Winter is almost over and with the promise of spring and new beginnings comes a renewed disposition to make plans for future travel adventures.
If you already have a few ideas about where you’d like to go next, you can start booking your trip. And, with the help of a few apps, you can qu.ickly get an idea of how much money you’ll need to invest or what you might want to see when you get there.
Below you’ll find a list of relevant apps to assist you with making plans and preparations for your next trip.
Skiplagged
First thing’s first. You need to find affordable airplane tickets. There are lots of apps out there claiming to be able to find you the cheapest flights available. But Skiplagged takes advantage of a special trick called “hidden city ticketing”.
Basically, you book a flight past your destination, with your target destination as a stop on the route, and pay less than if you would fly directly. Skiplagged will show you such hidden deals. Let’s say you’re looking to get from Milwaukee to Detroit, but the app shows there are flights from Milwaukee to St. Louis with a stop in Detroit for a lot less.
So you book the MKE to STL flight and just not get on the connecting flight after it lands in Detroit. It sounds a bit unethical, but it works! Obviously, there are some risks, not to mention inconveniences. For example, you won’t be able to check a bag, or it will end up being dispatched to your destination city.
It’s also worth mentioning, airlines do not approve of this practice. US Airlines actually filed a lawsuit against Skiplagged a few years back, but if you’re willing to look past these issues, you can get Skiplagged a try and see what fairs it can find for you.
Agoda
Now that you’ve got yourself a cheap flight, the next item on your list should be finding accommodation. Agoda is an app which helps you uncover the deepest discounts on hotel rooms, homes and more.
Search for low rates by browsing through Agoda’s database of 1,400,000+ hotels, villas and BnBs. You can get additional discounts of up to 80$ from Insider Deals, Last-Minute Deals or Secret Deals.
Hostelworld
Looking for something even more affordable? The Hostelworld app is your gateway to accommodation on the budget. The app includes select locations from 170 countries and comes with additional features such as “My Trips” offers travelers the opportunity to discover the best things to see and do at their destination before they arrive.
Hostelworld also has a neat social component called “Hostel Noticeboard that lets you meet up with new friends and get involved in local events and parties.
Guides by Lonely Planet
Ok, you know where you’re going, you have the tickets and you know where you’ll be staying. But what tourist attractions are you going to visit?
If you don’t know much about your destination, maybe it’s time you download Guides by Lonely Planet. This is a collection of expert-curated city guides that you show you the best places to visit. Everything works offline, so you don’t need to be connected to the Internet to access the information within (including maps).
The app also offers a selection of audio phrasebooks for 19 languages, which might come super in-handy when you’re trying to interact with the locals, as well as a currency converter.
Download Guides by Lonely Planet
Freespace
Hey, but what about those travelers who are required to go on a last minute trip? Is there an app for them? Of course, there is. Take for example Freespace, an app which aims to ease the stress of having to secure accommodation for an unplanned trip.
With Freespace, you can get a room on location! By using the “Here and Now” tool, users can find the most attractive prices and book a nearby room in four easy steps.
Checkmytrip
Want to make sure you have all the info related to your trip? Use the Checkmytrip app to bring all the relevant info together.
Simply add the trips to your calendar and easily share them with your trip buddies and friends. Checkmytrip will also send notification for flights and let you access online check-in for major airlines.
Packing List for Travel
Trip coming up? Make absolutely sure you haven’t forgotten anything with the Packing List for Travel app.
Design your Packing list, add items and check them off once you’ve packed them. You can also view items by category (ex: beach) or topic (ex. gadgets) so you can ensure you’re not leaving any essentials behind.
Download Packing List for Travel
