5 Essential Travel Apps

Whether for business or pleasure, international travelling is an inevitable (and enjoyable) part of many of our lives in the 21^st century. However we all know that it is not without its hassles – packing, jet-lag, learning local languages and finding your way around unfamiliar places can sometimes prove exhausting.

Luckily, there are hundreds of apps out their specifically designed to smooth the intercontinental bumps in the road and take some the hassle out of travelling. We’ve rounded up five of our favourites for you to try out on your next trip.

Hopper

The high cost of flying is often one of the first obstacles to a smooth and relaxing getaway.

Manually monitoring and comparing flights online can also be a confusing process, while hidden fees can be an unwelcome surprise on price comparison websites. However with Hopper, you simply type in your destination and preferred dates, and let the app do the rest. It will scan almost every airline to find the current rates, and will even suggest travel adjustments, accommodation, and monitor and predict price fluctuations. When the price is about to change, it will send you a travel notification, helping you to get the best deal possible.

TripLingo 

When you’re in a foreign country, communication can often be one of the biggest barriers between you and the locals. The TripLingo app helps to dismantle these barriers, making conversations easier with thousands of phrases from 42 languages, a currency calculator, and even an instant voice translator feature.

Foursquare

Foursquare is your one-stop shop for finding everything, from photos and reviews of venues and attractions around the world to curated and themed lists for different destinations (as well as the ability to create your own). As it is also a social app, you can ‘check in’ to share your location with friends or meet new ones!

Rome2rio

Rome2rio will find you the best route and most convenient transport to anywhere, without you ever having to unfold a map. No matter how far you’re travelling, you simply need to type in where you are and where you want to go, and the app will consider all modes of transportation in configuring the different stages of your journey – from plane, train or ferry to bike share and walking directions.

TripIt

Never underestimate the power of an app that can take all your boring travel admin and organise it for you. TripIt takes everything – from the confirmation emails for flights, hotels, rental cars, accommodation and more to any other pieces of information about your trip – and organises it into an easily accessible digital itinerary within the app. For a £38 annual fee, you can upgrade to TripIt Pro, which includes flight status monitoring, frequent flyer points tracking and checking for any potential refunds on your travel.