10 Unusual Travel Apps That Will Make Your Trip Better
From next-generation flight-checking technology to downloadable scholarly tours, these are apps you may not have seen yet.
Now you can unlock scooters in cities around the world, listen to Oxford University–trained professors lecture on historic sites, and be told exactly what to pack for your vacation. Meet the next-level travel apps, all of which have been vetted—and given very high marks—by top travel experts and bona fide road warriors.
AppyGuide
Instead of spending hundreds of dollars, not to mention many hours, on tours, download AppyGuide, an audio-guide travel app that provides engaging information about art, history, and culture from some of the world's leading experts. The startup has already signed superstars such as BBC presenter and art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon and Leonardo da Vinci expert Martin Kemp. The app is free to download, with over $100 in credit for first-time users, but for now only has Florence content—more European cities are coming. "The goal is to change how people travel and experience art," says AppyGuide founder Anastasija Krasnova.
FlightRadar24
When the head of an airline recommends a flight-tracking app, it's probably worth downloading. "FlightRadar is currently the best flight-tracking app in part because they have installed their own network of ADS-B receivers, which will be the required standard for all aircraft as of January 1, 2020. This advanced network is more accurate than radar technology. I use it constantly to track our own aircraft as well as airline flights, which is essential for connections to our flights in the Caribbean," says David Zipkin, vice president of Tradewind Aviation.
Curb
While taxis may seem like a vestige of the past, that just might be because you're not using Curb, the Taxi App. Curb can connect you to New York, Boston, Miami, and Las Vegas, among many other U.S. cities. Extra bonus: no surge pricing. "This app is especially perfect for visitors to the NYC area. When you're traveling and not sure where you're going, it can be stressful to coordinate with an Uber versus jumping in a taxi and simply giving them the cross streets," says Jean-Charles Perino, co-founder of La Compagnie, the boutique business-class airline.
GoPro App
Took a million videos of cool things on your trip that you meant to share with your family and friends, but you just never got around to doing it? "The GoPro app is amazing for editing and sharing videos throughout your holiday instead of waiting until you get home," says Stephen Haskell, general manager for OneFineStay in the United States.
Strava
Andy Levine comes up with itineraries for DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co. as part of his job as CEO. His favorite tool to help him do this is Strava, which is not only a distance-tracking app but has a social-networking component. Plus, it gives users the ability to share your location in real time—always a good emergency feature to have when you're traveling. "Strava helps me keep track of where I've been, measure distance and elevation, then plan our trips around the best rides I've discovered," says Levine.
TripIt
When Yandisa Ngcuka, Wilderness Safari's sales manager for North America, is traveling, she often has to hit one city per day. She relies heavily on TripIt, which pulls together all your travel details from your email and organizes them in one place. It can remind you of upcoming reservations, gate changes, and delays. There's a free version of the app. TripIt Pro ($49 per year) gives real-time flight alerts, shows security wait times, updates people on your travel plans, and keeps track of rewards. Basically, the only thing it doesn't do is book your ticket and drive you to the airport.
Lime
On a recent trip to Paris, Stephen Haskell, of OneFineStay, loved using the Lime app to unlock e-scooters all over the city and take them for a spin. You can use the Lime app in many places in the U.S., including Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. Globally, they have a presence in Singapore, Brazil, Spain, Greece, and Italy, among others. Happy scooting.
PackPoint
Spending 30 years in the luggage industry and now having recently co-founded the completely customizable suitcase brand ROAM, CEO Larry Lein swears by PackPoint as your packing North Star. "The app curates a customized list of what you'll need to pack for your trip based on the destination, travel dates, length of stay, and the activities you're interested in doing while there." As PackPoint says, never forget anything again.
Marriott Bonvoy
Not all hotel apps are created equal. The favorite of Xavier Herit, Grand Marnier's National Brand Ambassador, is the Starwood Group's Bonvoy app because of its loyalty program, ability to search amenities like fitness rooms, and the wide selection of hotels—everything from Bulgari to the Ritz-Carlton to the Saint Regis falls under the Starwood brand. Not only you can check in on your mobile device, the app gives users a electronic key (you'll never have to go to the front desk for a replacement again), and you can order food from your phone so it will be ready and waiting when you return to the hotel.
Mindbody
Instead of doing multiple google searches for "best massage" or "best yoga class" when she goes somewhere new, Jennifer Hawkins, CEO of Hawkins International PR, which works with mega hospitality brands like Accor, uses the Mindbody app. With it she can find different spas, gyms, and services in the city she's visiting. The app also offers deals, the ability to sync with your Fitbit, and lots of reviews so you know exactly what you're getting. It's kind of like having a wellness concierge in your pocket.
Hannah Seligson is New York City-based writer who covers gender, culture, and social media trends whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Daily Beast, and Rolling Stone, among other publications.
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