Last Updated on February 12, 2024 by Travelationship
Travel Apps – How did we ever survive without them? My name is Heather, and I am a travel app addict. I admit it; I love playing around on all travel apps. I don’t know how to use some of them correctly, but that doesn’t stop me. My top 5 favorite apps are listed below in no particular order. By the way, I am into the FREE apps.
Heather’s App Picks
Sit or Squat – This app is genius. It searches for public restrooms in your general vicinity. Green toilet paper means safe for sitting, and red toilet paper means usable, but you may want to squat. For someone who is always looking for a bathroom every few hours, it helps to decrease that panic feeling when you have waited just a bit too long. Come on! You know we have all been there. Available: Android, iOS
WhatsApp – I love WhatsApp. It’s a way to text with your family and friends worldwide while skipping the International fees. It allows me to keep in touch with my friends wherever they are. I especially love it because I can easily remain in contact with my boys in Rwanda and Uganda. Available: Android, iOS
Skyscanner – I just started playing around with Skyscanner, and so far, so good. Skyscanner allows you to compare prices for flights, hotels, and car rentals all in one place. It allows for a more broad search for flight departures and arrivals. This is especially ideal for those with more flexible departure and arrival locations/dates. Available: Android, iOS, Web
Tipping Bird – We all question how much and when to tip in our own country, so when it comes to other nations, we need even more help. Tipping Bird is an easy way to check what to do and how much to tip, depending on where you are. Available: Android
Google Maps – Need I say more? It’s every map you could want in one convenient app. Plus, it has saved Maynard’s life a few times from yours truly and wild lions (read here). Available: Android, iOS, Web
MUST HAVE APP – In all seriousness, I believe every traveler should have a Translation App on his/her smartphone. Learning a few keywords and phrases in the local language can be crucial to helping make a great travel experience. There are several different translation apps out there. Check to see which one has the language you are searching for.
Matthew’s Favorite Five Apps
I am all about planning, so my apps will seem heavily geared in that direction.
Kayak – If we are taking a trip that involves a flight, Kayak is the first place I go. While it doesn’t search every airline out there, it looks at more than any other app I have seen. Kayak also has a pretty impressive hotel and car rental search. Available: Android, iOS, Kindle, Web
Expedia – I will admit Expedia doesn’t always have the lowest price, but when it does you can’t beat their extras. Expedia automatically gives me updated flight info day of the flight including that elusive gate number. The app also features reduced prices for some things if booked internally, and a special bonus for Google Wallet users sometimes there is even a further discount available at checkout. To top all that off, they have their own travel rewards program which has gotten me free room upgrades and additional discounts. Available: Android, iOS, Web
TripAdvisor – After you book your flight and hotel there is only one priority left, planning your time. Nothing is worse than coming home from a trip and finding out you missed something cool because you didn’t even know it was there. That’s where TripAdvisor excels; it’s a community of travelers sharing reviews and tips with each other on hotels, restaurants, activities and more. Available: Android, iOS, Web
Travel Guides – AKA – City Guides, Offline Maps, you will know when you are on the right track when you see Stay.com. This app allows you to download maps and other content for offline use which can be invaluable when traveling, especially in conjunction with GPS. While they don’t have every city yet, you will find an impressive list that is growing all the time. Available: Android, iOS, Web
Field Trip – Field Trip proves that you don’t always have to take a Trans-Atlantic to discover something new. This app was designed for Saturday; it makes finding what’s in your backyard as easy as pie. Available: Android, iOS
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Great suggestions. Love the Sit and Squat. One app I recently used for a 2 week road trip was Hotels.com. Great discounts, actual customer reviews, rewards program. Every place I chose turned out to be great and I saved a lot of money. I pre-planned every stay on the way to our destination. On our way home we chose a town to stop in for the night and made our reservations about an hour before arriving at that town. It was so easy. Can’t wait to try some of these new apps.