2016 Travel App Recommendations

With over 50% of us relying on our devices as our main source of contact with the outside world anymore — and not on telephone calls, but on apps — the travel industry is constantly adding new applications for download to our phones and tablets. Many are included when you purchase our phone, with others being easily available on Google Play and the Apple Apps store. 

Here is a list of some of both the most popular and newest applications designed to make your life easier while you’re on the road. Depending on whether you have an iPhone or Android phone, or a Windows phone, you’ll have different versions available as some update at different times.

Map Apps

Waze: A more fresh and fun app, Waze offers voice navigation as well as clear maps and directions based on the fastest route. Quick to download and offers a few fun settings, such as the voice you hear during navigation and what your icon, representing your vehicle, appears like. Recently, C3P0 was an option for voice navigation and Star Wars vehicles were displayed on your map, injecting a bit of humor onto what can otherwise be a depressing sight if there’s traffic.

Google Maps: Similar to Waze, Google offers a voice navigation system, time and mileage for your routing options. There is no vehicle icon but it’s a faster loading system and orients to your location quickly.

Google Earth: This is an add-on to your Google Maps app, allowing you to see the actual view of the streets and buildings, offering you visual landmarks.

MapQuest: Similar to the favored online version many of us still reference when locating a destination, MapQuest GPS combines traffic and weather into one app, so everything’s taken into consideration in one place, offering you the best options for a speedy trip. It will show you when it’s fastest to take public transportation or even walk. Voice navigation, for hands-free usage, also utilizes traffic cameras for up-to-the-minute views on delays and construction.

Travel Map Maker: like the convenience of on-the-go maps but sometimes want to go more broad and create a map of travels to share with your friends? Travel Map Maker gives you the old-school but still popular and fun option of printing out a map to share with people. If you’re going to a remote place overseas or even just going hiking, this is a wonderful way to increase the safety factor of your trip.

Whichever of these mapping systems you use, please be sure to not use your phone while driving!

Flights

Many major airlines are now offering personalized apps to make your flight booking experience a smooth and painless one. If you’re booking a flight and aren’t sure which airlines to use, you have multiple options of apps to download to search multiple airlines in moments. A few options are CheapTickets, Cheap Flights, Kayak.com, SkyScanner, Orbitz, Travelocity, Priceline and Expedia. 

Here are a few more specialized apps to help with your flight and travel arrangements:

FlightHero or FlightView are airline flight tracking apps,  helping you to be able to check on the status of your flight with any airline in a matter of just a few taps.

Unsure where your seat is on a plane? Want to know if you got aisle, window or the dreaded middle? SeatGuru has maps of thousands of airlines and planes and will help alleviate your concern, so if you don’t like your seat, you can contact your airline for help.

The Hopper app is a big money saver, as it compares prices around the clock and makes predictions on when the best time is for you to book and purchase your airline ticket for the best rates available.

TripIt is a favorite amongst seasoned travelers. Offering both a free and low-cost option, TripIt not only helps you make reservations, but it stores them for you, putting together an itinerary and allowing you to save it online as well as mail it to yourself or others. Want to be sure your ride from the airport doesn’t forget to pick you up? Mail him the itinerary! One added bonus that makes TripIt so popular is its ability to take your trip information from individual emails and add them without any extra steps. Before you know it, all your travel notification emails are combined into one safe place!

Trip Advisor is one of everyone’s favorite apps for making reservations after reading reviews, and includes not just travel bookings and accommodations but even restaurant recommendations.

A fan of road trips? Roadtrippers is the ultimate in mapping apps helping you find the best things to do along the way, such as nightlife, restaurants and last-minute places to visit or get some sleep.

Many large and small hotel chains, rental car agencies and even restaurants and sightseeing locations offer apps now to help you make arrangements for your business or pleasure travel. Within minutes, you can download an app and find out more details from the destination directly than ever before, all without having to sit on hold anywhere or worry about calling within business hours. Travel has never been as easy, and as new apps are added daily, keep checking for new updates and possibilities. And don’t forget the weather and traffic maps for your arrival and departure cities, so you can avoid delays and surprises.

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