Everyone has a smart phone these days (don’t you?), and when it comes to making travel easier, there’s plenty of apps for that! You don’t need to spend a fortune to have help at your fingertips with the fantastic travel apps we love:
GateGuru
This app is a flyer’s dream. When you know which gate you’ll be arriving at on a connecting flight, it shows you where you’ll be located within the airport and how to get to your next destination. It also shows you restaurants, stores and playgrounds for the kids. User ratings will help you decide which restaurants are hits (and which ones are not). The app also provides security line wait times so you can see if you need to get to the airport earlier or have a few minutes to spare. (Free)
TripIt
As frequent travelers, we adore TripIt’s ability to keep all our travel information in one place. Confirmation numbers, itineraries, calendars and more can be stored with this app, which uses your confirmation emails and self-entered data to create a master schedule. The app is free, but you can purchase an annual membership for an upgraded version that also shows available seats on flights, alternative flight options (should you get bumped), and delays and cancellations. (Free)
MyTSA
This is the Transportation Security Administration’s official app that can not only answer your questions about what you can and cannot bring through security (when in doubt, don’t!), but can tell you how long the security lines are at various airports. The wait times are mainly a result of fellow passengers reporting their time through the app, so when you get through security, be sure to share your time for others using the app. (Free)
Taxi Magic
Need a taxi, but don’t know who to call? The Taxi Magic app locates a taxi company based on where you are. Book the taxi, track its arrival and even charge the ride to your credit card. You can also get fare estimates and e-receipts (for a small fee). (Free)
Take Me to My Car
Is there anything worse than traveling for a week and forgetting where you parked your car upon returning to the airport? You’re tired, the kids are cranky, and you all just want to go home, so whip out the phone and use Take Me To My Car. Just tap the app and its GPS service will show you where you are in relation to your car. (Free)
FlightTrack Free
A fully redesigned and free app, FlightTrack Free provides real-time status updates for gates, delays and cancellations at 16,000 airports worldwide. Users can also view and zoom in on maps and share flight information via email, text message, Facebook or Twitter. (Free)
iCarPark
Whether in your own vehicle or a rental car, you can track meter time so you never have to return to a parking ticket. iCarPark will also tell you, after you’ve clicked on the app at the parking spot, where you parked when you’re searching for the car after a day of exploring. It even tells you what floor and section of a garage you’ve parked on through its notes system. If traveling with others, the app will log up to five cars. (.99)
Currency Converter
When traveling outside of the U.S., don’t fret trying to figure out how much that souvenir costs in dollars. Let the Currency Converter app give you the daily exchange rates for more than 180 countries. (Free)
MetrO
Those large maps at bus and subway stations can be a bear to read (not to mention it screams tourist when you stand before them for too long). Instead, try the MetrO app. Download maps for the cities you’ll be traveling to, and you won’t need to connect to the Internet to receive maps for more than 400 cities’ subways and bus systems. (Free)
ATM Hunter
Brought to you by Mastercard, ATM Hunter helps you find an ATM based on your bank and surcharges. It’s also able to find your location, so you’ll never have to enter an address. (Free)
iTranslate
Particularly perfect for international travelers, iTranslate is a top-notch translation tool that helps you speak another language in seconds. Twenty different languages are translated, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Japanese. (Free)
TripAdvisor Hotels Flights Restaurants
Travel aggregate sites that help you plan and book trips from your phone are available in a number of apps, but we’re biased and like our parent company’s TripAdvisor Hotels Flights and Restaurants App. Not only can you find flights, restaurants and hotels, but you can also read millions of reviews written by people like you. You can also write your own review, and the app provides maps and views. (Free)
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