Best Apps to Download Before You Travel

There are numerous apps available to enhance your travel experience, from planning and booking to navigation and organization. Here are some of the best apps to download before you travel.

Google Maps:

Google Maps is an essential tool for navigation, offering detailed maps, real-time traffic updates, public transportation information, and turn-by-turn directions. You can also explore nearby restaurants, attractions, and points of interest. It’s our favorite traveling app by far, especially with it’s street view feature.

Airline/Hotel Rewards Apps: 

This makes traveling changes easier. For the airline rewards apps, along with giving you up-to-date information on your flight, many allow you access to watch movies, listen to music, and connect to the internet while in flight. Like the airline app, hotel apps are allow for easier changes and updates to your accommodations. Plus many allow you to check in and out virtually.

Uber/Lyft:

Uber and Lyft provide convenient and reliable ridesharing services in cities around the world, allowing you to request a ride with the tap of a button. You can track your driver, pay securely through the app, and rate your experience afterward. Also, it tends to much cheaper than calling a cab or other car transportation services.

XE Currency Converter:

XE Currency Converter provides real-time exchange rates and currency conversions for over 180 currencies worldwide. It’s useful for budgeting, shopping, and understanding local prices while traveling internationally.

Yelp:

Yelp provides reviews and ratings for restaurants, bars, cafes, and other businesses in cities worldwide from real customers. It’s a helpful tool for discovering local dining options, nightlife spots, and hidden gems recommended by locals and fellow travelers, especially if it’s your first time in that location.

OpenTable:

OpenTable allows you to make restaurant reservations and discover dining options based on cuisine, location, and availability. You can read reviews, view menus, and book tables at thousands of restaurants in cities across the globe.

Citymapper:

Citymapper offers real-time public transportation information and route planning for cities around the world. You can find the fastest and most efficient ways to navigate cities using buses, trains, subways, and other modes of transportation.

Google Translate:

Google Translate helps you translate text, speech, and images into different languages. You can use it to communicate with locals, read signs and menus, and navigate unfamiliar surroundings more easily, especially when traveling internationally.

Streaming Apps:

With streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime to name a few, you can stream a vast library of movies, TV shows, and documentaries directly to your smartphone or tablet. Download your favorite content before your trip to watch offline during flights, layovers, or relaxing evenings at your accommodation.

Find My iPhone (iOS) / Find My Device (Android):

These apps allow you to locate your smartphone or tablet on a map, play a sound to help you find it if it’s nearby, remotely lock or erase if needed. Also, for iPhone uses, you can add AirTags, which you can attach to your purse or luggage to track its location at all times. It’s a valuable tool for safeguarding your device, items, and data while traveling.

Here are some of the best apps to download before you travel. These apps can help streamline your travel planning, enhance your on-the-go experience, and make your trips more enjoyable and memorable.

Looking to travel soon? Make sure to check out our tips on how to plan your perfect trip on a strict budget.