When you’re overcome by wanderlust, your smartphone can be a dependable travel buddy, full of useful travel apps.
As summer approaches, lots of people are thinking about taking vacation, but not everyone has the luxury to plan theirs far in advance. Luckily, tech innovation can now help you book last minute or even on the fly. These travel apps are changing the game for spontaneous jetsetters, backpackers, and everybody in between.
A Plethora of Travel Apps
Most frequent flyers set up airfare alerts using Skyscanner, Google Flights, Kayak, and others. While there’s an abundance of apps that frequent travelers use on their trips, not many cater to flexible people that jet set on a whim. For the few that do, they go a step further by helping spontaneous backpackers plan their on-the-spot excursion in a jiffy. Here are a few recommended by techie travelers:
Hotel Tonight for Last-Minute Hotel Deals
Even if you’re boarding in an hour or two, you’ll need a bed to tuck into once you touch down on foreign soil. That’s where the Hotel Tonight app will come in handy. It shows last-minute, same-day hotel deals along with user ratings. You’ll quickly find an available accommodation that gets positive reviews from folks who have been there.
The app allows same-day bookings and it even permits you to book seven (or a 100) days in advance.
According to the app’s makers, hotels with unsold rooms are the ones sharing to them the great bargains highlighted on the app.
Similar Apps: One Night, HotelQuickly
The Best Flight Deals with Hopper
One of the toughest parts of being smitten by wanderlust is deciding when and where to go. If you’re raring to go somewhere pronto, perhaps the Hopper app can lend you a hand. On the mobile application, you can search for airfares to a specific destination for a predetermined time frame. Once you’ve chosen a trip, you can book it directly on the app or bookmark it by putting it on your “Watch” list.
The great thing about Hopper is its option Flexible option. If you’re someone fond of spontaneous, random excursions to anywhere, the app provides you viable flight suggestions.
Hipmunk and Affordable Travel Deals
If you’re not an A-list celebrity, you probably want to go see the world on a budget. In that case, hunt for bargain travel deals all in one place: Hipmunk. The cool thing about the app is that it studies itineraries and other pertinent data to fetch you affordable flights and accommodations.
Still seeking inspiration on where to go? Head over to the Discover tab, which will show you a variety of flight details based on categories like Europe, Beach, World’s Best Nightlife, etc. If you’ve found the perfect destination, see a ranked list of rooms available for same-day booking via Get a Room Tonight button on the destinations page.
Similar Apps: Last Minute
DuoLingo as a Conversation Starter
Getting lost in translation may be inevitable when you’re setting foot on foreign soil. If the locals aren’t familiar with your mother tongue and you’re at wit’s end trying to ask them for directions, learn their dialect instead. Try downloading DuoLingo to break the language barrier.
With the app, you get to know common phrases in Italian, French, Dutch, and 28 other languages.
DuoLingo’s bite-sized lessons could be all you need to win yourself new friends during your excursion.
Similar Apps: Google Translate, Memrise
Savvy Travel with XECurrency, Me
Converting your money to the local currency can be tricky, especially when you’re not monitoring current exchange rates. Have the XECurrency app ready so you can convert an amount to 180 different currencies anytime, anywhere. That way, you won’t get easily ripped off every time you have your money exchanged in another country.
Couchsurfing for Cultural Immersion
If sightseeing isn’t your only reason for taking the next flight out on a whim, the Couchsurfing app can be your companion. Not only will you get a chance to crash in somebody’s place for free, your host could be your next travel buddy. You get a roof over your head and meet new people in one fell swoop with this exciting mobile app.
When you’re adventurous but not that daring, you could try AirBnB Experiences on their app. With it, you can connect with a community of locals who can introduce you to activities and places you won’t typically find on most travel guides.
Similar Apps: TripAdvisor
If you’re the kind who likes to go traveling at a moment’s notice, you may still need a semblance of order. After all, it may be better (and safer) to find a last minute hotel bed than to spend the night at the airport. Download the apps we’ve mentioned to be fully prepared to travel with very little preparation.