The Best Travel Apps For Your Next Bon Voyage
Written by James Kicinski-McCoy
Photography by Photographed by James Kicinski-McCoy
Let’s be real—traveling can be incredibly stressful, even for the most conditioned frequent flyers. But thanks to our trusty phones, a.k.a. our extra appendage, it doesn’t have to be. That’s why we decided to seek and find the best of the best when it comes to travel apps to better help you book your flight and hotel, discover the greatest deals, pack your bags, and stay on track during your trip. With these innovative, easy-to-use tools, you’ll have every thing you need (and don’t need) at your fingertips.
Hotel Tonight, Free, iTunes.
Maybe you waited too long to make a hotel reservation and now they’re all booked, or plans changed and you find yourself unable to stay in the resort you lined up last month. This is when valuable apps like Hotel Tonight come in hand—it brings every available room in the area right to your fingertips, guaranteeing the best rate possible. You can book hotels up to seven days in advance.
Packpoint, Free, iTunes.
If you’ve ever forgotten a few essentials on a trip, or if the idea of packing in general stresses you out, this app is for you. PackPoint generates a personalized packing list based off your upcoming trip information. You just enter your destination, date, length of stay, purpose of the travel, your activities while there, from “gym” to “fancy dinner”, and the app calculates exactly what should go in the suitcase.
Hopper, Free, iTunes.
It’s hard to know when to book a flight for the best deals. The Hopper app does that for you— it predicts the perfect time to book by analyzing billions of fares everyday and alerting you when a price drops below average or to its lowest point. Those of you with flexible dates can use the color-coded calendar to find the most affordable days in a month, so you know you’re getting the best price possible.
TripIt, Free, iTunes.
In the chaos of traveling, it can be hard to find your flight numbers, hotel reservations, and rental car confirmation when you need it. That’s where TripIt comes in hand. It automatically converts travel information into a single travel itinerary by collecting info from the body of your emails. It also automatically adds events to your calendar and even connects with maps to help you navigate!
Airports, Free, iTunes.
Say you have a layover in Dallas and you need coffee now, but the signs are confusing and you have 20 minutes to hunt and conquer one before boarding. The Airports app takes the stress and worry out of navigating around the terminal. The app provides detailed information, airport maps, ground transportation details, and parking options so all you have to do is locate your destination and go!
What’s App, Free, iTunes.
Cell phone carriers love to tack on extreme charges for texting while overseas, but thanks to What’s App, you can avoid that at all costs. The cross-platform messaging system sends all data—pictures, videos, sound clips, and text—using wi-fi or your phone’s internet package, meaning there’s nothing to pay. This app is a must-have for keeping in touch with traveling gurus and loved ones at home.
Skype, Free for a month or premium for $2.00 a month, iTunes.
Anyone who has traveled overseas knows the ridiculous price tag that comes along with staying in contact with family and friends on your regular cell phone service. That’s why we love Skype, a service dedicated to help you bypass the frustration. This app routes calls over a Wi-Fi network for just $.02 a minute. And what’s even better, calls placed to other Skype accounts are free of charge.
XE Currency, Free, iTunes.
While are several other currency converter apps available, the straight-forward, easy-to-use XE Currency App is the all-in-one must-have for travelers. It features live exchange rates and historical charts (even while offline), and calculates prices on your smartphone or tablet, so there’s no confusion on what you’re spending and saving.
Entrain, Free, iTunes.
Entrain knows that being jet-lagged is one of the worst feelings ever. The advanced alarm-calculator has users enter basic information—what time they usually wake up, go to sleep, time zone, and their daily light exposure. From there, when the person travels abroad, a lighting schedule will be provided to help fight jet-lag. Strange but it works!
Postagram, Free, iTunes.
Nothing beats a hand-written letter. Or even better, a postcard. Yeah, you can upload your vacation photo on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter for all to see, but with Postagram, you can do something a little more personal. This app takes your precious memories and turns those photos into stunning postcards delivered by mail for only 99¢. We’re definitely using this app on our next vacation.
Tripadvisor, Free, iTunes.
For years TripAdvisor.com has been a trusted site to find brutally honest reviews of hotels, restaurants, attractions, and more, and now you can get all of that on their easy-to-use app. Here, you’ll find millions of real reviews, photos, and recommendations in nearly every city. The app also helps you find the lowest airfare, family fun, and highly-rated hotels and restaurants.
Google Translate, Free, iTunes.
Let’s be real, not all of us have the time to take up a new language (much less, become fluent), but thanks to this innovative app from Google, you don’t have to. The interface provides accurate translations at your fingertips for merely any language. The newest feature, conversation mode, allows you to translate a live conversation between two people by simply opening the app and letting it listen.
Roadside America, $2.99, iTunes.
Incorporate some eduction and fun into your next family road trip with Roadside America. This app will introduce your kids to famous landmarks, museums, and unique tourist attractions across the USA. Editors review their favorite stops and there’s even a sunset feature, which alarms you before your last photo opp! Mark off the places you’ve been and share your discoveries through social media.
Have any apps that didn’t make our list, that help make traveling a breeze? Share them with us in comments below.
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