Today marks the first official day of summer which, for many, means going on a vacation with loved-ones.
From booking flights and accommodations, packing your bags and finding cool things to do while on vacation, preparing for a trip can get quite hectic.
Don’t fret! There are now apps to make every aspect of your trip easier.
Not to mention, these apps are all free.
Booking Flights And Accommodations:
Hopper
Hopper is an amazing app for fare-watching. It has an extensive archive of data and analyzes billions of prices for flights and hotels every day.
It also notifies you whether you should book your flight now or wait for a cheaper date.
To use this app, just input your destination and Hopper will generate a color-coded calendar which shows you the cheapest and most expensive days to fly.
Kayak
This app shows you the best prices from most airlines.
You can then filter through your options based on airline preference, departure times, and dates.
Kayak is also a great app for finding car rentals and hotels.
SkyScanner
If you’re not sure where exactly you want your next trip to be, SkyScanner is the perfect app for you.
Input your budget and travel dates and the app will generate destinations that fit your needs.
SkyScanner will send you a notification when prices on a destination you’ve been eyeing have dropped.
Hipmunk
If you’re a travel procrastinator, Hipmunk will help you find an ideal destination based on categories like: “romantic getaway”, “amazing sightseeing” or “best nightlife”.
Hipmunk allows you to find the best flight for your schedule and you can even use their map of hotels to plan around your activities.
In addition to helping you find the cheapest option, Hipmunk shows everything that is included with each booking option.
Airbnb
This app is popular amongst travelers that want to avoid staying in hotels while traveling.
You can use Airbnb to rent a private room, house, loft…etc. Basically, everyday people rent out their spaces to tourists or those looking for a staycation.
The app allows you to filter through photos, reviews and you can search for places with specific amenities like WiFi, air conditioning, parking or a washer/dryer.
Hound From SoundHound
If you’re more of a verbal communicator, you can use this voice assistant app to find hotel accommodations, call an Uber or check your flight status.
Hound can be used in place of a travel agent to make your travel plans a bit easier.
Organizing Your Travel Plans
Google Trips
Once you download this app, it will start pulling your booking confirmation emails and add them to your itinerary.
There is a “day plans” section which suggests attractions based on your interests and generates an itinerary for you.
The “getting around” feature gives tips on how to get to your destination from the airport.
Google Trips also has a “need to know” feature which provides information like nearby hospitals, where to find WiFi, shopping areas and tipping customs in that area.
TripIt
After booking your flight and accommodations, use TripIt to organize everything else.
Forward your confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com and they will create a full itinerary and a map with all of your plans.
You can also access this itinerary outside of a WiFi area for 24-hour access while traveling.
App In The Air
This app has been on Apple’s “Best App” list and with good reason.
The app houses your boarding passes, itineraries, frequent flier programs as well as tracking boarding and arrival times.
App In The Air uses augmented reality to tell you whether or not your carry-on luggage fits the sizing requirements.
You can also keep track of all the destinations you’ve ever visited by using their worldwide leaderboard.
Trabee Pocket
If you’re one to stay on top of your spending, Trabee Pocket will make it a lot easier.
The app allows you to track all of your expenses as well as seeing how much you’ve spent and have available.
There is also an exchange rate calculator, allowing you to convert prices quickly.
MiFlight
Need to know if its a busy day at the airport before you get there? MiFlight is the app for you. MiFlight is a crowdsourced travel app where users can access the wait times at airport security checkpoints. Use this app to help you map out what time you should head to the airport to make it to your gate on time.
While On Vacation
Rome2Rio
Use this app by entering a location, address, landmark or city and it will give you a list of things to do nearby.
The app also shows you how to get to the attractions.
TripAdvisor
There are over 700 million reviews of over 8 million destinations on this app.
You can use it to make dinner reservations, find museums based on your interests and even write your own reviews of places you’ve been.
Yelp
This app serves as both a business directory and forum where people can leave reviews on places they’ve visited.
You can use Yelp to find awesome restaurants, events, and attractions by city/location.
Yelp is available in over 30 countries.
Google Translate
Are you in a foreign country and having trouble with the language? Download Google Translate. This app instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.