Traveling, especially during these unprecedented times, can be extremely stressful.
Finding tools that can help you plan, navigate, save money and reduce that stress is invaluable. Tried and true, these apps can help ease the unnecessary burdens that travel can and will entail. While bumps along the way are inevitable, having help in the palm of your hand can prevent and solve problems quickly or even save your life.
TRIP PREPARATION
TripIt
TripIt keeps all of your travel logistics in one place. Simply forward your rental car, hotel, and flight reservation confirmation emails and TripIt will create an easy way to manage travel itinerary.
PackPoint
Don’t know what to pack? PackPoint creates a custom packing list based on your destination, activities you plan to do, length of your stay and more. PackPoint also checks weather conditions for you and adjusts accordingly. Just enter your trip details into the app and it will take care of the rest. You can share packing lists with your travel buddies as well.
Skyscanner
If you’re looking for the best possible flight, Skyscanner is the tool for the job. It will simultaneously search every airline for either the cheapest or quickest route to your destination. Don’t have a destination in mind? You can also search from your city to “Everywhere.” Skyscanner will show you the cheapest destinations around the globe to help you pick an exciting new place to travel to.
Hopper
Another great tool for finding the most budget-friendly flights, hotels and rental cars is Hopper. You can search by an entire month or specific dates for the cheapest options as well as viewing price predictions for future increases and decreases.
Roadtrippers
Roadtrippers is the best app for planning and discovering new things on your road trip. You can plan single or multi-day road trips or even use pre-made itineraries in the app. You will discover endless recommendations and reviews for hotels, activities, camping sites, food, bars, landmarks…etc. Another great tool is its “gas cost estimator” for your entire trip. You can also collaborate through the app with your friends to plan the perfect road trip.
Rome2Rio
Rome2Rio helps you find the easiest, cheapest and most accessible way between any two destinations like cities, landmarks or addresses. You can compare a variety of modes of transportation, such as: flights, buses and trains by price, time and frequency.
SAFETY
Smart Traveler
Smart Traveler is the official State Department app for U.S. travelers. But, anyone can use it for vital safety information. This app gives you access to frequently updated information, travel alerts, travel warnings, maps and U.S. embassy locations.
TripWhistle (Global SOS)
This app is essential in helping you find a quick response during any emergency abroad. You will have access to all emergency numbers for police, medical personnel, fire fighters and more. Remember: each country has its own emergency number. TripWhistle also helps you easily text or send your GPS coordinates or location.
IN-FLIGHT
Timeshifter
Timeshifter is the tool you need to help eliminate jet lag from your travel plans. This app adapts to your final destination before you even arrive. Timeshifter uses science to help prepare your body for travel by creating a jet lag plan specifically for you.
SkyGuru
Scared of flying? This app is here to help. SkyGuru gives you information, advice and predictions from takeoff to landing. It prepares you for upcoming turbulence as well as a turbulence meter tool to monitor it. All the necessary information about your flight – weather forecasts, route maps, or flight history – will be uploaded and constantly updated to your device. This app is the best tool for coping with and hopefully conquering your fear of flying.
ON THE GROUND
Citymapper
Citymapper is your go-to app for navigation in the city. It helps you travel to each destination smoothly and efficiently. Citymapper has live timing and accounts for all modes of transport, including: walking, cycling, driving and public transportation. You can even choose between “fast” and “main road” routes which can help users avoid dimly-lit areas. Citymapper also has a feature to save journeys offline so you always have access to navigation without data or service.
Google Translate
This is the easiest way to communicate in a country where you don’t speak the local language. Google Translate has incredible features such as “voice to text” to help communicate with locals quicker. A favorite tool is the camera option. This feature will allow you to use your camera and translate the written language to your preferred language live on the image. This is especially helpful for reading menus or signs.
MONEY
Xe Currency
Xe calculates live currency and foreign exchange rates so you don’t have to. You can also safely and reliably transfer money internationally through Xe Currency.
SplitWise
SplitWise makes keeping track of expenses while traveling in a group easier than ever. Create a group for your friends’ trip through SplitWise and it will track of all of your trip expenses. This app does the tricky math for you. You simply each add whichever expense you have paid for and SplitWise will take care of the rest. You can see the total balance of the trip with all of the expenses and who has paid for each. It will also calculate what each person on the trip owes and to whom. This can save multiple Venmo transactions by coming up with one grand total at the end of your trip.
GlopeTips
Not sure what to tip, if even at all? GlobeTips has you covered. Not only does it have an easy-to-use tip calculator, it will also be your guide to tipping appropriately in over 200 countries.
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Before your next trip take the time to prepare yourself fully. We are incredibly fortunate to have access to so many tools that can help us travel the world a little more safely, efficiently and calmly.
