Question 1

Do I need an account to plan a trip?

Accepted Answer

No. Guests can build a trip straight away — everything you arrange is kept locally in your own browser, so you can come back to it later on the same device. You are only asked to sign in when you want to save a trip to your account, sync it across devices, or continue past the 2-day guest preview. Nothing you have already built is lost when you sign in; your local trip is carried over.

Question 2

Can Vela book, change, or cancel trips without my confirmation?

Accepted Answer

No. Vela is your research partner, not your autopilot. It finds and recommends flights, stays, and experiences, but every booking, change, or cancellation requires your explicit go-ahead. You review every detail before anything is finalised.

Question 3

How does Vela choose which flights, hotels, and restaurants to show me?

Accepted Answer

Vela blends real-time data from trusted partners — Duffel for flights and stays, Viator for experiences, and Google Places for local detail — with your preferences: budget, airline loyalty, seat type, vibe, and dietary needs. Options are ranked for value, convenience, and relevance rather than price alone.

Question 4

What does viavela cost?

Accepted Answer

Planning is free. viavela adds a transparent 0.49% settlement-side fee on bookings. No hidden charges, no dark patterns, and no paid upgrades.

Question 5

What's the best way to ask Vela to plan a multi-leg trip?

Accepted Answer

Say it like you'd tell a friend: '5 days in Cape Town, then 3 nights in Nelspruit for a safari.' Vela understands natural language, dates, destinations, and vague requests like 'late October, comfortable budget.' The more context you give, the tighter the plan.

Question 6

How does Vela remember my preferences?

Accepted Answer

Vela builds a traveller memory from your conversations — seat preferences, favourite hotel brands, dietary restrictions, pace, and budget. Signed-in travellers have these stored with their profile and reused on future trips; you can view, edit, or clear them at any time.

where to…

stop planning, start living.