Travel Planner

Travel planner spreadsheet for your next trip: a day-by-day itinerary made from your dates, a travel budget with planned vs spent by category, an expense log that converts local currency to your home currency, a bookings list that flags deadlines, a packing list and a dashboard with a countdown to your first day.

WHAT IT DOES

• Setup tab: trip name, first and last day, number of travellers, home currency, total budget and every drop-down list (budget categories, booking types, packing categories, travellers' names), all yours to rename
• Itinerary tab: one row per day, made from your trip dates (up to 30 days), with the date and weekday filled in. Add the city or area, your plans, where you stay, booking references and notes. During the trip today's row is highlighted and each day shows what you spent that day
• Budget tab: planned vs spent for each category (transport, lodging, food, activities, shopping and other to start), remaining, percent used, unpaid bookings and cost per traveller. The status shows Over budget, or Will go over when unpaid bookings would take a category past its plan. Plus whole-trip totals: budget left to plan, remaining, projected trip cost and budget per day
• Expenses tab: date, category, description, the currency and amount you paid, the exchange rate and the amount in your home currency (worked out for you), and who paid. Totals by category and by traveller
• Bookings tab: flights, places to stay, trains, car rental and tours with provider, details, confirmation code, date and time, cost, paid yes or no and a deadline (free cancellation or pay by). Days left are counted, deadlines within 7 days are flagged Due soon (change the 7 on the Setup tab) and unpaid bookings are highlighted
• Packing list tab: item, category, for whom, quantity and a Y/N packed column. Packed rows turn green, with the packed count and percent overall and by category. The blank file starts with 35 common items you can change or delete
• Dashboard: days to go, trip status, total budget, spent so far, remaining, budget used, bookings still to pay, projected trip cost, spent per traveller, budget per day, the next 3 deadlines, packing progress, and planned vs spent by category with a chart
• Room for 300 expenses, 40 bookings and 150 packing items. The tabs are protected without a password, so formulas don't get typed over by accident (you can unprotect them any time)

WHAT YOU GET

• Travel-Planner.xlsx (blank, with a starter packing list)
• Travel-Planner-with-Sample-Data.xlsx (a filled-in example: a made-up 10-day trip to Lisbon and Porto for 2 travellers, with 8 bookings, 8 expenses and a 35-item packing list)
• Quick-start guide (PDF)

HOW YOU GET IT

Digital download. After checkout you get a download page right away, plus a receipt by email. Nothing is shipped.

COMPATIBILITY

• Microsoft Excel 2016 or newer (Windows or Mac) and Excel for the web
• Google Sheets: upload the .xlsx to Google Drive, open it, then File > Save as Google Sheets
• Needs a computer or tablet with a spreadsheet app. This is not an app or a printable planner. It does not book anything, connect to any travel site or look up exchange rates: you type your bookings, amounts and rates

GOOD FOR

Anyone planning a holiday, a family vacation, a group trip with friends or a long weekend away, and a useful gift for a friend who is planning a big trip (it is an instant digital file, so you can send it on the day).

PLEASE NOTE

For your own personal use; please don't resell or share the files.

DISCLAIMER

This template is a planning tool and does not replace advice from a qualified or licensed professional (such as a travel agent). Check the results, and the dates, deadlines and terms of every real booking, before you rely on them.

HOW IT WAS MADE

Designed by VARS Digital with AI-assisted tools. Every formula is checked before release, and the sample file shows each tab working.

QUESTIONS

Email varsdigitals@gmail.com and we'll help you get set up.