Take your travel planning to the next level with these apps.
You may have heard that the best way to plan a trip is to use a combination of both traditional methods and newer technology. But what are those new tools? And how can they help you?
If you’re looking for some answers, this article is for you. We’ll discuss how apps can help you make sure every detail of your trip goes off without a hitch—and even save money in the process!
Best Apps For Travel Planning
Planning the perfect trip can be almost overwhelming enough to take the fun out of what should be an exciting experience. Thankfully, there are many travel planning apps available to help you organize your next getaway, right down to the smallest detail. Here are 10 of the best.
01
of 10
Best for Activity Suggestions: Guides by Lonely Planet
Guides by Lonely Planet
What We Like
Many ways to search information for each location.
What We Don’t Like
Access is limited without a subscription.
When you have a trip coming up, download the guide for your destination and get a wealth of information about where to go and what to do. Start with the Must See section to find out the top spots. Then check out Tickets & Tours for special experiences and skip-the-line convenience. A Tools section provides transportation advice, need-to-know details, and key phrases to help you get around.
If you’re looking for something specific (such as parks, gardens, or markets), scroll down to Curated Collections. If you still don’t find what you want, search for coffee houses, museums, and more.
Download for Android
Download for iOS
02
of 10
Best for Predicting Lowest Flight and Hotel Prices: Hopper
hopper travel planning app
What We Like
The Watch feature sends push notifications about good deals when it’s time to commit.
What We Don’t Like
Some fairly large airlines aren’t included in Hopper’s analysis.
Hopper’s proprietary algorithm tries to predict where flight and lodging prices are headed in the near future, letting you wait until the right moment to spring into action and book your trip at the lowest price. The app analyzes billions of prices per day and claims to predict what the cheapest one will be with a 95% accuracy rate.
Download for Android
Download for iOS
03
of 10
Best Overall Trip Planner: Kayak
kayak travel planning app
What We Like
The Explore feature helps you decide on a destination, suggesting getaways all over the globe based on your maximum budget.
What We Don’t Like
Doesn’t always show all available flights on a specific route, potentially causing you to miss out on the best deal.
One of the top all-in-one apps for setting up a trip, Kayak searches hundreds of travel sites instantly to provide multiple deals on a flight, hotel, or rental car in the same location. Kayak also organizes everything in one place and includes up-to-date details on security wait times, along with airport terminal maps.
The app also measures your luggage using your phone’s camera, informing you of potential fees and carry-on rules for most airlines.
Download for Android
Download for iOS
04
of 10
Best for Helping You Remember the Essentials: Packing Pro
packing pro travel planning app
What We Like
An impressive group of sample packing lists provides a good starting point if you don’t want to make your own.
What We Don’t Like
In-app purchases are inappropriate for an app you purchased.
Packing Pro is well worth the $2.99 price if stuffing your suitcases isn’t your favorite pre-trip activity. The app creates customizable packing lists that take into account important factors like the trip duration, destination, expected weather conditions, food preferences, and more. Packing Pro’s robust item catalog ensures that even the most unique dietary or religious restrictions are satisfied.
Download for iOS
05
of 10
Best for Car or RV Trips: Roadtrippers
roadtrippers travel planning app
What We Like
The hidden gems that can be discovered with this app.
What We Don’t Like
GPS coordination isn’t as good as it is in apps like Waze.
If dealing with long lines at the airport isn’t your idea of fun, then Roadtrippers may be the app for you. Whether you’re hitting the highway or off-roading it, enter your starting and destination points and let Roadtrippers provide the information you need on everything in between.
From campsites and outdoor attractions to unique adventures that are off the beaten path, this app is the perfect companion for planning an excursion no matter if your mode of transportation is a small-sized rental car or a giant RV.
An optional yearly subscription unlocks advanced features, including live traffic monitoring and different map styles.
Download for Android
Download for iOS
06
of 10
Best for Finding Bargain Flights: Skiplagged
skiplagged travel planning app
What We Like
Frequent travelers can save a significant amount of money.
What We Don’t Like
Airline baggage fee policies can be murky, so read the fine print before booking.
By showing fares to connecting cities that are sometimes cheaper than a direct flight to that city, Skiplagged lets you book flights where you simply stay at the layover location (your destination) rather than continuing with the connecting flight. When it works, you spend less to end up in your desired destination. Skiplagged also lets you book last-minute hotel deals.
Download for Android
Download for iOS
07
of 10
Best for Avoiding Hidden Fees: Skyscanner
skyscanner travel planning app
What We Like
Offers protection to ensure car rental providers don’t overcharge for fuel.
What We Don’t Like
In rare instances, flight prices shown in the app are outdated.
Skyscanner should be included when you’re looking at some of the bigger all-in-one planning and booking apps. Offering reliable price alerts, integrated frequent flyer miles, and no additional or hidden fees like you might find elsewhere, Skyscanner usually follows through on its promises and is easy to navigate.
Download for Android
Download for iOS
08
of 10
Best Itinerary Planner: Sygic Travel
sygic travel planning app
What We Like
If you don’t want a planned itinerary, Sygic is useful for finding nearby attractions on-the-fly.
What We Don’t Like
Access to Sygic’s offline maps requires a paid upgrade to the Premium version.
Sygic Travel lets you plan a detailed itinerary for each day of your trip before you leave home, down to the last detail, like walking distances between attractions.
With over 50 million places included, many with 360-degree videos that make you feel like you’re there, the app’s smart search filters help you narrow things down to the perfect daily schedule. Collaborative city guides provide an easy-to-use snapshot of the most popular locales around the globe.
Download for Android
Download for iOS
09
of 10
Best for Customer Reviews: TripAdvisor
tripadvisor travel planning app
What We Like
The forums are a great resource for getting specific travel-related questions answered quickly.
What We Don’t Like
Default rankings don’t always correlate with customer reviews, so you often need to take a deeper dive to discover the best value.
A stalwart in the travel industry, TripAdvisor isn’t unique in providing a one-stop-shop for booking good deals on flights, hotels, and restaurants for your upcoming trip, though it does a dependable job of each. Where the app sets itself apart is with its customer feedback on airlines, lodging, food, and activities. By offering over 500 million opinions from real travelers who’ve been there and done that, TripAdvisor helps you make informed planning decisions based on others’ past experiences.
Download for Android
Download for iOS
10
of 10
Best for Organizing Confirmations and Reservations: TripIt
tripit travel planning app
What We Like
Send information manually, forward confirmation emails, or have the app automatically fetch itineraries from your inbox.
What We Don’t Like
The default notification setting is for an annoying number of alerts.
When you plan a trip, it’s not uncommon to receive multiple confirmation emails and itineraries from airlines, hotels, rental car companies, or other sources. Keeping all these details organized can be a hassle.
TripIt solves this problem by taking all your scattered information and organizing it into an easy-to-use main itinerary. This basic functionality is available free of charge, while an annual subscription provides the ability to upgrade your seat on upcoming flights and track reward miles, among other perks.
best road trip planning app
Smartphones have revolutionized the way we travel in countless ways. Paper maps and GPS navigation systems have been replaced by our iPhones and Androids, making road trips infinitely easier. Whether you need a road trip planner to map out your next journey or an app to find a way around a traffic jam, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ve rounded up the 10 best road trip apps for your adventure.
Related: More travel tips
- Roadtrippers
Roadtrippers is one of the best (and most popular) road trip planner apps out there. You can plan your journey (adding up to 150 stops with a premium account), collaborate with friends or family, and discover great places to stop along your route, like national parks, roadside attractions, hotels, and more. The app is free, but to enjoy all the bells and whistles, you’ll want to upgrade to Roadtrippers Plus for $29.99 a year. Available on iOS and Android. - Google Maps
Everyone needs a trusty navigation app on their phone, and Google Maps is a favorite for good reason. Map your way to your destination, and find out how long it will take with real-time updates and traffic conditions. Plus, find nearby stores, restaurants, hotels, and more with this easy-to-use app. Available on iOS and Android. - Waze
With real-time updates that help you avoid traffic jams, construction, and more, Waze will have you navigating new cities like a local. No one wants to spend hours sitting in traffic instead of exploring, so Waze collects data from other drivers to streamline your experience while helping you get to where you want to go. Available on iOS and Android. - GasBuddy
Paying for gas can eat up a lot of your road trip budget, but GasBuddy is here to save you a few bucks. The app helps drivers find the cheapest gas stations, so you never pay more than you have to when filling up your tank. You can also help other drivers by entering gas prices as you travel, or use the app to find the closest gas station and nearby parking. Available on iOS and Android. - Roadside America
The offbeat and kitschy roadside attractions you can find throughout the United States are one of the most delightful parts of taking a road trip. The Roadside America app will help you find unique places worth stopping at along your route, like “world’s largest” sights and other oddities. The app costs $2.99 with extra in-app purchases, and it’s only available on iOS.
Related: The 23 Best Travel Apps Every Traveler Should Know About
- iExit Interstate Exit Guide
Knowing where to stop can be tricky, but this app takes the guesswork out of finding places to eat, get gas, and go to the restroom. Simply find the exits near you and see what they have to offer. Available on iOS and Android. - HotelTonight
Even if you’ve planned out all your stops, some nights, you might just need a place to crash. HotelTonight is here for those moments, with day-of deals on hotels near you. The user-friendly interface means you can book a discounted room in minutes, so you never have to stress about finding a place to stay. Available on iOS and Android. - Airbnb
Book vacation homes and experiences around the United States (and across the globe) with the Airbnb app. This app is great for finding a place to stay, whether you’re booking a rental home weeks in advance or looking for a last-minute place to sleep. Available on iOS or Android. - The Dyrt
If camping out under the stars is more your speed, you’ll want to download The Dyrt, a free app that helps you find tent, RV, and cabin sites across the United States. Plus, other campers post reviews and photos of the sites, so you can always choose the best place to stay for the night. Available on iOS or Android. - Spotify
What is a road trip without a perfect road trip playlist? Tune into your favorite music, queue up curated playlists, and listen to podcasts (like Travel + Leisure’s latest podcast) as you cruise with the Spotify app. Get Spotify Premium for $9.99 a month, so you can listen to music without ads and download playlists for offline listening. Available on iPhone and Android.
Conclusion
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