What does itinerary mean?
An itinerary is a planned arrangement for a journey, setting out where one is going, when one will arrive, and what one will do along the way. It usually includes an ordered sequence of destinations and may also contain details such as transport, accommodation, meals, tours, appointments, and free time. The word is especially common in travel planning and in descriptions of official visits, tours, and professional schedules. “Itinerary” suggests more organization and detail than a simple route and is often used for a document or schedule that someone follows. It can be used broadly for any planned sequence of travel, but it is most frequently associated with holidays, organised tours, and business or governmental visits.
nounA planned route or schedule for a journey, including the destinations, timing, and activities along the way. It may also refer to the detailed itinerary of a tour, performer, or official visit.
- A planned route or schedule for a journey, including destinations, timing, and activities.
- The detailed schedule of a tour, visit, or series of engagements.
"Our itinerary includes a morning tour of the old town and an evening train to the coast."
"The tour company sent us a detailed itinerary for the week."
"The minister's itinerary was affected by the sudden change in the weather."
The plural is formed by adding -ies to itinerary, changing the final y to i before adding -es.
"The agency offers several itineraries for visitors to the region."
An itinerary is a map of your journey through time, not just across space.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does itinerary come from?
The word comes through Late Latin from Latin iter, meaning “journey,” “way,” or “route,” with a suffix forming a word associated with travel. Its earliest English form referred to a route or journey and later came to denote a detailed plan for a journey. The same Latin root underlies cognates such as itinerant, meaning travelling from place to place, and itinerate, meaning to travel or move about.
How itinerary is actually used
Generally formal or professional, especially when referring to travel, tours, or official visits. In informal travel contexts, “plan” or “schedule” is often more natural.