Posted October 22, 2014
By EMILY DABAU
Between packing, catching connecting flights and exploring a destination upon arrival, successful traveling requires appropriate planning and expertise.
If you need extra assistance remembering the essentials to park, guidance on which stops to add to your road trip plan or a personal-experience perspective on your flight’s seats from other travelers, there’s an app for that.
For both the casual travelers who think of airplanes as a second home to those without much traveling experience, there are smartphone and tablet apps available to help with any travel, whether by plane or by car, from making sure you remember all the essentials when packing for your trip to have catching all the attractions during a road trip or finding the nearest Starbucks in your terminal.
When planning for your fall break getaway, make sure you’re prepped with the apps that can ensure your traveling is as smooth as possible with these apps:
Packing Pro
This app lets you compile a list of all the things you need to pack for your trip by category. As you go, you check off the necessities you have ready in your bag, from essentials like your passport and cash to clothing, toiletries and accessories. The categories are customizable and allow you to create lists within lists to make sure nothing is forgotten.
Roadtrippers
With this app, you can enter your start and end points that will then be developed into a route complete with suggested attractions to visit along the way. It categorizes the suggested stops and also provides contract information, website addresses, reviews and photos for each of the points. The app is customizable with a personal itinerary listing your travel plans and allowing you to add spots you want to visit and refer to them throughout your trip.
“Roadtrippers has a huge database of the most awesome, weird, wacky, and wonderful places around the country,” said Josh Green, a manger of business development and partnerships for Roadtrippers. “Also for a college student on a budget, you can input your gas mileage and get estimated fuel costs for the trip.”
Roadside America
If you’re an eccentric architecture enthusiast or enjoy finding hidden spots to explore on the road, then this app can help you on the road. Roadside America shares information on unusual eateries, interesting buildings and attractions. It even has a sunset alert that will notify you when it’s time to take a snapshot at the end of the day for an Instagram-perfect picture.
GateGuru
For those moments when you’ve made it to your gate and are looking for some last-minute grub before you board your plane, this app can help you find your favorite food stop near you. It will also show other shops and services in the airport, all with ratings and reviews from fellow travelers. All your travel information, including your itinerary and flight numbers can be stored in the app for easy tracking and referring back to, to make managing your trip easy. For those looking to rent a car, the app allows you to do so right from the convenience of your phone.
“GateGuru can be used when traveling on a budget and looking for the best post-security meal,” said Zachary Einzig, product manager for native apps. “Or perhaps a student would like to find a quiet lounge to get some work done.”
SeatGuru
This app helps with all aspects of making your flight enjoyable, from finding an affordable ticket to selecting the best seat. It compares flight prices with different airlines and travel agencies to find the best deal. Once you’ve purchased a ticket, to assist you in finding the best seat on your flight, SeatGuru provides seat reviews from other travelers based on legroom, proximity to the bathroom and other factors. By entering your flight number you can access a seating map for your place and choose the best one according to comments and pictures from other travelers’ experiences.
SeatGuru
- Price: Free
- Available for iPhone or Android
Packing Pro
- Price: 2.99
- Available for iPhone
GateGuru
- Price: Free
- Available for iPhone and Android
Roadside America
- Price: $2.99
- Available for iPhone
Roadtrippers
- Price: Free
- Available for iPhone or Android