Tight schedule? Messy information? How I lost over a thousand dollars because of a cross-country layover mistake.

‍_{A Sleepless Night Booking a Flight}

_{My flight was due to leave at 7 am. It was 3 in the morning when I arrived in Philadelphia. The clock was ticking and I had to book my return flight to the Bay Area. I was forced to stay awake all night to complete everything. The slow internet made it even more difficult. I switched between apps to compare flight prices and look at maps. Information was spread across several platforms and it seemed that nothing matched up. It was like I was in a circle, and I could not make sense of the options.}

_{A Costly Layover on a Cross-Country Route}

_{After many hours of frustration I booked a ticket. The flight had a stopover in Los Angeles. I did not pay attention to a crucial detail. I live only 5 minutes from San Jose International Airport, which is the closest airport to my home. Instead of driving to my local airport, I was forced to drive 1.5 hours. My layover was at Ontario Airport, Los Angeles. However, my international flight from LAX to my country of origin was two hours away. The situation was made worse by the fact that taxis are very expensive in the U.S. Renting the car also meant that I would have to pay a fee to return it at a different place. The worst part is? I didn't realize how easily this mistake could have been avoided.}

_{Lesson: Not Having a Travel Plan}

_{In retrospect, I see that my lack of a comprehensive travel plan was the cause of this costly error. I booked my flights without thinking about the whole journey. I did not account for the extra rental fees or time and costs of changing airports. The entire process was inefficient and fragmented. The solution? A better planning tool that would look at the whole trip and optimize it.}

_{How iMean could have saved me}

_{This mistake could have been avoided if I had used iMean. iMean, an AI travel planner, creates the best itinerary for you. It automatically creates the best routes by simply entering your travel dates and destination, ensuring that there are no hidden fees or conflicts in the schedule. If I'd used iMean to book my flight, I could have done so with confidence and saved both time, as well as money.}

_{The Takeaway: Plan Smart and Save Big}

_{It was a great experience that reminded me of the importance of a well-planned trip. In a hurry, it is easy to overlook important details which could end up costing you more. iMean eliminates the need to switch between different apps and platforms. AI will take care of all the heavy lifting and ensure that your trip runs smoothly and efficiently. So next time you book your trip, do not leave it to chance. You can save time and money by using iMean.}