Question 1

What does Trip Math include?

Accepted Answer

Trip Math shows the visible line items for one traveler: airfare when a comparable fare is available, or rail or driving when it is not, plus lodging, rental car, fuel, meals, activities, ground transit, and parking. Each scenario shows its assumptions and an “as of” date. It is a dated planning estimate, not a live fare or booking quote.

Question 2

What does Trip Math leave out?

Accepted Answer

The model includes only the cost lines shown for that scenario. Baggage, seat selection, carrier add-ons, optional activity extras, and personal purchases are excluded unless they are listed. Tolls and other optional extras can also be excluded from ground scenarios, so read the assumptions before using a total.

Question 3

Why do some comparisons use IAD and LAX?

Accepted Answer

IAD and LAX are representative East and West origins used to make regional comparisons easier to read. They are reference points, not a claim that every traveler starts there. Your actual airport, route, fare, and ground costs may be different.

Question 4

Why can prices and destination facts change?

Accepted Answer

Fares, lodging, routes, hours, fees, menus, and local conditions change. The site keeps dated assumptions and source or “as of” notes where available, but a page is not a guarantee that a price, schedule, or fact is current when you read it.

Question 5

What is a One Tank Trip?

Accepted Answer

A One Tank Trip is a nearby, drive-oriented option with an approximate drive time and distance, plus its day-trip or weekend potential. It is a way to think about a practical route, not a guarantee of traffic, fuel cost, opening hours, or availability.

Question 6

Which information is researched, and which is live?

Accepted Answer

Destination pages use curated notes, practical local research, arrival details, regional-airport comparisons, and dated estimates. Airport wait-time rows are refreshed from the credited source when the tool is used. Most destination prices, facts, and Trip Math totals are not live and should be checked again before a trip.

Question 7

How do visited records differ from estimate-only plans?

Accepted Answer

A visited or firsthand record describes a trip that has a field record, such as recorded expenses, photos, or original video. An estimate-only destination is a researched planning scenario and does not mean Mike has visited it. Look for the record status and date rather than assuming every plan is firsthand.

Question 8

Does Mike on the Map book trips?

Accepted Answer

No. Some pages may point to a provider or booking resource so you can continue your own research. Mike on the Map does not book flights, rooms, rental cars, activities, or complete itineraries, and a link is not a confirmation or an affiliate promise.

Question 9

How are work and personal costs separated?

Accepted Answer

Trip records keep work-related and personal amounts separate when the record provides that distinction. A total for one category should not be read as the cost of the entire trip. The page labels included amounts and leaves unavailable or unrecorded items out rather than guessing.

Question 10

Where do the airport wait times come from?

Accepted Answer

The airport tool credits the unofficial third-party reference feed From the Tray Table. It shows checkpoint and lane rows when a fresh verified point reading is available, but it is not an official TSA feed, an airport guarantee, or a required arrival-time recommendation. Ranges, closed lanes, stale values, and unavailable readings are shown as such.

Question 11

How can I suggest a destination?

Accepted Answer

Use Suggest a Destination to open a pre-addressed email to Mike at mikeonthemap@polsia.app. The vote page also accepts a destination suggestion through its existing form, where people can add a reason for the trip. A suggestion is a request to consider a place, not a promise that it will be covered.

Question 12

Are the videos supplied by Mike on the Map?

Accepted Answer

Where a record includes a YouTube preview, the page uses the supplied video ID and also links to the direct original on YouTube. The video is supporting material for that record; the site does not claim that every destination has an original video.

Question 13

Where can I find the shop?

Accepted Answer

The Mike on the Map shop is hosted on Fourthwall at mikeonthemap-shop.fourthwall.com. The shop is an external destination, so its products, prices, availability, checkout, and policies are handled there.