We recommend the latest apps to help ensure a smooth trip, from flight trackers to restaurant finders, so you can just relax.
Passport: check. Swimming costume: check. Sun lotion, mosquito spray, shampoo: check, check, check.
If you’ve left your holiday apps to the last minute though, worry not. The following travel apps can help save you time and money this summer. Don’t leave without them…
Pack
PackPoint: Tell the app where you’re going, for how long, in what weather and to do what, and it will create a packing list for you. You can even factor in mid-holiday washes, add extra items the app could not anticipate, save packing lists for future trips and share them with others.
Free, with in-app purchases
Plan
TripIt: Airline tickets, boarding passes, hotel confirmations, rental car reservations, activity bookings… Holidays come with a lot of paperwork. TripIt collates it all in one app. Just forward your booking confirmation emails to the app, and it automatically adds it to your on-screen itinerary. Upgrade to the paid-for Pro version and you’ll get interactive maps, flight status alerts and more.
Free for the economy version, £39 for TripIt Pro
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Purchase airport meals
Grab: Whether you’re hungry and running late, or simply loathe long queues at airport restaurants, Grab is the app for you. Download Grab and immediately see a menu of all the restaurants in your airport. Scroll through, pick a meal, pay and order on the app. Then just stroll over when it’s ready to collect as a takeaway. It currently works in selected airports across the UK, US, Scandinavia, the Middle East and Mexico.
Free
Luxuriate in a lounge
LoungeBuddy: If you’re looking to escape the airport crowds, this iOS app tells you which lounges you can access, either for free (based on your trip, airline seating class, and any frequent-flyer program status, memberships or credit cards) or for a one-off fee. It also shows you photos, ratings and lists of the services inside, so that you can weigh up their worth before parting with your cash.
Free
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Track your flight
Flightaware: Reputed to be more accurate than the airlines’ own updates, Flightaware lets you track the status of your flight from your phone. You can check for delays, see weather radar, and set up alerts to be notified of any changes. Brilliant both when you are flying, and when you are collecting friends and family from the airport.
Free, with in-app purchases
Tackle jet lag
Timeshifter: A game changer for frequent fliers, and recommended by retired astronauts, Timeshifter promises to eliminate (or at least reduce) the pain of jetlag. Based on your personal details (such as age, sex, sleeping patterns) as well as the latest sleep and circadian neuroscience, the app feeds you personal and practical recommendations for your trip. Expect tips on exactly when to seek out or avoid caffeine, bright lights and naps.
Free, with in-app purchases
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Get help in emergencies
TripWhistle: There are 196 countries in the world, with more than 70 different emergency numbers. This iOS app allows you to dial the emergency police, fire, and ambulance phone numbers anywhere in the world with a single touch – and without having to remember the number.
Free
Bag the best train and bus prices
Wanderu: There are plenty of flight comparison sites and apps out there, but it can be a sparser field once you’ve actually arrived at your destination. If you want to be sure you are getting competitive prices on internal travel, Wanderu can help. It sorts through deals for bus, coach and train journeys across North America and Europe, allowing you to find and book the best.
Free
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Convert currency quickly
Xe Currency and Money Transfers: Having up-to-the-minute currency conversion rates at your fingertips can help you avoid bad deals at the bureau de change. Xe also allows you to send money overseas and track it.
Free
Find a public toilet
Flush Toilet Finder: If you’ve forgotten the Spanish word for toilet while out sightseeing and you’re getting desperate, Flush could help provide blessed relief. This app has details on 200,000 public loos all around the world. Access directions to your nearest facilities immediately, as well as key details like accessibility and cleanliness. It’s the app you never knew you needed, but will never now be without.
Free
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