MY TOP TEN MUST-HAVE TRAVEL APPS EVERY TRAVELER SHOULD DOWNLOAD

​As a travel advisor I help my clients with trip planning, hotel and cruise bookings, flight itineraries and car rentals, as well as curate a personalized travel experience.  These apps are great accessories and source of inspiration, as well as extremely useful.  These are my favorites to help navigate your trip, pack a perfect suitcase, based on your destination, make currency conversions, and translate the local language.

1. TripIt organizes your travel plans in one place.  Once you book a flight, hotel, car, or other reservation, simply forward it and it is instantly added to your reservation.  You can also share your trip plans with anyone who is picking you up from the airport or train station, or anyone else you need to coordinate with.  You can download it for free on iOS and Android.  TripIt Pro is a subscription for $49 per year, and gives you a heads up as things happen, and helps you navigate any surprises along the way. 
   

• SmartTraveler is a free app that connects travelers to the US State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which offers tips and information for US travelers, and lets you register a trip with the nearest international embassy or consulate. If there is a disaster or emergency, the consulate can contact you and also give safety alerts.  

1. PackPoint is a smart packing list app. You select destination, reason for trip (business or leisure), gender, length of stay and other key filters like baby, international, work, beach, laundry capabilities and more. Then a custom packing list is created. It will organize what you need to pack based on length of travel, weather at your destination and any activities planned during your trip.  Download on iOS or Android

1. LoungeBuddy offers travelers access to premium airport lounges around the world, regardless of the airline or class you’re flying. With the LoungeBuddy app, you can find lounges in airports that let anyone in for a fee. LoungeBuddy tells you not only the fee, but also what you can expect inside, from the food and drink to whether there are showers. You can purchase access on the day you’re traveling or up to two months in advance. If you prefer to search by lounge or lounge program, the app will tell you exactly what is needed to use them.  Get LoungeBuddy for iPhone here: iOS

 

1. Dayuse is a great app that can get you into a hotel room for a few hours if you find yourself with a long layover.  It’s a nice way to be able to relax, freshen up, and not get stuck waiting at an airport terminal.  The discounts offered can be up to 75% off what a typical overnight rate would be.  With over 5000 hotels in 23 countries, you can make free cancellations up to the last minute.  Download on iOS or Android

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1. Metric Conversions app helps take the confusion out of weight in kilos or temperatures in Celsius.  If you need to know how much your suitcase weighs at a European airport, the temperature on your travels in China, or how much flour to use when cooking at your private villa or AirBnB, this app has you covered. Easy conversions are available for weight, volume, temperature, area and more.  Free download at iOS or Android

 

1. XE Currency Converter app provides live, up-to-the-minute exchange rates. It easily allows you to choose different currencies you want to convert.  It also offers a rate alert.  It can be used offline.  Be sure to update your rates before you leave so that you can perform exchange rate calculcations on the fly or where there is no WiFi connection.  Download for free at iOS or Android

 

1. Google Translate is a favorite for any traveler.  Translate 103 languages by typing, and 60 languages offline.  Camera translation is also offered.  Handwriting, where you draw or print characters is offered in 93 languages.  With ease of use, Google Translate is a great app to have.  It offers icons that you click on to take a picture, speak, type or draw.  Free download at iOS or Android         

 

1. Google Maps lets you navigate your world faster and easier. Google Maps not only makes it easy to discover places near you, but their navigation function is top notch.  It maps out walking, driving, and public transportation routes, along with fairly accurate time estimates, and also takes into account any traffic or transportation delays.  The voice command option will direct you to your destination hands-free if you’re driving.

 
Be sure to download maps of your destination in advance so you can navigate even without a WiFi connection. Google Maps is pretty data-heavy otherwise. Free download iOS or Android

1.  Rebtel is the only international calling app with high-quality calls that don’t require internet.  No calling card, no WiFi, no mobile phone needed.  This app connects to local phone lines to provide cheap calls in over 50 countries around the world.  Download at iOS or Android