What are the best travel apps? There are so many helpful (and mostly FREE) apps for your phone that can make life so much easier while traveling: apps to help you plan your trip, apps to help you find the best flights at the cheapest price, apps to help you in a foreign country where you don’t know the language, even apps to help you meet people while traveling abroad! These are the top 24 most helpful travel apps that I’ve found:
Best Apps for Traveling in Foreign Countries
Google Translate
Google Translate is an absolute must-have app for travelers. It allows you to translate in SO many different ways:
- Translates text in over 103 languages
- Allows you to download language files and translate even when you’re offline
- App will translate text in images simply by pointing your camera at it!! (like a foreign menu, see video from Paris below)
- Ability to take or import photos for translation as well
- Can translate bilingual conversations
- Is even able to translate some handwriting
- Also allows you to save commonly used words and phrases
Download in the App Store or Google Play.
XE Currency
XE Currency allows you to calculate exchange rates, set alerts, and can help you transfer funds!
Download in the App Store or Google Play.
TripLingo
TripLingo helps you sound like a local while traveling abroad! The app can translate your voice, has more than 30,000 recorded audio files, a huge offline dictionary, access to a live human translator (additional cost), and more.
Screenshots above from App Store. Download in the App Store or Google Play.
Flush App - Toilet Finder
This app will literally help you find the closest public bathroom whenever you’re traveling. It has a database of over 200,000 public toilets around the world! Download in the App Store or Google Play.
SkyRoam
The Skyroam App + it’s device connects you to WIFI almost anywhere in the world! I used this all throughout my trip in Europe and absolutely love it. Read more about SkyRoam here.
Download in the App Store or Google Play.
Best Trip Planning Apps
TripIt: Travel Planner
You book it, and TripIt organizes everything into a neat and tidy itinerary: As soon as you book a flight, tour, hotel, car, etc, simply forward it to plans@tripit.com and they’ll add it to your master itinerary — it’s genius!
I haven’t tried it myself yet, but it has over 172,000 reviews in the Apple App Store with an average of 4.8 stars! Download in the App Store or Google Play.
Triposo
Triposo is a smart travel guide app that delivers unique recommendations for over 50,000 destinations around the world and allows you to fully book and customize your itinerary! It even works offline too! Download in the App Store or Google Play.
PackPoint
PackPoint is the ultimate packing app: It intelligently helps travelers build their packing lists for trips based on the variables like location, weather, and planned activities!
Screenshots above from the App Store. Download in the App Store or Google Play.
CityMapper
CityMapper helps you find the best route by accounting for real-time traffic and combining bus, subway, train, ferry, taxi, car share, bike share and walking. Note: it is currently only available in certain cities, check app for availability.
Download in the App Store or Google Play.
TimeShifter
TimeShifter is an app that helps travelers precent jet lag by creating a personalized plan based on flight plan, sleeping habits, and other preferences! Your first trip is free, but after that, it is a paid subscription.
Screenshot above from App Store. Download in the App Store or Google Play.
Best Travel Apps for Flying + In Airports
Your Specific Airline's App
I always like to download the app of the specific airline I am flying with. With the app, you can usually check-in, access your boarding pass, get flight updates, and access in-flight entertainment!
Priority Pass
Priority Pass is a game changer when it comes to hanging out in airports, especially with long layovers. It gives its members access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide + other benefits!
It is a paid membership fee with three different levels, however, if you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, you get it for free!
SkyScanner
SkyScanner is a great app for finding and booking great deals on flights and hotels. I would just caution on deals that look too good to be true through 3rd party vendors… they usually are.
Download in the App Store or Google Play, or visit their website directly.
Hopper
Hopper is another app that helps you find and book deals on flights and hotels. They claim to predict prices for flights with 95% accuracy up to 1 year in advance!
Download in the App Store or Google Play.
Grab - Airport
Hungry and in a hurry at the Airport? Grab can help! Order and pay for food without waiting in line, view a map of the airport and see what’s near your gate, and save your favorites for next time!
Screenshot above from App Store. Download in the App Store or Google Play.
AirHelp
AirHelp is an amazing app that can help you get compensated for delayed or canceled flights. EU and US laws protect passengers, and this app can help you take advantage of that!
Screenshot above from App Store. Download in the App Store or Google Play.
Best Apps for Road Trips
Waze or Google Maps
Whether you like Waze or Google Maps better, having a map app while road tripping is important!
Get Google Maps in the App Store or Google Play OR get Waze in the App Store or Google Play.
Roadtrippers
Use Roadtrippers to plan the ultimate road trip! This app helps you find tons of cool spots like local dining spots, quirky roadside attractions, scenic points, and more. They also offer awesome pre-made road trip guides!
Download in the App Store or Google Play.
GasBuddy
The GasBuddy app helps you find the cheapest gas prices around and offer special discounts too! Download in the App Store or Google Play.
Best Apps for Meeting People While Traveling
MeetUp
MeetUp helps bring people together in thousands of cities across the world based on interestes and events! This is a great app for travelers trying to meet new people while abroad.
Download in the App Store or Google Play.
Bumble BFF
This one is for the ladies… Bumble BFF connects you with other like minded women nearby! It’s a great way to make friends when you’re in a new city — traveling or not!
Download in the App Store or Google Play.
There are so many awesome Facebook groups out there specifically created for helping people meet up while traveling.
One of my favorite is Girls Love Travel. It’s an amazing community of over 1,000,000 women who love traveling and often organize meet ups!
More Great Travel Apps
Dayuse
This app lets you book last minute hotel rooms for a couple hours during the day at seriously discounted prices. It’s perfect if you find yourself with a long layover!
Download in the App Store or Google Play.
Did you download any of these helpful travel apps? Am I missing your favorite? Let me know in the comments or DM me on Instagram!
xx Chels
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