Setup

On first use, read setup.md for onboarding guidelines. Start helping naturally without technical jargon — users can always ask about storage details if curious.

When to Use

User wants to plan a trip, track travel expenses, organize bookings, coordinate group/family travel, or build packing lists. Agent handles the full travel lifecycle: dreaming, planning, booking, traveling, and documenting.

Architecture

Memory lives in ~/travel-planning/. See memory-template.md for structure.

CODEBLOCK0

Quick Reference

Topic	File
Setup process	INLINECODE3
Memory template

memory-template.md | | Booking timing | booking-guide.md | | Packing templates | packing-templates.md | | Multi-city planning | multi-city.md |

Core Rules

1. Check Memory First

Before any trip planning, read ~/travel-planning/memory.md for:

• - Travel style preferences (budget, pace, accommodation type)
• Past trip patterns (average daily spend, packing habits)
• Document status (passport expiry, frequent flyer numbers)
• Family/group composition if applicable

2. Trip Lifecycle

Phase	Action
Dream	Add to wishlist/ with why, when, budget estimate
Plan

Create trip folder in trips/ when dates confirmed |

| Book | Track confirmations in trip's bookings.md, update budget | | Travel | Reference itinerary, log actual expenses | | Return | Move to completed/, document highlights and lessons |

3. Booking Timeline Reminders

Proactively remind based on trip dates:

• - 90 days out: Complex visas (China, Russia, India), group bookings
• 60 days out: International flights, travel insurance for pre-existing conditions
• 45 days out: Hotels, standard visas, rental cars for groups
• 30 days out: Activities, restaurant reservations, special requests
• 14 days out: Travel insurance (general), kids' documents check
• 7 days out: Bank notifications, packing list finalization, check-in reminders

4. Budget Tracking & Optimization

For each trip, track in its budget.md: CODEBLOCK1

5. Multi-City & Complex Itineraries

For trips with 2+ cities:

• - Plan minimum 2 nights per city (avoid one-night stays)
• Group geographically close destinations
• Consider open-jaw flights (fly into A, out of B) — often same price
• Build connection buffers: 4+ hours international, 2+ hours domestic
• Track different currencies and exchange rates per leg

6. Family & Group Travel

When traveling with kids or groups:

• - Create travelers.md in trip folder with each person's details (dietary, medical, seat prefs)
• Plan kid-friendly activities with energy breaks
• Book accommodations with kitchen access (saves 30%+ on food)
• Check child visa/consent requirements (some countries need notarized letters)
• Pack shared items list to avoid duplication
• Assign roles: navigator, budget tracker, activity planner

7. Document Safety (with user consent)

Only store document info if user explicitly shares it:

• - Passport expiry dates (for validity warnings)
• Visa requirements per destination
• Travel insurance policy numbers
• Emergency contacts (embassy, bank, family)
• Never store full document images — only reference numbers

Booking Optimization

Timing

Booking	Optimal Window	Why
Domestic flights	6-8 weeks out	Price sweet spot
International flights

3-4 months out | 10-20% savings |

| Hotels | 2-3 months out | Best selection + rates | | Rental cars | 2-6 weeks out | Prices fluctuate less | | Group activities | 4-6 weeks out | Availability for large groups |

Cost Optimization Tactics

Strategy	Typical Savings	When to Use
Shoulder season	30-40%	Flexible dates
Off-airport car rental

30-40% | Any rental |

| Kitchen accommodation | 30%+ food costs | Family trips, 5+ days | | City passes | 20-40% on activities | 3+ attractions planned | | Open-jaw flights | $0-100 | Multi-city, different endpoints | | Tuesday flight booking | 5-15% | Flexible booking day | | Bundle hotel+flight | 10-20% | Package deals available |

Group Booking Tips

• - Book flights separately for flexibility (one delay shouldn't cancel all)
• Hotels: request adjoining rooms at booking, confirm before arrival
• Activities: ask for group discounts (10+ people often qualify)
• Car rentals: compare 2 cars vs 1 large van (often cheaper + more flexible)

Itinerary Structure

CODEBLOCK2

Keep 2-3 hours buffer daily. Mark must-dos vs nice-to-haves.

Multi-City Connection Planning

CODEBLOCK3

Common Traps

• - Over-scheduling → leave discovery room (max 3 planned activities/day)
• Forgetting to document after trip → memories fade in days, not months
• Booking without checking visa requirements → some need 90+ days
• Ignoring passport validity → many countries require 6 months beyond trip dates
• Not saving confirmation numbers → create bookings.md immediately
• One-night stays in cities → exhausting, skip or extend
• Ignoring jet lag recovery → plan light first day after long-haul
• Group booking all together → one problem cancels everyone

Scope

This skill ONLY:

• - Manages travel planning in INLINECODE12
• Reads/writes markdown files for trips, budgets, packing
• Reminds about deadlines based on trip dates

This skill NEVER:

• - Makes actual bookings (provides info for user to book)
• Accesses email or calendar directly
• Stores payment information
• Reads files outside INLINECODE13

Related Skills

Install with clawhub install <slug> if user confirms:

• - daily-planner — daily task management
• INLINECODE16 — general project planning
• INLINECODE17 — expense tracking

Feedback

• - If useful: INLINECODE18
• Stay updated: INLINECODE19