Practical/Useful Travel Apps

Travel apps can make life on the road so much easier, but there are thousands of them on the market. Asking different people about which is the best is like asking what color is better. However, while everyone might have different answers to the same question, there are several apps that stand out in most surveys.

TripIt Pro (iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows 7)

TripIt Pro is a great organizational tool with a simple and friendly interface. It turns your confirmation emails into a clean and detailed itinerary. Whatever bookings you make (airfares, hotel, or car rentals) it will add them to your itinerary. It also gives you directions to destinations like airport and hotels, and maps it too.

One of the best features of TripIt Pro, that a basic version is lacking, is the ability to set an alert for the exact types of seat for the flight you want. If, for example, an isle seat on your flight is not available at the time of purchase, the app will send you an alert when it clears up. All in all, it’s a great program worth the price.

Price: $49 per year (or free for the holders of the Barclays Arrival card).

Travee (Android)

Travee is a great app that allows you to keep your own phone number while on the road. It appears to be in the Beta stage, but there are enough people raving about it that I included it in this list. It routes your incoming calls made over Wi-Fi or data connection away from your local number to the app on your phone, thus avoiding long-distance and roaming charges. Incoming calls are free.

Word Lense (iPhone, iPad)

We all saw the commercials. You look at a sign in a foreign city through your iPhone, and your phone translates it right before your eyes. The most awesome and amazing feature of Word Lense is that it’s offline—no internet connection is required. While the results are often not perfect and it might seem like an impractical toy, the idea and execution are so cool that I decided to include it in this exclusive list. Four languages are covered: French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Price: $4.99

Travel App Box (iPhone, iPad)

As the name suggests, Travel App Box is a collection of several very useful apps in one place that has some reviewers calling it the Swiss Knife of apps. Some features:
•Offline Street and Public Transport Map in 40 Cities Worldwide
•Convert Currencies, Clothing Sizes, and 100+ Units
•International Dialing Codes and Emergency Numbers
•Pictionary dictionary tool, helpful for language barriers

The app also has games, a tip calculator, flight status tracker, etc. You might be able to find better-featured similar apps separately, but not in one package.

Price: $1.99

Pin Pin ATM Finder (Win 7, 7.5, 8)

It felt right to include at least one native Windows app in this list. With Pin Pin ATM Finder, you can search for the nearest ATM in 220 countries, either by using GPS or manually inserting the nearby address. Great, simple app that can be a lifesaver in some situations.

Price: Free