Travel stress can wreck even the best-laid plans. Whether you travel often or just once in a while, the right apps can make things a whole lot easier. These travel apps help with everything from itinerary management to unlocking the doors of the world’s most exclusive airport lounges.
Best travel apps for stress-free trips
PackPoint
PackPoint is a travel packing app that takes the stress out of packing by creating customized packing lists based on your destination, travel dates, and planned activities. It considers the weather at your destination and the type of trip you’re taking — whether it’s for business, leisure, or adventure — and suggests items accordingly.
Something unique about this app is you can share your packing lists with fellow travelers or even use lists from previous trips as a template. PackPoint is perfect for travelers who want to pack efficiently and not forget any essentials. While PackPoint is free to download, it does offer in-app purchases for enhanced features.
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Roadtrippers
The Roadtrippers app is the perfect travel companion for anyone heading out on a road trip. This app helps you map out your journey in detail — it highlights the must-see attractions, scenic routes, hidden gems, and unique stops along the way. Plus, you can collaborate with friends on trip planning, which can make it a whole lot easier for everyone joining the trip.
What’s great about Roadtrippers is that it provides insights into distances, estimated travel times, and recommendations for food, accommodations, and points of interest. It’s perfect for planning both short getaways and extended road trips. The app offers a free version with limited functionality, as well as a basic, pro, and premium subscription plan for those looking for more features.
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Skyscanner
Skyscanner is a free travel app that simplifies your trip planning. With Skyscanner, you can easily search and compare flights, hotels, and car rentals from countless providers. Its unique “Everywhere” feature suggests the best destinations based on your budget and travel dates — all you have to do is input your dates and let it do the rest! Plus, the app offers insights on optimal booking times and sends price alerts, which helps ensure you get the most out of your travel experience.
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TripIt
Instead of digging through your inbox to pull up details of your next flight or hotel stay, use the TripIt app to organize everything in one spot. The app automatically compiles a comprehensive itinerary for you when you forward trip reservations for your flight, hotel, car rental, or other travel details to plans@tripit.com. TripIt’s offline accessibility ensures you can access your travel details without an internet connection, and Siri shortcuts enable hands-free access.
Beyond basic itinerary management, TripIt offers advanced features like uploading PDFs, photos, boarding passes, and digital passport QR codes to consolidate all your travel-related materials in one convenient place. The app’s map-related tools are particularly convenient on road trips, allowing you to plot your entire journey on Google Maps or Apple Maps, find transportation options, and access driving directions. You can also use the app to locate nearby restaurants, parking areas, ATMs, and more.
For added benefits, you can upgrade to the TripIt Pro subscription service for $49 annually. Stay up-to-date with real-time flight status alerts, check-in reminders, and potential fare refunds if prices drop after booking. The pro subscription also allows travelers to manage reward programs, a perk that can help you use your points before they expire, and even includes interactive airport maps.
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Flighty
For travelers who seek to alleviate the stress of unexpected flight delays and cancellations, the Flighty app is a top choice. With a commitment to clear, unfiltered notifications, Flighty delivers push alerts on your flights directly to your phone as you travel, ensuring you receive instant updates. The free version of the app offers a comprehensive range of features, including unlimited flight tracking, live data, weather updates, historical flight lookup, and more. Traveling with a group? The Flighty Friends feature lets you share live flight statuses with family and friends to simplify communication while traveling.
Upgrading to Flighty Pro gives travelers access to features like live inbound plane tracking, delay predictions, TripIt and calendar synchronization, taxi times, and FAA integration. The app’s “Where’s my plane?” function anticipates potential delays caused by late inbound aircraft. Direct access to FAA data provides pilot-grade alerts for airspace mandates and delays before they affect your plans. The app’s pro version is automatically included with your first flight and is available for purchase after that with paid options for weekly, monthly, or lifetime plans.
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HotelTonight
With this travel app, you can book a future stay, but the best deals are typically last-minute bookings — hence the app’s name, HotelTonight. Simply pick your destination and see available hotel deals nearby. This app is ideal for road trip travel and spontaneous getaways.
The hotel selects the room type, so you can’t pick and choose from options like how many beds are in your room or what floor you’re on. However, you may wind up with an unexpectedly awesome beach view or corner suite. Using this app is a bit of a gamble, but the savings can be worth it.
When browsing available hotel rooms, prices shown in the app don’t include any taxes or fees until you’re on the booking page. However, once there, you can pay with a single click via PayPal or Apple Pay or manually add your credit card info.
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Before you head out on your next trip, downloading a few helpful travel apps can really improve your experience. To make your travels easier and more enjoyable, be sure to have these eight must-have apps on your phone.
