Although planning trips and vacations on one’s own adds something special to the entire experience, it can also be tricky. After all, every traveler wants to find a reliable source of information that will help them avoid unpleasant surprises, misunderstandings, and problems. This is when travel apps come in handy. Take a look at the best travel planning apps to organize your journey and discover hidden travel gems, unique destinations, recommended hotels, restaurants, or even more!

Table of contents:

The best travel apps for finding and researching trips

When talking about the best travel planning apps, it’s worth mentioning:

  • TripIt – this app is a must for every traveler that wants to be well-organized. It keeps all your travel information in one place, and even allows you to check flight itineraries, cars and rentals, hotel reservation information, and more. There is a pro version of the app that costs $49 per year and allows you to check security wait times, receive real-time flight alerts, and obtain baggage claim information.
  • Roadtrippers – it’s a travel app for road trips that helps you find interesting places to visit, things to do, and restaurants to eat at along your route. It also allows you to compare prices and find the cheapest options. It costs $29.99 per year.
  • PackPoint – this helpful app will create a packing list for you based on the length of your trip, the weather forecast, and the activities you’re planning to do. It’s free to use, with a $2.99 premium version that allows you to save multiple lists.

The best travel apps for flights

Once your trip is planned and your luggage is packed, it’s time to find the best and most convenient flights. For this purpose, you can use:

  • Skyscanner – this flight search engine can help you find the cheapest flights by comparing prices across different airlines. It’s free to use, with no hidden fees.
  • Hipmunk – it’s one of the best travel apps for flights that allows you to search for flights, hotels, and car rentals in one place. It also provides helpful information such as reviews, photos, and maps. Once the 30-day free trial period ends, you’ll have to pay $10 per month.
  • Kayak – this app allows you to search for flights, hotels, and car rentals. It also provides helpful features such as price alerts and a fare calendar. Kayak is free to use, the prices are obtained straight from the travel sites.

Useful and free travel apps for iPhone

Are you looking for free travel apps for iPhone? Be sure to check out:

  • YouMap – it’s a relatively new social mapping app that allows you to discover hidden gems, check recommendations of other travelers, reach out to them to ask any questions, become a community member and find noteworthy places off the beaten track. Moreover, with this free app, you can create your own travel map and mark visited locations.
  • Citymapper – it’s a free public transit app that works on both iOS and Android devices. It’s available in numerous cities all over the world and provides detailed information about different types of transportation, helps you find the fastest routes, and even tells you how many calories you’ll burn during your journey.

Useful and free travel apps for Android

If you’re looking for the best travel apps for Android, it’s time to download:

  • Hopper – this app analyzes billions of flight prices and predicts future changes. It also allows you to book flights and look for special discounts to get the best deals. Hopper is free to use.
  • HotelTonight – it’s one of the best travel applications for hotels, suitable for both Android and iOS. It offers great hotel deals in various destinations all over the world. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a last-minute hotel booking. The app is free to download and use.

The takeaway

The number of people using smartphones for travel planning is steadily increasing. Therefore, if you want to avoid unpleasant surprises during your trip, don’t wait and download useful travel apps that will allow you to discover unique destinations, plan your vacation in a comprehensive way and find the best deals.

What makes a good travel app? Check out our blog!