Hello, and welcome to another blog post! Since the season of traveling is right around the corner, we’re talking today about apps that will make your travel so much easier. I’m not talking a ton about booking things because you probably already know about most of those. Some of these apps cross over to booking, but most of them are apps to either help you check in or keep you on task. If you’re ready to simplify your life, grab a cup of coffee or tea, get comfy, and let’s get right into it.
Ahhhhh, travel. The sweet smell of the ocean on the air or the dry desert heat wafting up your shorts from the parched earth below… We all do it, even though we don’t all do it the same way, so anything that makes travel easier is well worth the time it takes to learn about. Whether you’re flying or driving to your destination—and I’ll break out which ones are for what and which can be used for both—these apps will help save your sanity. I’ll also dive into a few that will keep you on task if you’re tripping for pleasure rather than a big family dinner.
We’ll begin with you fliers in the audience.
HOPPER
Book flights easily with Hopper. This app allows you to lock in best rates on airfare and will notify you when the cost drops if you choose to watch a flight to somewhere you’d like to go. It also offers suggestions for getting the best price for a flight if your dates are flexible. Best of all? It’s free.
AIRLINES
Every airline has an app. Get it. They’re free, and many of them offer extras you’ll want (like luggage tracking). You can check in easily, add bags, select seats, and more. You simply don’t want to fly without one. Plus, if you have cohesive, wearable technology, it can help you speed through many processes at the airport.
MY TSA
This app will prove quite useful because it tells you exactly what you can and can’t carry on the plane (speeds up security checks), which airports are busiest and when, outlines delays, and gives you the option for live help when needed. You can even select and save the airports you use the most often. It’s free, so don’t leave home without it.
Now for you road trippers. You know who you are.
ROADTRIPPERS
This app is named appropriately. It’s specifically for you folks on road trips. It helps by locating cool things that might be a short detour away from your chosen path, syncs your reservations right to the app so they’re all in one place, and gives you a nifty map so you can drop pins at places you’re thinking of going. There’s a family of apps they sync with for RVers and campers, too. They do have an option for plus, but the basic app is free.
Now we’ll move on to apps that are handy across the board, whether driving or flying (or bussing or training, really).
AIRBNB
You can check in to your reservation, contact your host, and checkout via this app. As a bonus, it allows you to book, review, and look up nearby places to eat or things to do. The app is 100% free, but be sure to have your driver’s license handy for identity verification. They want to know that you are who you say you are.
HAPPY COW
This one is for all the vegetarians in the audience. It’s a nifty little app that helps you find food that’s healthy and meat free. Not all options are totally free of the meats, but they’re guaranteed to have vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. Nice after binging on fast food for too many days, right?
TRIPCASE
There are a few apps that aggregate all your bookings in one place, but this one doesn’t demand access to anything. You simply email the app your bookings, and it creates an itinerary for you, pings you when something is upcoming, and helps you see your day at a glance. Very handy if, like me, you’re rather scatterbrained when on a trip. Stay on task with ease.
As an aside, you probably also want a rideshare app like Uber or Lyft, and a reviews app for food like Yelp or Zomato. If you’re planning to go camping (if it’s summertime where you are), there are also plenty of apps to help you find campsites, hiking trails, and national parks.
I didn’t dive into any of those because I didn’t want this post to get super long, and I wanted to keep it more about making travel easier rather than finding suggestions.
I hope you enjoyed this post! While you’re here, why not check out some of the other blogs we have hanging around? You’re guaranteed to get at least a few hours of enjoyment out of it. Thanks for reading! Until next time…
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