PatentlyApple reported today that Apple has filed a patent for a travel app called iTravel that books flights, hotels and car reservations, as well as providing ticketless check-in using Near Field Communications (NFC), a short-range wireless technology.

Published: 22 Apr 2010

PatentlyApple reported today that Apple has filed a patent for a travel app called iTravel that books flights, hotels and car reservations, as well as providing ticketless check-in using Near Field Communications (NFC), a short-range wireless technology.

Apple has already indicated its interest in the ticketing space by filing a patent for “Concert Ticket +”, an event ticketing system linked to iTunes. But this is the first indication that the company is actively looking to target the travel vertical.

The patent suggests that, as well as buying travel products, travellers will be able to use the app to pass through airline check-in and security without paper tickets or even a passport. The app could be used to wirelessly check in the traveller at the ticket counter, and using a combination of fingerprint or retina scan, identify them to airline and security personnel. The app with also allow travellers to check themselves in at the boarding gate and help them find their RFID-tagged luggage at the other end.

iPhones don’t currently have in-built NFC capabilities, but the technology is already widely used in Japan for mobile ticketing and payments. There are rumours that the next 4G iPhone will include NFC, and the filing of the iTravel patent certainly suggests the thinking at Apple is rapidly moving in this direction.

With rumours of a purchase of ITA Software, a vertical play into travel from Apple’s arch rival Google is also looking more likely than ever.

Interesting times ahead!

Mobile in Travel will be a key topic at this year’s Travel Distribution Summit, taking place on 17-18 June in London. For more information about the mobile issues that will be covered at the event, go to http://events.eyefortravel.com/tds/index.php/conference/mobile-strategie...

Full information about the iTravel patent can be seen here