Essential Travel Apps to Help You Better Navigate Today's Global Landscape
One of the many things that COVID has taught us is that being aware, prepared, and strategic is critical no matter what direction we head in today.
These travel apps will help make the trek or trip for any road warrior or jet-setter much smoother. Be it a spontaneous adventure or a meticulously planned trip for you and your crew, take these apps with you.
MyTSA
TSA is most people's least favorite part of traveling. If you cross paths with a grumpy agent, they alone can cause you to miss your flight and question your existence. Consider this app a welcome opportunity to sync with your TSA friends.
For starters, the MyTSA app gives users a lot of essential information to know how best to pack and better assess their time management.
You can customize your profile by listing the airports you regularly fly in and out of, and you can find the airport closest to you, regardless of your departure.
This app will do everything for you as it has up-to-the-minute knowledge of the ever-changing and expansive TSA regulations.
They have a searchable list of anything you may want to bring in-flight with you. The app lets you know if it's allowed in carry-on bags, checked bags, or both. They also address limitations or special instructions that accompany the specified item.
One of the most valuable things was seeing the TSA wait time for any airport 24/7 and if the TSA Precheck lane is open.
They can even keep track of your known traveler number for precheck. Going through this process is stressful at the best of times. During a pandemic, it only ups the ante.
This app also has access to the latest TSA updates regarding COVID-19. Last, if you have concerns or questions, there's a page on the app where you can contact someone.
You may look at the TSA differently after using the app.
App In the Air
App in the Air is the perfect travel buddy for frequent flyers. Users can book flights through the app or add them to their itinerary after booking.
You can make a profile to track miles, hours, airlines, and countries you have flown to and when.
If you're meeting someone, you can share trips and know their flights. The app can put many crucial bits, like scanning your boarding pass, flight updates, baggage information, and any necessary travel documents. Any information you would need to fly is available all in one app.
Skyscanner
For the wanderer willing to travel anywhere for the right price, Skyscanner can help you plan your next trip. If you're flexible with the departure date but don't know where you want to go next, you can browse places and trip length options on the app and get cost-cutting deals.
It's perfect for someone with an appetite for adventure, ready to explore the world, and spontaneously head in any direction on a budget.
The app also keeps your flight details and can give you price alerts when they find deals that match your budget.
For Road Tripping -
The Dyrt
Are you looking for the perfect campground? The Dyrt is the Airbnb for RVs, vans, and campsites. You can find the campground of your choice anywhere in the U.S. by filtering through different site types, features, and price points.
You can also sort by ratings and reviews to see what your fellow glampers and happy campers have to say about their experience. These filters help figure out family-friendly sites. You can even get as detailed to see the air quality of the campground.
If you're making a road trip and looking for places to park an RV and stay along your route, you can build a road trip on the app to link to Google Maps.
You can also share your trip with your girlfriends if they want to take the journey and piggyback on your adventure; the more, the merrier!
Roadtrippers
Roadtrippers is the perfect app for someone new to planning road trips and doesn't know what's out there to explore. It's often tough to find quirky roadside attractions worth stopping at and seeing.
This app lets you create your own trip, or you could choose one from an abundance of guides and classic road trips to follow, depending on your interests. Like amusement parks, some are made for specific themes, clues to the mystery regarding Roanoke's lost colony, haunted drives, to sprawling views of canyons and beaches.
They also have suggestions for families, solo trips, adult-only trips, and road trips closest to you. Life is a highway, so hop in the car and ride it all night.
Flush
If you're the one friend on a road trip who has to use the bathroom every twenty minutes, this app is for you.
Flush tells you more than just where the bathrooms are but also can get you there with directions that go right into your Google Maps app, guiding you to the nearest bathroom, so the driver doesn't have to continually look to see what's off the next highway exit.
The app also gives users info about whether the bathroom has a required fee, a key, or disabled access and is incredibly user-friendly. Perfect for a long road trip with a short blatter.
For Lodging -
Hotel Tonight
The Hotel Tonight app will have your back for the person who travels on a whim or has hit a bump in the road getting to your destination.
The app lets you browse hotels nearby with excellent deals, so your last-minute plans don't cause you to pay top dollar for a one-night stay in a mediocre hotel. It's a real lifesaver when you're in a bind with a flight delay, cancellation, or a lack of commitment in your crew. If you travel enough, that's bound to happen.
Hotel Tonight relieves some of the stress of ever-changing plans.
Airbnb
Airbnb is the hub of unique stays almost anywhere you wander. Any stay you can imagine is available to you, but not now. Airbnb is beyond busy right now. So, if interested, book far in advance as of right now!
Filter through various places, from farms, tiny houses, and castles to chalets and cabins. If you're vacationing on a budget, there are many private rooms to rent out, so you don't break the bank on lodging.
If you're looking to have the entire place to yourself, there are plenty of options for that, too, and enjoy time alone with your crew, as Airbnb Luxe is the new kid on the block on this platform. They are trying to compete with VRBO and the ever-growing demand for homestays of late and on a luxury level.
This app is necessary if you want a change of scenery from your average hotel.
For Advanced Planning -
Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor is excellent if you're planning a trip and need ideas on what to do and see while there. It gives you access to popular sights, activities, and restaurants, and you can also plan trips and make itineraries for each day of your vacation, starting with booking a flight.
Need a place to stay? They have you covered there, too. You can browse through hotels and vacation rentals to stay for a romantic rendezvous or a girlfriend's getaway.
It's a versatile app for people who need planning and organization locked down in advance. It’s also an excellent place to brainstorm. Then you cna hop off and take your booking elsewhere with a trusted travel advisor, like Women’s Adventure Travels.
For Transport -
Uber
If you’re traveling and don’t want to rent a car, drive in a new city, or rely on taxis, Uber is a reliable app to get around. Users can order a car anywhere, and they will match you with a screened driver. Others can follow your ride for an even safer experience.
The app also allows you to pay for the ride virtually with your credit card without any extra steps. You can also split the fare easily between any friends carpooling with you.
You can select many types of rides depending on what you’re looking for and what city you’re in; some may be offered only in select places.
Uber WAV is for people who need wheelchair-accessible rides; Uber XL is for more oversized vehicles or a larger group, and even Uber Pool is similar to rideshare. If you aren’t an English speaker, they also have options for Spanish-speaking drivers.
Bear in mind there are fewer drivers on the road right now, so wait times are far longer than you last remember, so call far in advance.
Car prices and gas are also rising, so expect to pay more than before.
For Practical Purposes -
XeCurrency
When traveling abroad, the XeCurrency app is a necessity for your phone. It can be challenging to navigate the exchange rates, and this app makes it easy to compare.
With jetlag and vacation head, it’s easy to get confused and make costly mistakes. So, use it or lose it! It’s so easy ot get confused.
This app also lets you send money abroad quickly, which is great for emergencies.
It’s a safe and accessible place to keep money while traveling, and I need it available and handy. No one wants to spend a crazy amount of cash calling their bank to reassure them that you are spending money abroad; it is you and not a fraud.
Duolingo
For someone who wants to learn a new language, whether using it in travels or not, Duolingo can be convenient. Duolingo is a language-learning app.
They have a wide range of languages to select to learn, and you can choose the pace you want to learn at depending on how much time a day you're willing to put in. The times only range from five to twenty minutes per day.
It sections activities based on topics you want to learn; examples include intro (general), travel, phrases, restaurant, etc.
They give you speaking and typing exercises to practice with, making real-world implementation easier, either in a classroom or traveling. Users can learn everything from vocabulary, conjugations, and helpful phrases.
Hello, goodbye, please, and thank you. You go a long way when talking to locals. At least learn these phrases or point ot them on the app.
Citymapper
Citymapper makes navigating a city much more manageable, especially for those who get turned around quickly.
This app allows its users access to any information on any mode of transportation out there. You can also get a map of bus and train routes and personal maps to and from your destinations of interest. The app goes so far into detail it will tell you not only how long it will take but also how many calories you’d burn walking or biking from one place to another.
It is definitely for someone visiting or living in a larger city with hard-to-understand routes for transportation; Citymapper can make it much easier and way less likely to waste precious relaxing time getting lost.
Detour
If you want to go on tours independently without a big tour group during the COVID era, this is perfect for a more personal experience. The Detour app has terms created for users depending on their location and what’s close to them.
It’s great to be directed through numerous tours given by the narrator at any given moment while somewhere new. It’s also insightful about the less touristy places and offers first-hand and local experiences.
Users can choose to explore independently or alongside their adventure buddies, learning and trekking at whatever pace works best for them. Pop in your earbuds and explore.
For Any Savvy Travelers -
Travel Apps are essential for the new and or savvy traveler.
Also, working with a Travel Company like Women’s Adventure Travels for tours or individual, customized travel can take much of the stress and guesswork out of the travel equation.
Please send any of your travel questions, concerns, or inquiries regarding private or group travel to - womensadventuretravels@gmail.com
Written by Katie Hulce
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