Review of FlightBridge – Streamlining Pilot Travel

Planning a trip as a pilot involves more than just planning a flight plan. Flying to the airport is just one aspect of a trip, after arriving at the destination airport one must manage booking a hotel, car, and other travel logistics directly through FBOs. On a recent trip I tried the FlightBridge application, as it was a suggested free benefit from AOPA, and was pleasantly surprised by its ease of use.

FlightBridge Homescreen

FlightBridge connects pilots, FBOs (Fixed-Base Operators), and other vendors, including hotels, rental cars, and catering services. As a general aviation pilot, it was nice to have access to all these options in one centralized platform. It provides hotel bookings (with possible discounted rates negotiated through FBO Partnerships), and rental cars can be reserved directly at your destination FBO. Itinerary management and seamless FBO coordination are key benefits of this app, providing a fantastic way to reduce back-and-forth phone calls and emails. FlightBridge offers multi-platform access via both the app and the web.

On a recent trip, I planned to visit Lorain County, Ohio, and used the FlightBridge app. I used both versions, web and app, during this planning process. I easily entered my departure and destination airports. It immediately provided me with the information for the FBO at Lorain County, MRK Aviation, who, by the way, are fantastic! I could easily input my travel dates, view rental car options, and specify any fuel or hangar requests, essentially covering anything you might need for a successful trip.

The FBO immediately responded and confirmed my arrival information. When I landed at Lorain County Airport, upon checking in at the front counter, they were really impressed by my correspondence through FlightBridge and asked me the costs of using it. As an AOPA member, it was free for me to use! It is a simple sign-up process. For more information from AOPA about FlightBridge, Click Here.

Everyone from private pilots planning cross-country trips to flight departments handling frequent travel should consider using this service. I am highly impressed by the Flightbridge service and app. It certainly contributed to a successful trip for me.