Type one short code into ChatGPT and it does the part of travel you'd normally spend an hour on. Layovers, packing, menus, seats and more. The 5 from my video are up top, then over 100 more for every part of your trip.
What you get: The 5 codes from my video, with exactly what to type. 119 more for booking, flights, packing, airports, food, money, safety, road trips and family. One copy-paste setup so ChatGPT knows every code. Works on any ChatGPT plan, including free.
The 5 Codes From My Video
Open ChatGPT, type the code with your details and hit enter. That's the whole trick. They work straight away, and you can keep going after any of them: "cheaper," "less walking," "we have two kids."
| Code | What it does | Try |
|---|---|---|
| /layover | Builds a mini itinerary for your layover, including exactly when you need to leave for the airport | /layover BA112, 8.5 hour layover |
| /hidden-gems | Skips the tourist traps and gives you the actual spots locals go | /hidden-gems Rome |
| /packing | Builds your entire packing list around the real weather forecast for your dates | /packing Rome, Nov 12-18 |
| /translate-menu | Tells you what everything on any menu is, in any language, and what's actually worth ordering | Attach a photo of the menu, then type /translate-menu |
| /seat-hack | Finds the best open seat on your exact plane and tells you when to check in to get it | /seat-hack British Airways BA558 |
Before you start
Your plan
Any ChatGPT plan works, including free.
Your phone
Use the ChatGPT app on your phone for the photo codes like /translate-menu, so you can snap the menu right at the table.
Heads up: Flight times, seat maps, forecasts and prices come from ChatGPT's web search. If an answer looks out of date, use the + next to the message box and turn on Web search. Grab your seat in your airline's app when check-in opens, and check entry rules on the official government site before you fly.
Maverick's tip
Stack them for a whole trip: /packing for the bag, /seat-hack when check-in opens, /layover on the way, then /hidden-gems and /translate-menu when you land. Five codes, the whole trip sorted.
Teach ChatGPT Every Code
The codes work on their own, because ChatGPT reads the name and works out what you want. Do this once and it gets every one of them right every time, plans around your home airport and passport, and keeps answers short.
Step 1: Copy the setup prompt
It's below. Swap the three [CAPS] bits at the end for your own.
I use travel codes. When my message starts with a slash and a short name, like /layover or /hidden-gems, treat it as a shortcut: work out what I want from the name and do it right away with the details I give you. Don't explain the code back to me. My five main codes: /layover with my flight and layover time: a mini itinerary for the layover, including exactly when I need to leave for the airport. /hidden-gems with a city: skip the tourist traps and give me the places locals actually go. /packing with my trip and dates: a full packing list built around the real weather forecast for those dates. /translate-menu with a photo of a menu: what every dish is and what's actually worth ordering. /seat-hack with my airline and flight: the best open seat on that exact plane and when to check in to get it. For any code: search the web for anything that changes (flight times, aircraft, seat maps, forecasts, prices, opening hours, entry rules). Give me times, prices and names I can act on, and keep it short. If I attach a photo, read it first. Only ask me a question if you can't do it without the answer. About me: home airport [YOUR AIRPORT], passport [YOUR COUNTRY], travel style [BUDGET / MID-RANGE / LUXURY].
Step 2: Paste it into your custom instructions
In ChatGPT, open Settings, then Personalization. Under Custom instructions, edit the ChatGPT instructions (not Codex), paste the prompt in and save. Already have instructions there? Add it underneath.
Step 3: Test it
Start a new chat and type /hidden-gems and the next city you're going to. If you get a list of local spots back, you're set. Don't want it saved? Paste the prompt at the top of a chat instead and the codes work in that chat.
119 More Travel Codes
Same idea: type the code, then the details (a city, a flight, your dates or a photo). Looking for one you saw in a video? Press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on a Mac) and type it in. None of these are magic words: ChatGPT reads the code and works out what you want, so you can make up your own the same way.
Before You Book
Add your dates, budget and who's coming, and every answer fits your trip.
| Code | What it does | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| /trip-plan | A day-by-day itinerary for your dates, pace and budget | /where-to-go | Picks where to go from your budget, dates and the vibe you want |
| /best-time | The best month to go, with weather, crowds and prices compared | /visa-check | Visa, passport and entry rules for your passport and route |
| /trip-budget | A realistic daily budget for any city, broken down | /where-to-stay | The best area to stay for your style, and the ones to skip |
| /hotel-vs-rental | Hotel or apartment for this trip, compared honestly | /review-decoder | Paste hotel reviews and get the problems people keep mentioning |
| /whats-on | Festivals, holidays, strikes and closures during your dates | /book-ahead | What sells out, and how far ahead you need to book it |
| /weekend-away | Weekend trips from your home city, with travel times | /multi-city | Splits your days across cities, with the best route between them |
| /slow-travel | A slower plan with fewer stops and more time in each | /fine-print | Paste the booking terms and see what you get back if you cancel |
Flights & Points
Give it your route and dates. For the points codes, list the cards and airline programs you have.
| Code | What it does | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| /cheap-flights | When and where to search for the lowest fare on your route | /flex-dates | The cheapest days to fly around your dates |
| /nearby-airports | Cheaper airports near where you live or where you're going | /fare-decoder | What your fare really includes: bags, seat, changes, refunds |
| /points-or-cash | Whether to pay cash or use points for this flight | /award-finder | Where to look for award seats on your route with your points |
| /transfer-partners | Which of your card points move to which airline for this trip | /status-match | Airlines that will match your status, and how to ask |
| /upgrade-odds | Your chances of an upgrade, and how to improve them | /bag-rules | Bag size and weight limits for your airline and fare |
| /free-stopover | Airlines on your route that let you stop in a city for free | /red-eye | Whether the overnight flight is worth it, and how to sleep on it |
| /tight-connection | Whether your connection is long enough, plus a backup plan |
Packing
| Code | What it does | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| /carry-on-only | Fits your whole trip into one carry-on | /capsule-wardrobe | A few outfits that all mix and match for your trip |
| /dress-code | What locals wear, and what to cover for churches and temples | /liquids-check | What liquids, food and gadgets get through security |
| /plug-check | The plug type, voltage and adapter you need | /meds-check | The rules for bringing your medicines into the country |
| /forgot-list | What people always forget for this kind of trip | /activity-pack | Packing for hiking, skiing, diving, a wedding or a festival |
| /laundry-plan | Where and when to do laundry so you can pack half | /tech-kit | The tech to bring: chargers, eSIM, power bank rules |
At the Airport
| Code | What it does | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| /airport-guide | Your terminal: best food, quiet spots, showers and lounges | /lounge-access | Which lounges your cards, status or a day pass get you into |
| /airport-timing | How early to get to the airport for your flight and day | /fast-security | Lanes and programs that get you through security faster |
| /airport-to-city | The cheapest and fastest ways from the airport into town | /lost-bag | What to do right now if your bag doesn't show up |
| /flight-canceled | Your rebooking options, and what to say at the desk | /delay-rights | What you're owed for a delay or cancellation on your route |
| /stuck-overnight | Where to sleep and eat if you're stuck at the airport | /jet-lag | A plan to beat jet lag: when to sleep, eat and get daylight |
| /long-haul | How to get through a long flight: sleep, food, stretches |
On the Ground
| Code | What it does | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| /one-day | The best of any city in one day | /rainy-day | What to do here when it rains |
| /walking-tour | A self-guided walk with stops and the stories behind them | /day-trips | The best day trips from where you're staying |
| /get-around | How to get around: transit passes, apps and tickets | /skip-the-line | How to skip the lines at the big sights |
| /free-things | The best free things to do here | /sunset-spot | Where to watch the sunset tonight |
| /photo-spots | The best photo spots, and the time of day to go | /night-out | Bars, live music and where to go after dark |
| /local-etiquette | Customs and manners so you don't offend anyone | /what-is-this | A photo of a building, statue or sign: what it is and its story |
| /room-upgrade | What to say at check-in to get a better room |
Food & Language
/translate-sign and /wine-list take a photo, just like /translate-menu. For /interpreter, type it with your two languages, then tap the voice button and talk.
| Code | What it does | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| /must-eat | The dishes you have to try here, and where to get them | /food-crawl | A self-guided food tour through one neighborhood |
| /tourist-trap-check | Name a restaurant: is it a tourist trap or the real deal? | /allergy-card | A card in the local language that explains your allergy |
| /diet-friendly | Where and what to eat if you are vegan, halal or gluten-free | /phrasebook | The 20 phrases you'll actually use, and how to say them |
| /pronounce | How to say any word, dish or place name | /translate-sign | A photo of a sign, ticket or label: what it says and what to do |
| /order-like-a-local | How to order coffee, food and drinks the local way | /market-guide | What to buy at the local market, and fair prices |
| /book-a-table | A reservation message written in the local language | /interpreter | Translates both sides of a conversation (switch to voice) |
| /wine-list | A photo of a wine or drinks list: what to order for your taste |
Money
| Code | What it does | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| /currency | The local currency, cash or card, and today's exchange rate | /atm-tips | Which ATMs to use, and which fees to say no to |
| /tipping | How much to tip for meals, taxis, hotels and tours | /fair-price | Is this a fair price? Taxis, tours, souvenirs, anything |
| /spend-tracker | Paste your spending and see where you are against your budget | /split-costs | Splits trip costs fairly between friends |
| /tax-refund | How to get the tax back on what you buy abroad | /card-check | Which of your cards to use abroad, and which to leave home |
| /haggle | How to haggle here, with the exact words to use | /hidden-fees | Spots the extra fees in a booking: resort fees, city tax and more |
| /duty-free | What you can bring home without paying duty |
Safety & Health
| Code | What it does | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| /scam-alert | The common scams here, and how to spot them | /safe-areas | Which neighborhoods are safe, day and night |
| /emergency-card | Emergency numbers, the nearest hospital and your embassy | /lost-passport | Step by step if your passport is lost or stolen |
| /insurance-check | Paste your travel insurance and see what it actually covers | /health-check | Vaccines, tap water, food safety and health tips for this place |
| /solo-safety | Safety tips for traveling alone here | /safe-ride | How to get a safe, fair taxi or ride here |
| /pharmacy | What to ask for at a pharmacy, in the local language | /weather-alert | Storms, heat waves or warnings during your dates |
Road Trips
| Code | What it does | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| /road-trip | A route with stops, drive times and where to sleep | /scenic-route | The beautiful way instead of the fastest |
| /driving-rules | Local road rules, tolls and the license you need | /car-rental | How to rent a car here without the surprise charges |
| /ev-charging | Charging stops planned for an electric car | /pit-stops | Good food and bathroom stops along your route |
| /parking | Where to park, and how parking works in this city | /campsites | Campsites and places to sleep along the way |
| /road-playlist | A playlist for the drive that fits where you're going |
Family & Groups
| Code | What it does | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| /kid-friendly | Things kids will actually love here | /family-day | A day plan with naps, snacks and breaks built in |
| /baby-pack | A packing list for traveling with a baby or toddler | /flying-with-kids | Seats, snacks and games to keep kids happy on the plane |
| /teen-approved | Things teens will actually think are cool | /group-trip | One plan for a group with different budgets and tastes |
| /easy-pace | Less walking, more sitting: a plan for grandparents | /accessible | Step-free routes, accessible stays and sights |
| /pet-travel | The rules and tips for traveling with your dog or cat | /car-games | Games for the car or plane that need nothing but you |
After the Trip
| Code | What it does | Code | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| /claim-letter | The email to get money back for a delay, lost bag or bad stay | /trip-journal | Turns your notes and photos into a trip journal |
| /write-review | A review of a hotel, tour or restaurant from your notes | /trip-recap | Your trip as a short recap to send to family and friends |
| /next-trip | Picks your next trip based on what you loved about this one |
DO THIS TODAY
Paste the setup prompt into your custom instructions, then type /hidden-gems and the next city on your list. Save this PDF on your phone so the codes are with you when you travel.
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