Most of the things that we need, if not all, can now be booked or arranged through our mobile phones. From booking your cab as you leave home for the airport, to finding the cheapest hotel room rates, to finding the best places to eat, to navigating offline maps – your Apple Store and Playstore have all these! So, check out these must-have 12 best travel planning apps for your iPhone or Android devices that will help you plan your dream vacation with ease.
1. Google Trips
The list of things we need to remember, as well as the list of things we might forget when planning our next trip is endless. So, Google’s answer to the dilemma of having to write your booking reference numbers, car rental details, or your hotel phone number is here – Google Trips! This travel planning app lets you see your fight, hotel, rental car, and restaurant bookings in one place without having to search for them individually since it pulls reservations from your email. It also helps you plan your day by providing suggestions of the best places to visit, best things to do, and food to eat. Your data can also be saved for offline usage.
2. TripIt
If Google Trips does not appeal to your taste, then, try TripIt. Just like most travel planning apps, this is one helpful tool that organizes all your travel plans in one place. No need to write down those confirmation and reference numbers. Just install the app and let it do the trick. You will have access to your hotel information and flight details at your fingertips, practically anywhere and anytime. Additionally, it lets you create a master itinerary of your plans, and makes your life so much easier, certainly a good travel planning app you should consider.
3. Roadtrippers
Roadtrippers is another essential application that you need to have when traveling. Aside from it being free, this app lets you organize your road trip getaway easier. You can plot your future road trips, and the app will present you with the best driving routes to cut your travel time, saving you hours on the road. Not only that, but this app also lets you book hotels that are nearest to your location while on the road. Now you no longer have to bother a friend to help you check the best places to visit or best things to do on your road trip because Roadtrippers has that covered for you.
4. Skyscanner
Skyscanner is probably one of the most famous travel planning apps available. True to its name, this app scans the sky for the best airline deals and more! It’s a one-stop shop for travelers who are looking for cheap flights, hotel room rates, and car rental options. Just key in your city of destination and the app will present the best available rates. Aside from making travel smarter by comparing rates from different airlines and hotels, this is a must-have, because it supports 30 different languages. You also do not have to worry about missing the price changes, since you can simply enable the app’s Price Alerts option and at the same time, seamlessly sync your flight searches and price alerts across all your devices.
5. Uber
Moving from one place to another in big cities and metropolises can be very challenging, especially if you don’t know where the nearest bus terminal or Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station is. But thanks to Uber for revolutionizing our transportation options. Whenever you are traveling to the 630 cities where the app is operational you no longer need to wait on the line for the next bus, since this app offers on-demand transit by a few clicks here and there any time of the day. Certainly, you are never too far or too near from your destination because an Uber driver will also pick you up straight from your hotel lobby. Uber makes every ride secure because you will also have visibility of your driver’s information. The app has a range of payment options for you that include credit cards, Android Pay, PayPal, and more. This means that running out of cash is not a problem.
6. Google Translate
Traveling to a foreign country requires communication and sometimes, asking directions can be difficult, especially if you can’t find someone who speaks your language or a common language such as English. Communication is definitely key to a great adventure; however, gone are the days when travelers carry notes or dictionaries with them. Now, you can just write and type anything in Japanese, German, or French or any of Google Translate’s 103 supported languages, and the app will instantly translate to your preferred language. It’s like having a personal interpreter in your pocket that also translates 59 languages when you do not have Internet access. It has snapping option through your camera that works best if you see road or traffic signs you do not understand. Innovations such as offline translation and instant camera translation are pure genius!
7. Citymapper
Have you been to an unfamiliar city? Or are you planning to visit a bustling metropolis such as Hong Kong that has a complex Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system? The thought of navigating public transportation and getting lost in the process is a good experience but can be daunting as well. So, whenever you travel to a foreign city, install Citymapper. This app allows you to combine public transportation options such as bus, subway, train, ferry, cab, even Uber, bike sharing, and walking to find the fastest route from point A to B. You can definitely plan your next trip without the fuss.
8. Waze
Traffic situations in major cities can get from worse to worst. You have to ready yourself by knowing what’s happening on the busiest streets in your destination and Waze is here to help you. Since there is no fun in getting stuck in traffic, aside from some idle time with kids inside the car, install Waze on your phone before you hit the road, so you have eyes over traffic-congested streets. This travel planning map app also shows additional and real-time traffic information such as accidents, car crashes, routes, and Estimate Times of Arrival (ETAs), which should help you plan your day better. Waze is certainly one of the best travel planning apps in the industry.
9. Circa World Time
If you are a frequent traveler who moves from one continent to another, or maybe from one U.S. state to another, or from one European city to another, you must be aware of how anyone can get disoriented with times and timezones. It can definitely be challenging to keep track of different timezones when you’re traveling great distances. Good thing we have Circa World Time. This app is here to solve our problem of having to manually keep track of time. It helps you monitor time across multiple locations and time zones, while allowing you to create meeting invites in just a few clicks. This is a must-have if you travel for business and want to check on your family back home.
10. AccuWeather
Weather is certainly one of the many things we should consider when visiting a new place because it can make or break the best-laid vacation plans. Before boarding your next flight, make sure to download AccuWeather. It is a good weather app that gives you an up-to-date weather forecast, real-time rain, storm, ice, and snow reports. A must-have app for travelers and tourists who do not want their outdoor excursions to be spoiled by heavy rains or extreme weather condition. Among its top features is the unique weather widget that shows you not only the temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius, but also how warm or cold it actually feels outside. This will help you plan your clothes perfectly.
11. TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor lets you see your destination from another traveler’s perspective, even before you can physically get there through their reviews and comments. It is fundamentally a crowd-sourced travel guide to the best places to dine, the best places to visit, or the best things to do. The app allows you to browse over 500 million reviews and opinions by travelers that will help you decide which hotel to book or which attraction to see on your next trip. Through the app, you can have access to contact details and addresses that will help you plan your trip better.
12. Guides By Lonely Planet
Guides By Lonely Planet is yet another one-stop-shop app for travelers that is multi-functional and trustworthy. It is your travel best friend that contains a currency converter, travel guides, transport information, and “near me” functionality. Its offline maps and audio phrasebooks that store 10,000 phrases for 19 different languages, including Spanish, French, Japanese, or Chinese are major features for a must-have app.
These 12 best travel planning apps are useful for most types of trip planning for both international and domestic travel.
