and fees. You interview them using the app’s built-in secure messaging feature. Once the trip assignment is accepted by your selected companion then you prepay the service fee into escrow.
The service fee is automatically released to the companion two days after the trip is completed. You have two (2) days to stop payment of the service fee. You may stop payment by notifying us
Travelers can cancel an awarded trip up to two weeks before departure. A traveler who cancels in less than two weeks will forfeit 25% of the service fee. See the Planner’s Terms of Use for Trip Assignment Cancellation Policy details.
Who are our customers?
Our service is designed to help travelers who are not comfortable making a long distance air journey entirely on their own such as seniors and single parents with young children.
The trip can be arranged by a traveler, a family member, or primary caregiver. The person who posts the trip matching request is responsible for the payment of the fees.
Who are trip companions?
Trip companions help travelers who prefer not to make long distance air journeys entirely on their own. Our air trip companions are kind-hearted, ordinary travelers. They do not have any medical training and are not professional travel companions. The companions range from enthusiastic university students, to active retired people, to friendly working professionals on vacation. For safety, we verify the email address for new user. We offer optional USA background check on your Companion if you preferred.
The companions are not expected to provide medical or professional services. The companions do not accompany minors or under-age travelers, do not provide pick up or drop off services. If medical assistance is needed, the companion will let the airline or airport employees know immediately.
Who performs the background check?
Our background check is performed by Backgrounds Online (https://www.backgroundsonline.com/), a member of NAPBS.
Do you hire the trip companion?
As specified in our Terms of Use, TripCompanion does not employ any of the trip companions and we are not responsible for their actions. TripCompanion is the online marketplace where travelers, planners and trip companions can connect and interact.
How early should I publish my trip?
Try to publish your listing as early as possible- 2-4 months ahead is ideal. The more flexible you are with your travel dates, the greater the chance of finding a match.
Traveler and Trip Planner FAQ
Can I plan a trip for my loved one?
You can plan a trip for yourself or for your loved one. If you are planning a trip for yourself, you provide your personal preferences for a companion. If you are planning a trip for a loved one, you provide the name of your loved one and their preferences in a companion.
TripCompanion saves each traveler’s preferences so when you plan another trip in the future, you do not have to enter the information again.
As a trip planner, you are responsible for accepting the Planner’s Terms of Use, selecting and awarding the assignment to a companion, and for fees associated with the service. In addition, you will be asked to provide feedback after the trip is complete.
How many trips can I plan for?
You can plan trips for as many people as you like, as many times as you like. Each trip is managed separately to help keep information organized. For example, you can concurrently plan a trip for your parents and another trip for your in-laws.
How many people can a companion assist in a single trip?
Each traveler’s need is different; often a trip companion can assist an individual, a couple or a parent travelling with young children. You should provide the name of one traveler and the number of travelers in the trip and discuss your specific needs with the companion before you select the companion to travel with you.
What if I need medical assistance during the journey?
Trip companions are ordinary travelers. They do not provide medical or professional services. They do not accompany minors who are traveling without an adult. They do not provide pick up or drop off services. We recommend you contact professional travel companions to discuss significant medical care needs so your loved one receives the specialized care for a safe journey.
Reminder: If medical assistance is needed, let the airline or airport employees know immediately.
How much does it cost?
The traveler prepays the service fee when the chosen trip companion accepts the trip assignment.
The companion will be paid two days after the trip is completed.
How do you process payment?
Fees will be processed using Paypal. In Paypal, you can complete your payment using your credit card or your Paypal balance. You do not need a Paypal account. We do not store your credit card nor Paypal information.
How much is the service fee?
Upon posting a trip our system estimates a service fee based on factors such as length of flight and the level of service(s) needed. We estimate the service fee will range between $40 – $300 depending on the length of flight and level of service(s) ordered.
How do you make money?
TripCompanion charges an administration fee deducted from the service fee.
Are there additional traveler expenses not included in the service fee?
You are responsible for your own travel expenses, meals and transportation. You are also responsible for the cost of data communications, SMS or Wi-Fi service for your smartphone related to the trip.
TripCompanion does not charge for email or text messages sent using our TripCompanion app.
Do you reveal all my information on the trip posting?
As a traveler or trip companion, your full name, phone number and email address will not be revealed on the trip posting or anytime during the travel process. Your first name, initial of your last name, trip details and optional photograph that you uploaded will be shown to facilitate the match service.
After a traveler and companion confirmed the job assignment, your full name will be shared.
How do I know my information is safe?
When you keep the trip information on the TripCompanion app, the information is encrypted and is stored on our server. For more detailed information, please refer to our privacy policy
How can I discuss the trip with the shortlisted companions?
When we find trip companions that may meet your needs we will prompt you to browse their trip postings. You can send messages to the matched companions through the TripCompanion app without revealing your email address or phone number. Typically, travelers discuss any special requests such as adjoining seats, help getting to a restaurant on a layover, etc. with their potential trip companions ahead of time.
How do I share information with family and friends?
You can invite anyone, such as a family member or friend, to share access to the trip information through your trip “Group Chat”. Then, everyone in the Trip Chat Group can view and exchange messages to stay coordinated and up to date about the trip. The planner may remove persons from the Trip Chat Group at any time.
How does the traveler update us if they are not comfortable using smartphone technology?
If the traveler has a smartphone, typing a quick message in the TripCompanion app is easy. You may also arrange with the trip companion to send messages to the Chat Group to inform them of their progress.
How can I update a travel itinerary or cancel a trip?
If you have not yet awarded the trip assignment, you can edit your trip itinerary at any time. The TripCompanion app will use the updated criteria to find new potential companions who align with your needs.
If you have already awarded the trip assignment, to ensure fairness for both you and the trip companion, you should work with your trip companion and only make mutually agreeable changes to the travel plan.
In this situation, you are advised to contact the trip companion immediately to decide whether to cancel the assignment or not. For additional issues, you can contact us by emailing support@TripCompanion.com.
What if I awarded a trip assignment to a trip companion, but my itinerary changed substantially?
In this situation, you are advised to contact the trip companion immediately to decide whether to cancel the assignment or not. For additional issues, you can contact us by emailing support@TripCompanion.com.
What do I need to preparing for the trip?
The traveler and the companion schedule the place and time to meet up with your traveler, for example, at the airline check-in counter. We suggest you meet up at least 30 minutes earlier than the minimum airline check-in time. For example, if the airline advises you to check-in 2 hours before departure, you should arrange to meet the traveler at least 2.5 hours before departure.
When you meet up, you can recognize each other by the photographs in the TripCompanion app. You should show your boarding pass, and your passport or driver’s license to each other traveler so they can verify your identity.
Tip: We will provide the companion with easy-to-follow Quality Service Manual to make assisting the travelers easy.
Tip: TripCompanion app provides travel checklists to help you prepare your trip and travel together.
How do I meet my family at my destination?
You should arrange for the greeter to meet you and the companion at the security/customs exit at the arrival airport. The greeter, traveler and companion should communicate frequently after landing at the airport to keep everyone informed.
Reminder: For the traveler’s safety, the traveler should remain in the airport at a public place at all times. The greeter should arrive well in advance of the traveler’s arrival.
When can a rating and review be entered?
You are encouraged to submit a review and rating (from 1 to 5 stars) upon the completion of your journey.
How do I deal with inappropriate content in feedback about me?
If you see something posted that you feel is inappropriate, we encourage you to report this by emailing us at support@TripCompanion.com
What if I have a problem/dispute?
According to the Legal Notice, any disputes related to the services received by a traveler must be resolved directly between the traveler, planner and companion.
Fellow Trip Companion FAQ
How can I post and offer my services as a trip companion?
First, you need to become a member of TripCompanion. It is free to join. Simply sign up using your social media account or sign up directly using an email address and password.
Next, you need to post a for-hire listing about your trip. To increase the level of confidence for the traveler, we request that you agree to allow us to perform a USA background check on you if requested and paid by the traveler. Note: Background check will be performed by a reputable third party provider with your permission. We will not retain nor share your background check report and other information that you provided to the third party service provider. Our system will forward your trip information to potential matching travelers. The traveler will review your posting and decide whether to contact you using our interview chat feature.
How do I know what to charge for a trip?
Our system automatically estimates a companion fee based on factors such as length of flight and level of service(s) required. We estimate the companion fee ranges between $24 – $250. The hiring offer from the traveler will include the finalized service fee they are offering.
When and how do I get paid?
Trip companions are paid through the TripCompanion’s third party payment processing services after the traveler confirms the journey has been successfully completed or 2 days after the trip is ended. The payment is paid directly into your online payment system account.
What if I need to ask the traveler a question before or after I accept an assignment?
You can exchange messages with the traveler during negotiation and after accepting the assignment. You can access the messaging feature built into the TripCompanion app, through email, or SMS according to your preference.
When can a rating and review be entered?
You are encouraged to submit a review and rating (from 1 to 5 stars) upon the completion of your journey. You will be reminded to leave feedback as soon as you mark the journey completed in the TripCompanion app.
What is your relationship with TripCompanion?
When you sign up and accept an assignment with the traveler, you provide a service to the traveler. You are neither an employee nor a contractor of TripCompanion. We are not responsible for your actions or those of the traveler. See our Companion’s Terms of Use for more details.
How do I deal with inappropriate content in feedback about me?
If you see something posted that you feel is inappropriate, we encourage you to report this by emailing us at support@TripCompanion.com
What if I have a problem/dispute?
According to the Terms of Use any disputes related to the services received by a traveler must be resolved directly between the traveler, planner and companion.