We live in a mobile world saturated with apps, and while not all of them are actually worth investing your time (or money) into, there are quite a few that can actually help you save money and travel better. These travel apps do everything from tracking your travel expenses and unearthing deals on hotels and car rentals to helping you skip the line at immigration or find the cheapest gas to fuel up your car.
We’ve put together this list of our favorite travel apps designed for travelers who want to save money and travel smart.
Best Apps for Organizing Your Flight and Travel Info
Flio
The Flio app is designed to make air travel less stressful. Add your flights to the app (you can do this directly from your calendar), and Flio will send real-time updates about each flight—including gate changes and flight delays. You’ll also be notified if your flight delay means you’re entitled to compensation.
In addition to all the helpful information Flio sends about your flights, the app also lets you book day passes to hundreds of airport lounges around the world and reserve airport parking ahead of time. The app contains detailed airport guides to make it easier to navigate.
Cost: Free
Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5 (iTunes App Store)
App in the Air
App in the Air calls itself “your personal travel assistant.” It’s a place to store all your travel details and documents—including itineraries, boarding passes, and loyalty programs. Users can track loyalty points for all major hotels and airlines and receive notifications about travel. With a premium subscription, users can turn those into real-time notices of things like flight delays and be automatically checked in for flights.
In addition to tracking your travel itineraries, you can also book flights and hotels directly from the App in the Air app. It will even show you which option makes the best use of any loyalty status you have. The developers are eco-conscious, too, giving users the ability to look for flights that are more eco-friendly—they also plant a tree for every flight booked in the app.
Cost: Free ($29.99/year for Premium)
Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5 (iTunes App Store)
TripIt
The TripIt app gathers all the information about an itinerary, from flights to hotels to walking tours, in one convenient place. The app pulls all the relevant details from your confirmation emails—simply forward them to the plans@tripit.com email address and TripIt does the rest. You can then edit any of the entries to include things like driving directions, access codes, or seat assignments.
The features list for the free version is impressive (you can sync plans with your calendar, see neighborhood safety scores, and share your itinerary with others, among other things), but a TripIt Pro subscription comes with some especially handy perks. Pro users also get real-time flight alerts, notice of potential fare refunds, help finding a better seat on the plane, alerts about security wait times, and the ability to upload up to 25 documents to your itinerary.
Cost: Free ($49/year for TripIt Pro)
Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5 (iTunes App Store)
Travel Apps for the Airport
MiFlight
There are few worse travel-related feelings than showing up to the airport 45 minutes before your flight to find an epically long security line. MiFlight lets you know how long the security line is at over 100 of the busiest US airports and an additional 100 airports globally. The app collects data from users and is pretty accurate within a few minutes, so you’ll know if you really have to the airport three hours before your flight or if you can wait a bit.
Mobile Passport
Don't have Global Entry? Mobile Passport allows US citizens and Canadian visitors to submit their passport and declaration forms to US Customs and Border Protection via the app rather than filling out traditional forms. From there, users can access expedited Mobile Passport lanes, which can be significantly shorter than the general queue. There's a paid version that saves your info or for you free, you can upload it upon landing.
Best Travel Apps for Hotels and Lodging
HotelTonight
For the flexible or last-minute traveler, HotelTonight offers incredible deals on hotel rooms for same-day bookings (as well as bookings in the near future—up 90 days out). The savings can be significant and every listing has photos and traveler reviews so you know exactly what you’re getting for the price. While they don't yet cover every destination around the world, HotelTonight is available in most major cities and tourist hotspots. One caveat: when you book you aren't guaranteed which room type you'll get, only that it'll fit two adults.
>> Read our guide to getting the cheapest hotel room every time.
Dayuse
If you’ve got a long layover or need somewhere to crash for a few hours during the day, the Dayuse app lets you access a selection of hotels where you can book a room with up to 75% off an overnight stay. You pay by the hour (but don't let that conjure up unsavory images; these are nice rooms at legit hotels), and cancellation is free up until the last minute. So next time you've got some time to kill between flights and don't want to just hang in the airport, it's worth checking to see what's available for a quick nap or quiet space to freshen up.
Best Travel Apps for Budgeting
XE Currency
How much is 10,000 Icelandic kronur in US dollars? If I exchange $50 US, how much should I get in Japanese yen? XE has you covered. This currency exchange app lets you calculate prices with the currency converter and monitor up to 10 different currencies of your choice. You’ll have a better understanding of what you’re spending and whether or not you’re getting ripped off in currency exchanges, plus you can use the app offline.
Splitwise
With Splitwise you can share bills and IOUs with others, like household bills with roommates or group vacations with friends. If you’re traveling with others and sharing the cost, it’s an easy way to make sure everyone pays up fair and square without making things awkward.
Trail Wallet
Overspending on your trip is easy to do. You might think you're only spend a bit each day, but if you're not careful, it adds up and soon you're coming home with more credit card debt than souvenirs. Trail Wallet makes it easy to track your expenses while on the road. Organize your expenses by trip or month, set a daily budget, add your expenses (you can scan your bills and receipts), and then review how you’re doing with the app’s insightful breakdowns.
Best Travel Apps for Transportation
Gasbuddy
The incredibly handy Gasbuddy app lets drivers find the nearest gas station with the lowest-priced gas. Even using this app day-to-day could save you a few hundred dollars per year on gas if you drive frequently, and that’s a lot of vacation savings.
Turo
With the current rental car shortage, Turo has skyrocketed in popularity. Turo is a car-sharing marketplace where you can book a vehicle from a local host in the US, Canada, the UK, or Germany. It’s an affordable alternative to traditional car rental services, plus they also offer some unique wheels (like sports cars and campervans).
BlaBlaCar
Need a ride but don't want your own wheels? BlaBlaCar is a global long-distance carpooling service that lets you ride along with a driver who is going the same way and contribute to gas expenses. It’s great for places where bus service or train service is limited. It's basically a more modern, safer, and more convenient version of hitchhiking, and you might make a buddy in the process.
MyTaxi
MyTaxi is Europe’s biggest licensed taxi app (available in 100+ cities, including many where Uber doesn’t operate), allowing you to book, track, and pay for a taxi directly in-app. You can book in advance and get fare estimates for your journey.
Rome2rio
With Rome2rio, simply input your starting point and end destination (whether it’s an address or a landmark) and you’ll instantly get results for all your best travel options—including plane, train, car, bus, or ferry—so you can compare time and costs for various options.
Trainline
Sometimes getting there is half the fun, but it helps to be well-informed. The Trainline app aggregates the travel details of more than 270 train and coach operators in 45 countries in Europe and the UK.
Users can search for and book electronic tickets, and Trainline sends alerts just like airfare sites do—so you’ll be able to track train and coach fares and click the buy button when they’re cheaper. Trainline also allows travelers to see train and coach journeys in real time, so you’ll know about delays or other disruptions in advance.
Cost: Free
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5 (iTunes App Store)
Transit
Transit is an incredibly comprehensive real-time transport app for finding the best route around a city. The design is beautiful and you can select which types of transit you want to see (only subway, for example) to remove even more clutter. You’ll even get upcoming departure times for metro lines near you, without ever having to tap a button.
Cabify
Cabify is another ridesharing app with all the same features as Lyft and Uber, but with some pretty nifty personalization options: you can select your music, ask the driver to open the door for you, and request air-conditioning (a little high maintenance, maybe). It’s available in Portugal, Spain, and some Caribbean and South American countries.
>> Read our list of best apps for traveling in Europe.
SpotHero
Similar to GasBuddy but for parking lots, SpotHero makes it convenient to find and reserve parking in major US cities by giving you insider access to thousands of garages, lots, and valets, including at the airport. Plus you can save up to 50% off by booking in advance.
iOS
Android
>> Read our guide to finding cheap car rentals.
Best General Travel Apps
AllTrails
With detailed descriptions of more than 200,000 trails, it’s not surprising that AllTrails is a favorite among hikers and mountain bikers. Simply open the app wherever you go to find hiking trails that are nearby—including GPS driving directions to the trailhead. You can filter by accessibility, trail difficulty, and even by whether it’s a dog-friendly trail. AllTrails can be social, too, with options to share your excursions and follow other users within the app.
The app is free to use, but there is a pro version. Some of the additional benefits of AllTrails Pro are the ability to download offline maps, print topographical maps, and receive real-time information about things like air quality and weather.
Cost: Free ($29.99/year for AllTrails Pro)
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5 (iTunes App Store)
WiFi Finder
WiFi Finder gives you access to more than two million hotspots worldwide. All you have to do is type in the address—whether it’s a cafe, airport, restaurant, etc.—and the app provides the rest, when available (it’ll even give you the login info if the network is protected).
Flush
As you might have guessed, the Flush app is all about toilets—specifically finding public toilets when you’re out and about. The app indexes more than 200,000 public lavs all over the world, and you can filter by things like usage fees and disabled access.
When you open the app, you’ll see public toilets near you. Then, if you need them, Flush provides directions for getting there. You can even rate the loo to help other app users and add a new public toilet to the system.
Cost: Free
Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5 (iTunes App Store)
PackPoint
PackPoint is a packing app and packing list builder that gives you solid recommendations on what you need to pack based on your length of travel, your destination, and your planned activities. You may need to tweak the list a little, but it’s a great starting point to make sure you have what you need but aren’t overpacking—and can thus save on checked bag fees.
WhatsApp is an instant messaging and video calling app that became a subsidiary of Meta (formerly Facebook) in 2014. In addition to being available for both iPhone and Android devices, it’s also available as a desktop download for both Mac and PC machines.
There was a time when WhatsApp was particularly popular in Europe, and it grew increasingly popular with travelers who could send text messages to people back home for free using WiFi instead of incurring SMS fees. More features have been added in recent years, including the ability to share documents with other users.
Cost: Free (data charges may apply)
Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5 (iTunes App Store)
Grab
Grab calls itself “The Everyday Everything App,” providing a gateway for everything from food deliveries to car rides to financial services to people in eight Southeast Asian countries.
We’re accustomed to using apps for things like meal and grocery deliveries (GrabFood and GrabMart, respectively), as well as getting from place to place (Grab offers transportation via 4-wheel, 3-wheel, or 2-wheel options). Grab goes beyond those standards with financial services like auto insurance, point-of-sale systems for shops, investment tools, and financial planning.
Cost: Free
Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5 (iTunes App Store)
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