Applications or “apps” are part of our daily lives. Which ones are the best? Which ones will save you time and money? With so many choices out there, it’s hard to decide which apps deserve data space on your device. Thanks to our Traveling Mom experts, you don’t have to decide alone! We’ve tried out many of the travel apps out there, and we are ready to share which ones are the best. Read on for our list of the best travel apps.
Best Travel Apps
Gone are the days of physical maps and handwritten directions. Well, maybe not for everyone, but most of us now rely on our smart devices to help us with everything, and that includes travel. More often than not, we rely on our smart device applications, or “apps” for short, to help us. How do you know which apps are best? Look no further than your fellow Traveling Moms! We’ve tried out almost every app you can imagine, and we’ve narrowed down our list. Save yourself some time and money, and check out our list of the best travel apps!
Hopper
Hopper is a travel app that is useful for booking hotels and flights. Candid Traveling Mom Patty says, “It lets me check prices on most air travel changes. I can set up alerts for specific dates and when the price drops, I’m all over it!”
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According to the app’s description, “Users save on average $50 per flight by following the bunny’s advice.” As with all prediction apps, it’s not perfect, but with the potential for huge savings, Hopper seems like a great bet! Best of all, it’s a free app available on both Android and iOS devices.
Airline Apps
Downloading an airline app might seem like a no-brainer, but not everyone does it. Airline apps, like Southwest, United, and Delta, are made to work in conjunction with your smart device. The app usually simplifies what is available on the full version of the website.
I am partial to these apps because they remove most of the extraneous website “fluff” and make it easier to manage your plans. In addition to offering check-in, flight status, and gate updates, users can also keep an electronic version of their boarding pass handy. All airline apps are free to download, and they are available for both iOS and Android.
Booking.com App
Booking.com boasts the largest selection of hotels, homes, and vacation rentals. Jenn, Fitness Traveling Mom, says, ” You can book lodging, save all of your reservations for easy access, and get city guides for each destination. We used it throughout Europe last summer.” With daily deals for every budget and free cancellations on most rooms, the Booking.com app aims to save you money and time. Booking.com’s App is free to download on iOS or Android.
Waze
The ever-popular Waze app was recommended by several of our Traveling Moms including Jamie, Suburban Traveling Mom, and Kendra, Long Weekend Traveling Mom.
“I could not travel without Waze. It’s how I navigate everything and time how long it takes to get places,” says Jamie.
Waze is a free app for iOS and Android that allows you to instantly see information about traffic, construction, police, crashes, and more. Information given in the app comes from real drivers, not algorithms, so it’s updated in real time and can help immensely with travel planning. Get Waze for free from the App Store, Android Market, or Google Play.
Parkwhiz
Road Warrior Traveling Mom, Nasreen, says, “Parkwhiz is the easiest way to find cheap parking in cities in the lots that you wouldn’t even know exist otherwise.”
I have personally been lost in an unfamiliar city looking for parking before, and I wish I would have known about Parkwhiz!
Find parking in most major cities, compare prices, and save up to 50% on parking fees when booking in advance. Many of the app reviews for Parkwhiz are from New Yorkers, and if they love the app with all of their parking woes, then it must be a good one! Parkwhiz is free to download on iOS and Android devices.
TripIt
Dana and Sherry, Luxe Traveling Moms, have an amazing list of luxury travel apps they love. One of their favorites is TripIt. Sherry says, “TripIt is an app to help you organize your travel plans all in one place. You simply forward all your emails and it transforms them into a master itinerary. There are two levels of TripIt; one is free and one is $49/year after a free 30-day trial. TripIt Pro does way more than just organize your travel plans. It also alerts in real time, monitors, notifies, tracks, and shares with your friends, so you’re always in the know. Plus, you get VIP travel benefits and discounts.”
Hotel Tonight
Last minute travel? Not a problem according to Suburban Traveling Mom Jamie! “I love the Hotel Tonight app,” she says. “It’s so easy to use. And if you find yourself somewhere unexpected (maybe a canceled flight or other issues), you can get great deals on hotels. I might add – Hotel Tonight is a popular app among flight attendants.”
With all the traveling flight attendants do, any app that gets their stamp of approval is a great app in my book!
TripAdvisor
Texas Traveling Mom, Jill, loves TripAdvisor’s free app. “It might be overrated (or already on your radar), but I really like TripAdvisor. I like the “things to do” feature. I just booked a ticket for a wine tasting and tapas tour in Madrid while sitting in my chair at soccer practice. It’s fun for “oh, we ended up here” for an afternoon, what is there to do?”
Avoid pesky data fees and roaming charges while you travel by downloading maps for over 300 cities worldwide for free! Additionally, making last minute travel plans has never been easier with TripAdvisor’s “Near Me Now” feature that helps you discover nearby points of interest.
DOSH App
“I love using the DOSH app! It saves me money when traveling. Whether you’re booking hotels, eating at restaurants or shopping you can easily earn cash back on your purchases,” Bonding Traveling Mom Breeze shares.
DOSH is a free cash back app that finds deals for shopping, dining out, hotels, and other travel activities. No coupon clipping, receipt scanning, or code entering required. When booking hotels through the app, users are guaranteed to get the most competitive prices available.
Savings made simple? Sign me up!
As with all “best of” lists, we probably missed one or two of your favorites. If you’ve got a great travel app we need to know about, let us know! Happy travels!
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