Stitch is pleased to announce the latest addition to the community: Stitch Travel.
Stitch Travel is not only part of the Stitch website but an official part of the Stitch organization: Stitch is now a registered travel agent and a member of the Envoyage travel network, which means the Stitch Travel team is here to help get great travel deals for our members at the best prices.
Stitch Travel is currently in what's known as "Beta", which means it is still under active development while we add features and get member feedback.
We'll be updating this article as we improve the Stitch Travel feature on Stitch, and fleshing out the information listed here based on your questions and feedback, so please come back regularly to check things out as it evolves.
Overview
We are creating Stitch Travel to help Stitch members achieve several things, including:
Find travel buddies for trips they would like to go on
Go on special Stitch-only group trips
Access special deals and discounts for Stitch members with Stitch's travel partners
Save on trips by avoiding single supplement fees
Meet Stitch members from other parts of the world
and more!
While the Travel page on Stitch looks similar to many of our other pages, what makes it different is that the Stitch Travel team is there to help coordinate trips for you, answer questions, connect you with other members, and help book the trip for you. The Stitch Travel team is like a normal travel agent, except they are working on behalf of all members to get the best deals and prices, and help them form lifelong connections through travel experiences.
How it works
The Stitch Travel page lists a variety of Stitch Trips, and looks like this:
You will see two types of listings on the page:
Possibilities, which are ideas for possible trips you can express your interest in
Trips, which are scheduled trips in the process of being planned by other members
Possibilities don't show a date on the Trips page, as you can choose to go on one of these trips on a range of possible dates. Possibilities look like this:
Trips do show a date on the Trips page, as the members who are planning the trip have expressed their preference for a particular date, and may have even paid a deposit to go on the trip on that particular date. Trips look like this:
We will get to the difference between Trips and Possibilities shortly, but first, let's explain one of the main social challenges the Stitch Travel page is trying to overcome.
The Challenge with Group Travel
Anyone who has tried to organize a trip for a large group of friends knows it can be like herding cats. First, people need to agree on the trip they want to do, at a destination that suits them all. Then it's finding a date that suits everyone, at a time when there is availability. And finally, it's getting everyone to commit to the trip and pay a deposit.
At each one of these stages, group dynamics usually mean that nobody wants to be the first person to make a decision. Nobody wants to decide for everyone else which trip they want to go on, as they want to know where everyone would like to go. The same happens when choosing a date. And of course, nobody wants to be the first person to commit and pay a deposit until they are sure everyone else is going to go.
The Stitch Travel page is designed to help nudge groups of Stitch members towards the decisions needed to make the trip they want happen, by allowing them to make a series of commitments while giving them lots of options to cancel or change their mind at any point along the way.
Let's see how it works.
Step 1: Show Your Interest
On both Trips and Possibilities, the first step is to mark yourself as interested by clicking the "I'm interested" button at the top of the page:
This adds you to the list of interested members listed on the details page:
If you express an interest in a Possibility, it just means you are interested in doing that trip in general, but you might not have decided on a date yet. If you express an interest in a Trip, it means you are interested in attending that particular trip on the date listed.
Note that expressing an interest does NOT commit you to go on the trip. It just indicates to others that you are interested, and it adds you to the mailing list for any announcements about that particular Trip or Possibility. You can remove yourself at any time by clicking Remove yourself:
Step 2: Suggest a date
Expressing an interest in a Possibility helps us know which journeys our members are interested in, but no trip will go ahead until at least one member suggests a date.
Important: You don't have to be the one who suggests a date: if you see a trip listed on a date you're interested in, you can go straight to the next step and unlock the trip. But if you're interested in a Possibility, and you want it to go ahead, it's important to note that nothing will happen until one member suggests a date. The first person to suggest a date doesn't have to pay the trip admin fee, so it might as well be you!
Once you've hit the "I'm interested" button on a Possibility, it will change to give you the option to suggest a date:
You don't need to choose an exact date, it might just be a time of year, such as "early 2026", or a month, such as "April 2027". You are not committed to that particular date at this point either, you can change your mind at any time. But taking the first step to suggest a date then allows the Stitch Travel team to contact the other members to see who else is interested in that date.
Once a date is suggested on a Possibility, the Stitch Travel team will list it on the Travel page as a Trip. (This process usually takes a day or two).
The other way to list a trip is to suggest one of your own. If you have seen a trip listed online that you would like to do, you can tell us about it and we will list it for you to help you find other members to travel with you.
To suggest a trip of your own, hit the Suggest a trip button at the top of the Travel page:
Step 3: Find Trips you are interested in
As more and more Stitch members start to suggest dates for trips they would like to do, you will see a range of different trips and dates listed on the Travel page. To narrow your search to particular dates or destinations, you can use the filter bar at the top of the page:
If you are interested in trips to Morocco in 2026, for example, you can set the From date to January 2026 and the destination to Morocco, and you might see something like this:
If you click into that trip, you will see all the trip details, along with links to the trip provider's website where you can find out additional details.
You will also see the list of the members who are interested in the trip, as well as those who are in the various stages of planning to go:
If you are only Interested in the trip, you won't be able to view the trip chat or click on the profiles to message them privately. If you are genuinely interested in going on the trip, you need to make a small commitment by Unlocking the trip.
Step 4: Unlock the trip
To Unlock a trip you are interested in, hit the "Unlock this trip" button at the top of the Trip details page:
At this point, you can think of yourself as somewhere between "genuinely interested" and "tentatively committed" to going on the trip. You will also be able to:
Click on the profiles of all the other interested members, and send them direct messages
Join the group chat about the trip itself, where you can discuss plans with all the other members
Step 5: Pay your deposit
Once you have learned more about the trip, if you want to secure your spot and make sure you are going, you need to pay your deposit.
No places on trips are guaranteed until you have paid your deposit and had your place confirmed by the travel provider.
So if you know you want to travel, pay your deposit early to ensure you don't miss out! The Stitch Travel team will contact you to explain how to pay your deposit, as the process can vary depending on the trip type. But once you are confirmed as traveling, your profile will be shown with a green tick mark on the trip like this:
The Attendees tab for the trip will also show which members have paid their deposits, and even who has paid in full:
Step 6: Get Traveling & Create Some Memories!
Everything from this point is pretty straightforward: the Stitch Travel team will answer any questions you have, and the travel provider may also contact you to assist with specific details of the trip.
As the trip departure date gets closer, you will be notified that final payment is due, typically a couple of months prior to departure (although this can vary based on the travel provider).
After that point, the only thing for you to do is to get traveling and create some memories to last a lifetime!
Please share your experiences and stories with us when you get back, as we love to hear how your trip was and to use your feedback to improve things for other members. We also want to hear about the friendships you made and see your fantastic photos!
General Questions
What kind of trips can I post on Stitch Travel?
Any trip you can find online that does not have a bespoke itinerary (hotels, transfers, etc.) can be posted to Stitch Travel.
Trips can include small group tours or walks (with companies like Intrepid, Auswalk, etc), ocean cruises (Princess, Carnival, etc), river cruises (Uniworld, Viking, etc), coach touring (Travel Marvel, Globus, etc), culinary tours, rail journeys, art & history tours, food & wine tours, gardening tours ... the only limit is your imagination!
I would like to travel but I don’t wish to travel on one of the tours listed on the Stitch Travel page.
No problem, just tell us about a tour you are interested in and we can post it. Almost any trip you can find listed on the Internet can be a Stitch Trip. If you can point us to a trip listing on a travel provider's website, we can create a Stitch Trip for you.
Do I need to book my flights through Stitch?
No, you are free to organise your flights and destination transfers yourself if you want to.
Are there some trips that Stitch can't list?
Yes. We may choose not to list trips from certain providers if they have a poor reputation, or our members have had bad experiences with them in the past. Providers who don't honor refund requests, or don't deliver on their promises, will be excluded from Stitch. We do this to protect our members from having a bad experience, and to protect the reputation of the community itself.
Why can't tailor-made itineraries be listed on Stitch?
Tailor-made custom multi-point trips, such as booking a series of hotels in different cities, with car hire in between, can be booked for you privately. The logistics involved in organizing large groups for trips like this require an extra level of complexity, however, that we don't currently support.
Are there any other types of trips can't be listed on the Stitch Travel?
Trips that include content that is not appropriate for the Stitch Community or contravene our community guidelines.
What if I don’t know which trip to post or when I should travel?
We can help with suggestions for different trips that may suit you. You don't need to have decided on a specific date yet, you can simply tell us a time of year (e.g. "late 2027") or even a month (e.g. "September 2026") and we can find other members who are interested and help you book a trip that suits you all.
The Booking Process
When will I have a confirmed booking?
You will only have a confirmed booking once you have paid your trip deposit, and we have confirmed the booking with the travel provider. Prior to that, you haven't committed to your trip yet so you can pull out at any time.
When will I need to pay a full deposit?
Once a booking is confirmed, you are required to pay your deposit to hold your place. Deposits are non-refundable.
When will I need to pay the final payment on my booking?
The final payment on your confirmed booking will differ depending on the travel provider and your departure date. Generally, final payment is due 60 days before travel.
Travel Buddies
What if I am only looking for a travel buddy for a trip I have already booked elsewhere?
Stitch Travel will allow you to post your trip and then find buddies or groups to travel with you.
Can I search for a general travel buddy without proposing a specific trip?
No. You will need to post a specific trip to find a travel buddy interested in that trip.
What if I can’t find a buddy?
If you cannot find a buddy, we can postpone, cancel or book your trip solo.
What if I only want to travel with members from my country/state/city?
Stitch Travel allows you to choose whether you want your trip to be open to anyone in the community, or only members from your country, state, or local area.
What if I want to find a buddy to share a room with, but the other travellers don't want to share
If you can't find a roommate for your trip, and the provider isn't able to assign you to a room with someone else, there is no requirement to proceed with a full booking.
Unlocking your trip
What does “unlock a trip” mean?
"Unlocking" a trip means making a small commitment to show you are genuinely interested in the trip, and would like to travel on it if all other details work out. Unlocking a trip means you can start conversations with all the other members who have unlocked the trip. You can discuss all the details of the trip, including dates, prices, locations, preferred roommates, etc, before coming to a consensus. It does not, however, give you a confirmed booking.
How much does it cost to unlock a trip?
The unlock fee is dependent on the total price of your trip, but is between $10-$30 (or £5 to £20 for UK members). It is intended to be a small commitment that means that only members who are genuinely interested in the trip will unlock it, so you know you are not wasting your time talking to people who aren't genuinely interested.
Is the unlock fee refundable?
No the unlock fee is non-refundable. This small fee helps cover the Stitch Travel team's time, and ensures that only members with a genuine interest are part of the conversation.
What if I change my mind about the trip I have posted or unlocked?
A posted trip is not a confirmed booking. You are entitled to change your mind until your full trip deposit is taken and your booking is confirmed with the travel provider.
General Stitch Travel FAQ
What does it mean when a trip date is listed as "provisional"?
When a Stitch member suggests a trip, the date they provide is initially listed as "provisional", indicating that no deposits have yet been paid to secure places on the trip with the trip provider. Once the first member pays their deposit, the Stitch Travel team will contact the trip provider to confirm our places, and then remove the provisional tag from the trip date.
For some group trips that require a minimum number of travellers for the trip to go ahead, the date may be listed as provisional until the minimum number of travellers is reached and the date is confirmed with the travel provider.
Can I post a trip for part of a holiday that I have planned?
Yes. You can post any trip to Stitch Travel, even if it only makes up part of your full travel plans.
How far ahead should I post my trip?
You need to ensure you have adequate time before your trip to find a travel buddy/group. Discussions may take some time so it is important to begin at least 3 months before travel, but we usually recommend planning starts at least 6 months ahead.
Our Travel Partners
Stitch has worked on behalf of our members to create partnerships with some of the world's leading travel providers, to help us get the best rates and deals for our members. These include the companies listed below, and we will be working to add more partners as our travelling community grows.
Envoyage
Stitch Travel is a member of the Envoyage Travel network, which is part of the Flight Centre Group. This means Stitch is able to access bulk-negotiated deals on flights, cruises, and all things travel, along with the support of one of the world's leading travel providers.
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid has been taking travelers around the globe and connecting people from all walks of life since 1989. That's over 30 years of adventures, visiting new places and old friends, and countless unforgettable moments. Intrepid focuses on small group trips with like-minded explorers and a local leader to show you around, while still giving you lots of time to explore on your own. Intrepid trips are an ideal fit for the Stitch Community and we can list any Intrepid trip you find on the Intrepid website.
Auswalk
For nearly 30 years Auswalk has specialized in delivering guided, self-guided, and customized walking holidays. We create a platform for guests to unplug and explore the most amazing landscapes as well as granting a backstage pass to the rich cultural history of regions, such as the Camino de Santiago or the Kumano Kodo. Auswalk walks traverse tropical rainforests and secluded beaches; journeying across ridges and over majestic mountain ranges. They find their way through ancient Roman towns, the French Riviera, majestic Japanese temples, and a wealth of other hidden gems.
Trafalgar Tours
Get ready for a trip like no other. Since 1947, more than five million happy past guests have discovered our difference. You’ll see top destinations, iconic sites, and get treated to exclusive local experiences – all with our team taking care of all the details. You’ll also discover the ways WE MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®, and how your journey leaves a positive impact. Do good, feel good, and make memories that last a lifetime.