Best travel apps to plan the perfect vacation

Summer holidays are upon us and it’s time to plan a holiday! But how do you plan the perfect trip without an expensive travel planner doing all the work for you? Thanks to this little device called the smartphone, you now have access to millions of free travel advisory apps that can do everything from planning your destinations, tickets, hotel bookings and even advising you on how to pack for your trip. So if you are in a DIY mood and want to plan your summer getaway yourself, let these apps do the job with you.

Start with Google
 
The Google search app is the best place to start, if you’re not convinced on the destination you want to visit. Google has just announced its ‘destinations’ feature, which is integrated with Google flights and hotel search. Search with Google on your mobile phone for the continent, country, or state you’d like to travel to and add the word ‘destinations’ in your search to see all available flight and hotel prices instantly. You can also get vacation ideas from Google by searching for a destination and something you’d like to do there, like “spain surfing,” “new zealand hiking,” or “colorado skiing.” Google will suggest spots that fit with your hobbies and interests. Sounds like the perfect start to your plans?

Head to Airbnb

Hotels can get extremely expensive during the holiday season and pricey hotels can really damper your travel plans. Check out the Airbnb app. Airbnb has locals from a particular city or area renting out their own houses/rooms for a reasonable cost. You can find great stay deals that suit your budget and correspond with renters through the app’s in-built messaging feature. Having personally used Airbnb successfully, I can recommend the service to all those who want a staycation in a budget.

Find Tripit

If you are planning your whole vacation yourself, you still need that one comprehensive itinerary to keep track of all your bookings. That’s where Tripit comes in. A lot like Google Now services, Tripit collects all travel data including flight info, cab bookings, hotel bookings and more from your emails and then compiles all this data into a comprehensive itinerary. You can then get all your bookings in a single glance on your smartphone.

Get together on MyPoolin


Travelling with friends and want to pool in and book your tickets/hotels? You and your friends can create a money pool on the MyPoolin app and everyone can pay their own share. The collected amount remains safe and secure for the group. MyPoolin has partnered with the likes of Makemytrip, and allows users to spend the collected amount anyway they like. Users can get a cash code and use it on MyPoolin partner websites, get a prepaid MasterCard delivered to their doorstep or get the cash transferred to their bank accounts. Time to start collecting that money?

Fly with App in the Air

When travelling on a holiday, you often have to take multiple flights. Keeping track of these flights can be extremely annoying. Well, not anymore. App in the Air has an extensive database of airlines and provides real time flight status reports even when you are offline. Moreover, App in the Air also guides you with check-in, boarding, takeoff and landing information of most flights. 

Speak using iHandy Translate

iHandy’s Translate app is one of the best translation apps I have used. Travellers often find themselves lost in translation and that’s when a translation app can be quite handy. Users can simply input what they want to say in their own language and the translate app will change it into the language of your choice. The app can also speak out the translated text, helping you communicate with strangers on the roads, give directions to a cabbie or maybe even show off a little.

Convert using XE Currency

When travelling abroad, most of us lose track of our expenses because of conversion rates. So to keep a constant check on your wallet and how much money you are spending, download the XE Currency app. XE Currency lists almost all world currencies and uses live currency rates to give you accurate results.

Get some rest with LoungeBuddy

Ever felt like sleeping between flights? Wanted to take a shower before getting on a long duration flight? LoungeBuddy is your answer to getting that much needed break at the airport. Most international airports have dedicated sleep & shower lounges for passengers and the LoungeBuddy app helps you find them with a simple search using the airport’s name.

Start packing with PackPoint travel packing list

Packing for a long trip can be confusing and you may miss out on some vital things you need on your vacation. Enter PackPoint. The app is easy to use. All you have to do is enter your destination and period of stay and the app guides you through a list of activities that you may want to take up at your destination. Keeping your choices in mind, the PackPoint app suggests what you should pack and what you can afford to leave out. The app also checks the weather forecast of your travel city and recommends appropriate clothing and accessories needed for the duration of your stay.