Travel Apps for Your Next Vacation

Jun/21/2010 06:30 AM Filed in: CommunityResource Guide
Travel Apps
Have Phone, Will Travel: Travel Apps for Your Next Vacation

The final article is our summer vacation series. Travel applications for your smartphone can help you get the most out of your next vacation or trip.

We can't live without our cell phones and now, whether you travel a little or a lot, there's a travel application for your smartphone that you'll find you can't live without either.

Need to book a hotel room on the road? There's an app for that. Wondering what the current exchange rate is for the Yen? There's an app for that, too. Trying to find a taxi? You're covered. And many of the travel apps out there can help make your vacation more affordable by finding the best deals and providing cost information upfront.

Here are some of the best travel apps out there to help you pack, organize, travel, stay, learn, eat, track and share your next trip. And since not all travel apps are created equal, prices and phone platforms are noted (as of June 2010).

Planes, trains and automobiles
Need to book a flight, find local transportation or view a train route? These travel apps can help.

Kayak.
Search for flights, rental cars and hotels and get information on your flight status, price and trends. Cost: Free. Available for: BlackBerry, iPhone, Android platforms.

Gate Maps.
Need to find out where gate C4 is at O’Hare? This app offers maps of major airports in the U.S. along with a few from other countries. Great for when you have just a few minutes to catch your connection. Cost: 99 cents. Available for: iPhone.

Airline Seat Guide.
See seating guides for aircraft from most major airlines to select the best seat on a flight. Seats are rated by color: green is good, yellow is average and red you’ll want to avoid. Cost: $1.99. Available for: iPhone.

Transport Maps.
Provides worldwide maps of public transit systems. Whether you need a bus, train or light rail to get where you’re going, you can download the map you need to save to your phone. This travel app lacks route planning, however. Cost: Free.
Available for: Android.

Google Maps.
Shows where you are and how to get where you’re going by driving, walking or public transit. Cost: Free. Available for: Any smartphone platform.

Taxi Magic.
Pull up a list of available cab companies in your area and, in some instances, make a reservation through your phone. Cost: Free. Available for: BlackBerry, iPhone, Android.

Read More About: Travel Apps for Your Next Vacation

Related Articles: