For those bitten by the travel bug, 2020 is one of the saddest years ever. Almost half the year has been spent in lockdown, and it seems like the other half might go that way too. But, you have nothing to get disheartened, as hopefully, by next year, you will be able to pursue your favorite hobby once again.
Before you do that, do you have all the apps you need to make sure that your vacation goes smooth and hassle-free? The Smartphone is like the travel agent of our times. It can get everything sorted for your trip: accommodations, flight bookings, restaurant reservations, and more.
What are the travel apps that you need to have on your iPhone or Android for 2021? Let’s find out!
Download Hopper if you are looking for the lowest prices for flight tickets. One of the best things about Hopper is that it tells you to buy the tickets to get the best deals through push notifications. The user interface is pretty simple, and it should take you nothing more than a minute or so to book your flight.
It is available for both Android and iOS, and its ability to track billions of flights makes it a great app to have on your phone. Moreover, you can set a watch over your preferred hotel to get the best deals on your stay too.
Right from rental cars, hotels, to flights, Skyscanner has pretty much got most of your travel needs covered. The app relies on its travel partners to search for the best and the cheapest options in all categories.
You can take a look at the cheapest dates to book a flight and set alerts for price changes. If you haven’t made up your mind about the travel destination, go to the ‘Top Deals’ section to get a list of top destinations with affordable flight prices. All the details of your travel are duly saved in the app for future references.
Airbnb is one of the best mates of a traveler as far as finding a suitable accommodation is concerned. The app offers you places to stay at way cheaper rates than hotels. Moreover, Airbnb accommodations are known for offering an authentic experience because, in most cases, you’ll be staying with local people at their home or hostel.
Another special feature of the app is called Trips, where you get to choose the experiences you want to have during the stay. These will be curated events that you can enjoy with local guides.
So, did the Airbnb plans fall through? Did the flight get way too delayed at the layover? Hotel Tonight is the app you can rely on when you are looking for a place to stay at the last minute unless you’re planning to sleep on a universal roof rack.
The company has partnerships with hotels whereby it gets to provide you discounts on the empty rooms at the destination you’re at. You can book a room in under half a minute on the app. And, if something goes wrong, call their highly-efficient 24/7 customer service, and they’ll help you out.
Till now, you get to know the apps that help you book flights and accommodations. Now, let’s discuss the best app to help you get around the place: Google Maps. It gives you accurate directions for traveling on public transport, car, or foot. It even offers local public transportation options in most countries, soit’s quite reliable that way.
You can also download the maps that you might need later for offline viewing. Make sure to use it when you are trying to find tourist spots like museums or churches nearby. It even gives you all the details you need about the restaurants near you.
You will need to have a currency converter app on your phone for all those times when you visit foreign countries, and XE Currency does the job brilliantly. It is one of the most robust apps for currency conversion that you can get for both Android and iOS. The company constantly updates the app to make sure you get the latest data.
It provides live exchange rates for every precious metal and world currency. What’s even better is that it lets you store the recent rates so you can take a look at them offline.
If you have the next big American holiday all planned and ready to go, then Mobile Passport is one of the apps you’ll need. The app is authorized by the United States Customs and Border Protection. It allows you to skip the regular lines for entering the country.
You need to download the app and insert your passport details. A quick scan of your passport using the phone camera can get the job done for you. Twenty-four airports in the U.S. accept the Mobile Passport, so check beforehand to make sure your destination is on the list.
TripAdvisor is a comprehensive app that covers everything related to a trip, such as airlines, car rentals, hotels, restaurants, bars, and more. You not only get to book all of these things for your travel but also get the important information you need.
There are enough photos, videos, and reviews to make an informed decision about a restaurant, hotel, or other such services. The best thing about the app is that it covers almost every country in the world, making it the tour guide that every traveler needs.
Hopefully, these travel apps will be your perfect companion for all the places you explore in 2021 and onwards. These hand-picked travel apps will make it an absolute breeze to plan and execute your next trip, regardless of whether you’re an Android or Apple user. All that you need to do now is to download the apps and wait for the travel restrictions to be lifted.
