travel app example

30 essential travel apps every traveler needs before their next trip

When it comes to planning and taking a vacation, travelers rely on their phones now more than ever.

Travel apps are a source of inspiration and are extremely useful for booking and managing logistics — even making restaurant reservations or finding a great fitness class wherever in the world you're flying next.

From apps that help with everything from day-of hotel bookings and last-minute flight changes to those that serve as guidebooks and foreign-language dictionaries, travel is infinitely easier thanks to technology.

Apps can help you navigate a new city, make currency conversions, pack a perfect suitcase and even provide on-the-ground local expertise. Whatever you need when you hit the road, there's an app for that.

We've rounded up the most-loved apps here at TPG. Some may be obvious, and others more obscure, but either way, get ready to download.

Best apps for researching and booking trips

In addition to the apps for the airlines you fly most frequently and your favorite hotel brands, these apps can help you save money on flights and accommodations.

Hopper has changed in recent years from just offering a price prediction tool for flights to being a true online travel agency. The app helps travelers find the cheapest flights, hotels and rental cars.

Of course, Hopper also still offers its signature price prediction technology to help you plan out when to book, as well as travel protection options and a price freeze to help you lock in the lowest possible price on hotels and flights.

Kiwi is used mainly to book flights, but it also helps you book hotels (using its partnership with Booking.com) and car rentals (using its partnership with RentalCars.com).

Some of the app's most interesting features include the "Deals" section, which pulls in discounted flights, and the "Travel hacks" section, which includes options for hidden city ticketing, throwaway ticketing (making one-way flights more affordable) and free price alerts.

Hotel Tonight

A dream for last-minute travelers, Hotel Tonight ( now owned by Airbnb ) lets you book stays for the same evening up to a few months in advance in thousands of cities worldwide. Available hotel rooms are categorized into sections like basic, luxe, hip, charming and solid, so you can select what works for your vibe. Take advantage of the daily drop feature, where you swipe to find a personalized deal with a special price only valid for 15 minutes after unlocked.

At TPG, we love a good loyalty program, and HT Perks, the app's nine-level reward program, is extensive. Not unlike a video game, you "level up" by reaching specific spending thresholds on the app, and you'll gain access to perks like discounts, VIP customer support and credits. Also, your levels never expire, so you can only continue to move up.

To book home rentals instead of hotels, use the Airbnb app. After entering your destination and dates, you can filter results based on the home type, price, requisite amenities and more. If you find something you like, you can book directly through the app.

The app is ideal for managing your trips while on the road — you can access all your bookings under the "Trips" tab, where you can view your reservation (and the address or directions), contact the host or change your reservation. Once you have a booking, you can also explore and book local experiences in your destination, such as wine tastings, kayak tours, hikes, shows and concerts.

We can't talk about travel apps without mentioning the TPG App. Use it to track your credit card, airline and hotel points balances; earn points and miles efficiently through using the right credit card ; and research how many points or miles you'll need to book your dream getaway. You can even curate your own news feed so you see the news and advice that matters most to you first.

The TPG App is available for download on iOS . Android users can join the waitlist here .

Related: The TPG App has arrived — here's why you should download it now

Best apps for organizing a trip

From keeping all your documents in order to perfectly packing your suitcase without forgetting a thing, these are the best apps for organizing travel plans.

TripIt declutters your itineraries and documents by keeping them organized in one place. You can set your reservations to automatically send to TripIt, which lets you view travel confirmations, flight itineraries, tickets, hotel and Airbnb booking information, rental car reservations, ferry tickets and driving directions without ever leaving the app.

TripIt also makes it simple to share your trip plans with whoever picks you up from the airport or train station or anyone else who may need to coordinate with you. TripIt Pro subscriptions cost $49 per year and include extras like real-time flight alerts, security wait times, baggage claim information and updates on your loyalty reward programs.

Roadtrippers

Perfect for organizing that epic road trip you've always wanted to take, Roadtrippers plans out your driving route and lets you book hotels and activities along the way. The app is especially useful for finding interesting and off-the-beaten-path roadside attractions, cool restaurants and can't-miss landmarks you can bookmark.

A Roadtrippers Premium membership includes offline maps, live traffic information, overnight RV parking and more for $59.99 per year. For those looking to only venture on a few road trips per year, the app also offers a Pro ($49.99 per year) and Basic ($35.99 per year) membership.

PackPoint takes all the stress out of packing . The app shows you what to bring based on the length of your trip, the weather in your destination and any activities you're planning along the way. If you have access to laundry facilities at your destination, PackPoint even allows you to account for washing your clothes and wearing them multiple times.

Just download and install the app, type in the city you're visiting and plug in your travel details. So, stop waiting until the day before your trip — or the hours before you have to leave for the airport — and start packing now.

Best apps for navigating the airport and flights

Track flights, navigate airports and find airport lounges with these apps.

LoungeBuddy

LoungeBuddy offers access to premium airport lounges around the world, regardless of the airline or class you're flying. When you create a trip in the app and type in the credit cards you currently hold, it will tell you which lounges you have access to based on the airports you'll be transiting through and how to purchase access if you don't already have it.

You can purchase access on the day you're traveling or up to two months in advance if you're the plan-ahead type. If you prefer to search by lounge or lounge program, the app will tell you exactly what is needed to use them.

Priority Pass

Priority Pass offers access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide and provides meal vouchers at select airport restaurants across the world for an annual fee starting at $99.

Several cards, including The Platinum Card® from American Express , the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve , offer Priority Pass memberships for all cardholders (enrollment required). Otherwise, you'll have to pay an annual fee to be a member and, depending on your membership tier, a fee to enter each lounge on top of the annual fee.

To use the Priority Pass app, enter the name or code of the airport you're in, and Priority Pass will pull up the lounges or restaurants that you have access to, including photos, hours, amenities and specific location information. For more information on the Priority Pass Program and how to gain lounge access, click here . Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Related: The best credit cards for Priority Pass lounge access

FlightAware

The FlightAware app allows you to track flights online, see a live map of a flight and check on delays, cancellations and gate changes. This app is especially helpful if you have a tight connection or want to track your flight.

It's also useful when picking up friends and family at the airport, as you can track their flight and see updated landing times or delays. AvGeeks will enjoy digging into flight statistics, flight maps and community aviation discussions on the app.

Best apps to use during your flight

Timeshifter.

What better way to cure jet lag than with an app? Timeshifter actually helps you avoid jet lag long before your flight takes off and also offers inflight and post-flight suggestions. The app relies on neuroscience research about sleep and circadian rhythms to provide personalized recommendations, taking into consideration your age, gender and normal sleep patterns — as well as specifics about your trip and travel plans. Timeshifter maps out when you should avoid or seek light, take a nap or try to stay awake. It even tells you if you should consider supplementing with melatonin or caffeine.

Your first jet lag plan is free, then $9.99 per plan, or you can enjoy unlimited plans for a year for $24.99.

Flying can cause anxiety — or provide a welcome relief from constant contact with our digital devices. Either way, use travel as an opportunity to relax, meditate or listen to soothing sounds that will lull you to sleep or a deep, relaxed state. Or, perhaps, you'll simply find it helps pass the time during a long flight.

Calm offers meditations on topics such as self-awareness, calming anxiety, breathing, lowering stress levels and happiness, among others. The app also has music options for focusing, relaxing and sleeping, as well as stories for adults and content for kids.

A limited selection of meditations and music is available for free (which you can download to use when you're offline or in flight). The premium version of the app costs $14.99 per month or $69.99 annually.

OK, so Netflix isn't really a travel app, but it can be a lifesaver during a long flight on an aircraft without seatback inflight entertainment or at the airport during an unexpected flight delay or boring layover. If you have a Netflix account, the app allows you to download your favorite shows onto your device to watch offline.

Just make sure to download your shows while connected to Wi-Fi before flying and check them again preflight to make sure they haven't expired (you can usually renew any expired downloads, but you must be connected to Wi-Fi or data to do so). Monthly prices vary depending on the plan.

Another app that's not really a travel app, Spotify can still be incredibly useful during tedious travel moments — just pop in those noise-canceling headphones and listen to your favorite music, meditations, podcasts and more.

The app's Premium plans (prices vary) allow you to download all your content offline on your phone, so you'll have it during long flights or when you don't have data or Wi-Fi access. Whether you want to take a morning jog in Bali to your favorite tunes or pass the time with a podcast on the metro in Barcelona, Spotify has it all.

Best apps to use in your destination

From exchanging money and sightseeing to communicating and knowing all the local tips and tricks, you don't want to land in a foreign city for the first time without these key apps.

XE Currency Converter

The XE Currency Converter app quickly provides live, up-to-the-minute currency rates, then allows you to store and view them even when you're offline. You'll never need to wonder if you're really getting a good deal in another country if you have this app.

Google Translate

Google Translate is a translation app that allows you to do it all — translate into more than 100 languages by typing, access 59 languages offline, translate via photo, translate bilingual conversations and even use the handwriting tool to translate.

The app is simple to use, too, with icons at the top you can click on to draw, take a photo, speak or type.

Not quite sure how much to tip when traveling internationally? GlobeTips will advise you on how to tip appropriately in more than 200 countries. It also offers a tip calculator for easy math. Globe also has apps for currency conversion, unit conversion and more that may be useful for travelers.

Related: The ultimate guide to tipping while traveling

For travelers globe-trotting with friends and family members or simply splitting the cost between groups, Tricount calculates shared costs and splits bills so you don't have to think twice about who owes what. Just enter your trip and currency and invite your travel mates to join your trip.

Each time someone pays for something, you enter the amount in Tricount, and the app splits everything up. You can also snap and store photos of receipts in the app. At the end of your trip, it will show the balances of who owes who what, making it easy to settle up.

Metric Conversions

Never be baffled by Celsius temperatures or suitcase weight in kilograms again with the Metric Conversions app . Whether you're measuring flour to cook at your Airbnb, figuring out distances for your Europe road trip or deciding whether to take a sweatshirt with you during your walking tour of the Great Wall of China, this app has you covered with easy conversions in volume, weight, temperature, area and more.

Google Maps

Google Maps is essential when visiting a new city (or even for getting around your hometown). You can map locations, get directions (walking, driving, public transportation, ride-hailing services and beyond) and see how crowded your subway will be in select cities .

You can make restaurant reservations, save your favorite spots and read and write reviews of attractions, eateries, shops and more. Make sure to download specific city or area maps ahead of time for offline access if you know you'll be without internet at your destination. For obvious reasons, the app works best when your GPS is turned on.

WhatsApp is a handy messaging service for travelers abroad as it uses an internet connection to avoid SMS fees.

It works like most other messaging apps: You start by creating an account, then add your friends and family members to contact and voila! You're able to call, video chat and send messages, images, voice memos, gifs and files just as you would in, say, iMessage (but with Android users too). You can also download WhatsApp on your Windows or Mac computer.

Best apps for planning activities

Traveling is about more than just getting from point A to point B. If you're looking for activities to add to your itinerary, check out these apps.

Meetup is an app designed for interacting with locals and other travelers who have mutual interests or shared hobbies. Whether you're traveling or at home, take what you love and do more of it with Meetup.

The app shows you groups that are formed around particular interests in your city, including yoga, photography, cooking, wine tasting, hiking, cinema and other activities. You can join groups to get updates on particular events you may want to participate in. The app can even help with networking, as there are many groups dedicated to business and technology. You might even be able to join a coworking group. Travelers with kids can participate in family-friendly meetups, and it's a great way for solo travelers to make friends and connect with others.

TheFork is one of the most useful resources for making restaurant reservations in Europe. Similar to OpenTable or Resy, the app lets you browse different restaurants by category and make reservations. TheFork features more than 60,000 restaurants in cities like London, Madrid and Geneva, as well as spots outside of Europe like Sydney, Australia.

The biggest perk is that many restaurant reservations come with discounts — in some cases, you can get up to 50% off your meal just by reserving a table through TheFork. Since we here at TPG are always down for earning rewards, make sure to monitor your YUMS — TheFork's reward system. You'll earn YUMS with each reservation, and when you hit 1,000, you receive a discount on your bill. Foodie travelers should also consider downloading these apps , too.

Happy Cow helps vegan and vegetarian eaters locate more than 180,000 restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, farmers markets and grocery stores in over 180 countries around the world. The app allows you to filter by not only vegan and vegetarian but also gluten-free and cuisine types. You can also read reviews and get recipes on the app as well.

The app does cost $3.99, but it's a one-time expense.

TripAdvisor

Besides reading reviews of restaurants, hotels and attractions, you can book almost anything on TripAdvisor, from vacation rentals and restaurant reservations to tours and tickets.

The app has grown to include almost all things travel, allowing you to search by destination or interest (like the outdoors, food and drink, family or by the water, for example), which can give you inspiration for a trip or help you get your activities, meals and accommodations organized before traveling or on the fly.

With over 400,000 curated trails, AllTrails can help you find the hike or walk perfect for you and your group. It's not just mountain trails — AllTrails offers city walks, too, like easy meanders through the Marais district in Paris or peaceful strolls through Bangkok's Lumpini Park in Thailand.

See photos, updated weather predictions and key information about each route and connect with other travelers through reviews and forums. Access to AllTrails+ is $35.99 per year, which offers perks like offline maps and wrong turn alerts.

Best apps for staying safe

Use these apps to stay safe when traveling.

Smart Traveler

Smart Traveler is a free service that offers tips and information specifically for U.S. travelers. You can see what visas and vaccines you'll need before traveling and where to find help if you need it during your trip.

Register your trip on the app, which gives your information to local embassies and consulates in your destination. If there's any kind of disaster or tragedy, the local embassy can contact you to see if you need help.

TripWhistle

Another app dedicated to keeping you safe, TripWhistle maps your location and allows you to easily text or send your GPS coordinates or location. It also provides emergency numbers for firefighters, medical personnel and police in nearly 200 countries. After all, 911 is only for U.S.-based emergencies: Each country has its own specific emergency number.

Yes, Uber (or any local ride-hailing service app) is convenient, but it may also keep you safe. Using this app when traveling means you'll never get stuck wandering around in an unfamiliar area late at night or have to deal with unscrupulous taxi drivers trying to scam you. Uber also has in-app safety features such as an emergency assistance button which will allow you to call local emergency services right in the app.

What are you looking for?

35 best travel apps [the definitive 2024 guide].

Traveling is one of the best things in the world, but the fact is that it can be difficult to plan a trip , especially when you’re on a budget or you’re just not sure where to start.

Luckily, there are plenty of fantastic apps out there that can help you with so many things! 

Whether you’re looking to …

• Organize a trip
• Find travel inspiration
• Book accommodation
• Or keep entertained on the go

There really are endless options when it comes to apps for travel. 

Some of them will allow you to benefit from in-app discounts, others will help you find the best tours in the area, and many of them are simply there for inspiration! 

Wherever you’re planning to travel, there are some applications out there that will help you along the way and make your life so much easier.

Although the majority of apps in this guide have a desktop version too, it’s often much handier to have the platform right at your fingertips! 

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the best travel apps (in our opinion at least …).

Travellerspoint

The best apps for organizing your trip

1. wanderlog.

Cost: Freemium: Free, Pro Monthly: $16.99 per month, Pro Annual: $49.99

Device: Android / iPhone

Review score: Google Play: 4.7/5, Apple Store: 4.9/5

Best feature: You can collaborate with friends and family if you’re traveling as a group 

Wanderlog is a travel itinerary and trip planner that allows you to create the trip of your dreams without hassle. 

You can create a fully mapped-out itinerary of your travels, take inspiration from free guides, and put a budget together for your trip. 

However, one of the best things about Wanderlog is that you can collaborate on a trip itinerary together. This makes traveling as a group super easy!

Wanderlog is undoubtedly one of the best travel planning apps out there, and has so much to offer.

The free version is incredible, but if you’re looking for enhanced features such as being able to use the service offline or exporting information to Google Maps, then you can pay a subscription fee. 

2. Get Your Guide

Review score: Google Play: 4.7/5, Apple Store: 4.8/5

Best feature: Get Your Guide has a very flexible free cancellation policy

We always use Get Your Guide when we travel as it’s one of the best ways to search for experiences and tours in your chosen destination. 

All you have to do is type in your city or place, and there will be a wide variety of activities available. This can include safaris, city tours, theme parks, and cruises, so there’s something for everyone! 

You can even purchase city passes like this New York City Pass which can save you up to 40% off attractions.

Booking activities and tours through Get Your Guide allows you to look at reviews, book attractions in advance, and compare prices!

They also have a very flexible cancellation policy, no booking fees, and mobile-friendly tickets so you won’t need to print anything out.

Best feature: 24/7 award-winning support so there’s always someone available to help you

Like Get Your Guide, Viator is one of the best travel apps out there for booking activities, experiences, and tours. It’s owned by Tripadvisor and has a fantastic reputation!

There are plenty of reasons to book your activities with Viator including their award-winning support, free cancellation, variety of payment options, and high-quality standards.

There are over 300,000 experiences available to book on their website and app, and this includes destinations in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia among others! 

Just type in the place you’re visiting, and you’ll be shown a variety of activities ranging from helicopter tours to hiking. No matter what you’re interested in you’ll find something to your liking.

If you're still in the process of planning a trip and you're unsure of where to choose then check out our guide on the best places to travel to ! 

Cost: Standard: Free, TripIt Pro: $49 per year

Best feature: Being able to sync confirmation emails to your itinerary

TripIt is another highly-rated trip planner if you hadn’t guessed by the name, and it’s a fantastic app for putting together a detailed itinerary. 

The app allows you to sync flight and accommodation confirmations from your email, access the latest travel guidance, and add documents to your travel plans!

There’s a free version that does pretty much everything you need to or you can opt for TripIt Pro which is a paid service. This will allow you to access interactive maps, your flight status, and a fare tracker among other features.

Either way, this is a great travel app for organizing your trip as you can keep everything in one place!

5. Roadtrippers

Cost: Standard: Free, Road Trippers Plus: $29.99 per year

Review score: Google Play: 3.9/5, Apple Store: 4.7/5

Best feature: Roadtrippers Plus allows you to add up to 150 stops on your itinerary

This is one of the best apps for travelers as you’ll get to put together the ultimate road trip itinerary! This includes sights and attractions, places to camp, and activities. 

With Roadtrippers , you can even add fuel and rest stops to your map/itinerary, as well as bars, restaurants, and shops! What more could you need? 

Not only is this app super easy to use, but you’ll have access to a wide range of articles and guides detailing interesting places to visit. 

Driving around the world is our favorite thing to do, and we’ve road-tripped endless countries including Norway , Ireland , Portugal , and Alaska . 

This nifty app makes it so easy to plan the perfect route, so make sure you give it a go! 

The best apps for accommodation

6. booking.com.

Review score: Google Play: 4.6/5, Apple Store: 4.8/5

Best feature: You’ll find plenty of in-app only deals

Booking.com is one of the best vacation rental sites out there and is a fantastic option if you’re looking for accommodation. 

Although there’s a desktop version, having this app at your fingertips will come in handy. In fact, you’ll be able to find plenty of in-app deals which are often cheaper!

We've also got an in-depth guide on how to get cheap hotel rooms if you're interested in further discounts...

If you’re still not convinced, then you can even find cheap flights, rental car deals, and taxis on the app. 

Not only that but you’ll have your booking information (or bookings) in one place, and having the app is a great way to show your hotel address to taxi drivers.

This is undoubtedly one of the best apps for travel so make sure you download it before your trip!

Review score: Google Play: 4.5/5, Apple Store: 4.8/5

Best feature: There are over 5.5 million listings to choose from!

Everyone has heard of Airbnb as it’s revolutionized the accommodation industry since it was founded in 2008. It’s one of the best free travel apps out there so we couldn’t leave it off this list. 

Boasting over 5.5 million accommodation listings worldwide, you’ll find tons of places to stay on this app. Many of the listings are self-contained holiday homes and apartments so you’ll have plenty of space. 

However, you’ll also find a variety of unique accommodation options on Airbnb including cabins, igloos, treehouses, and boats!

This app offers some of the most affordable accommodation options in the world and is a must-have if you’re traveling on a budget.

However, if you’ve got plenty of cash to splash don’t worry as there are lots of luxury stays available too! 

8. Hostelworld

Review score: Google Play: 4.8/5, Apple Store: 4.8/5 

Best feature: 24/7 customer service so there’s always someone there to help

Speaking of traveling on a budget, have you tried Hostelworld ?

Whether you’re looking to visit Rome , Thailand , or New Zealand, this fantastic travel app has over 36,000 budget-friendly listings in over 170 countries.

Offering both dorm beds and private rooms, this is the app you’ll want to download if you’re looking for a bargain. Many of the properties also feature plenty of awesome facilities. 

This ranges from an onsite restaurant to a rooftop area, and some of the hostels even offer free walking tours.

Not only does Hostelworld offer ‘ROAMIE’s which are awesome budget travel tours, but they’re also currently working on a ‘common room’ feature where you’ll be able to connect with other travelers!

Best feature: Kayak offers price alerts for accommodation to help you get the best deals! 

Next up on this list is Kayak which is a comparison platform that compares accommodation, car rentals, transport, and more. It's also a great platform for finding cheap flights.

It’s one of the best all-rounded travel apps, and it even lets you set up a price alert system. This means you’ll be notified when the price drops, and you can sometimes save up to 35% off hotels.

Showing results from over 2 million properties, boasting endless verified reviews, and featuring an easy-to-use layout, it’s no wonder that Kayak is such a big hit.

If you’re still not convinced to download this app from the app store, then they also have a rewards system where you can rack up points to redeem against hotel stays!

10. iOverlander

Review score: Google Play: 3.8/5, Apple Store: 3.5/5

Best feature: Offers an endless list of amenities and camping locations to help you with your road trip

There are plenty of fantastic travel apps out there if you’re looking for cheap hotel rooms, but what about if you’re road-tripping?

That’s where iOverlander comes in! 

iOverlander is a nonprofit project that’s run mostly by volunteers, and it’s one of the best apps for travelers if you’re driving a car or motorhome.

Featuring incredible wild camping locations, petrol stations, hostels/hotels, and mechanics in case you run into a snag, this fantastic app has so much to offer. 

This app also allows users to add locations and amenities, so there are always new places being added.

You’ve also got Park4Night which is one of the best travel apps for Europe road trips! 

If you're planning to convert a campervan and hit the road, then honestly we can't recommend this way of exploring enough. However, just keep in mind that van life isn't for everyone.

The best apps for transportation

11. skyscanner.

Review score: Google Play: 4.7/5, Apple Store: 4.7/5

Best feature: You can compare a variety of airlines, flight times, and prices 

Skyscanner is currently one of the best flight apps on the market as it’s a metasearch engine that searches high and low for the cheapest airline prices.

All you need to do is enter your departure airport, destination, and the date you want to fly. You can then filter out the results by the number of stops, duration, and airline.

Skyscanner also has a handy ‘everywhere’ option so you can just enter your departure airport, and find the cheapest flights on offer! 

If you're looking to travel cheaply , then I 100% recommend downloading this app as you'll benefit from some great flight prices.

The one thing to keep in mind is that you won’t be booking your flight directly through Skyscanner, instead, you’ll be taken to a third-party website. 

Always check that website on Trustpilot before booking your flight - we can’t stress this enough! 

There's no denying that Skyscanner is one of the best travel apps for flights so make sure you download it.

Review score: Google Play: 4.8/5, Apple Store: 4.9/5

Best feature: The app is very easy to use, and you just scan the QR code to unlock your e-scooter or e-bike.

Lime is a micro-mobility app that allows you to use e-scooters and e-bikes without having to rent them. You simply have to download the Lime app, and then use it to locate a ‘vehicle’.

All you have to do then is scan the QR code to unlock your e-scooter or e-bike and you’re good to go. Not only is it a great way to get around, but it’s more environmentally friendly too!

Lime is our favorite e-scooter app, although they’re all typically very similar. The exact app you download will depend on the country you’re in so make sure you do your research first. 

For example, Lime is available in certain areas of Australia, Canada , Europe , the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Best feature: Being able to see the price upfront and ETA

Uber has been given some stick over the years (and understandably so) but today, it’s one of the best ways to get around if you’re planning to use taxis.

It’s a ride-hailing service that allows you to book a taxi where you’ll get to see the price upfront, and the estimated time of arrival (ETA). 

For starters, this stops you from getting ripped off and you won’t need to haggle a price if there aren’t any meter-ran taxis in the area. You can even reserve a ride in advance which is always handy! 

There are plenty of other ride-hailing apps to choose from aside from Uber but it all depends on the location you’re planning to visit. Other options include Grab , Lyft , InDrive , and Bolt . 

14. Airline app

Device: Depends on the airline, but the majority of them operate on Android and iPhone

Review score: N/A

Best feature: Many of the airline apps allow you to check in, in advance 

One of our top travel tips is to have the airline app downloaded onto your phone for whoever you’re flying with. 

For example, I always have Ryannair downloaded on my phone as we fly with them a lot when we’re in Europe. If you fly with various airlines, then you can just download and delete airline apps as needed. 

There are plenty of reasons to download an airline app, but the main reason is that they’re more convenient for checking in. 

You no longer have to queue for hours at the airport desk, and you’ll have easy access to your boarding passes! Many of them offer you the chance to purchase add-ons too! 

Review score: Google Play 4.2/5, Apple Store: 4.8/5

Best feature: Busbud offers a rewards program so you can save money every time you use it

Busbud is one of the best tourist apps out there if you’re looking to book transport! Although its name may not suggest it, you can actually use it to book buses, trains, and hotels. 

This app is partnered with some of the world’s best transport providers including Flixbus , Greyhound , Amtrak , and National Express , so it’s a great option if you’re looking to compare prices.

All you have to do is type in your departure point, your destination, and the date of travel and you’ll be offered several options - some for as little as $3!

Other fantastic transport apps include Check My Bus and 12Go Asia with the latter being great for traveling through Southeast Asia.

The best apps for easy travel in your destination

16. google maps.

Review score: Google Play: 4.1/5, Apple Store: 4.7/5

Best feature: You can download offline maps that have your ‘points of interest’ on 

Google Maps is undeniably one of the best apps for traveling! Whether you’re looking to find local businesses, get driving directions, or explore the area, this app has it all. 

Offering maps of over 220 countries and territories, you’ll have no problems getting around your chosen destination with this app. Most of the amenities listed on these maps have reviews and images too! 

However, one of my favorite things about Google Maps is its ‘Your Places’ feature where you can create your own lists and maps! 

In these lists, you can create the ultimate itinerary by bookmarking popular tourist attractions and restaurants, before downloading your map. You can then use your map offline whilst you’re on the go. 

17. Maps.me

Review score: Google Play 4.1/5, Apple Store: 4.7/5

Best feature: Maps.me offers a bookmark collection so you can create your ultimate trip!

Maps.me is very similar to Google Maps and covers six of the seven continents. So, why will you need this one you ask?

Well, Maps.me is very handy for countries that are a bit more rugged. The reason I say this is because these apps are mapped out by photography from cars. 

Unfortunately, there are some areas where Google Maps cars are yet to venture which is where this app comes in…

We actually needed this app quite a lot in Eastern Europe as we traveled through some more off-the-beaten-track locations. In fact, the road markings were much clearer here too! 

So what are you waiting for? Make sure you check out this travel app! 

18. Google Lens

Review score: Google Play: 4.6/5, no specific Google Lens app on the Apple Store

Best feature: Can translate documents for you such as menus and brochures

We’ve all been there, you’re in a foreign country and you’ve sat down at a restaurant. You get excited to try some local cuisine and then you take a look at the menu, and you’ve got no idea what it says…

Luckily, Google Lens is here to help!

All you have to do is take a picture of your intended document, and then the app will translate the text to your preferred language.  

How handy is that!?

It’s a game changer for menus in particular.

Google Lens can also find clothes online from a picture, solve problems, and help you identify a species of flower, I mean it can pretty much do everything! 

Just keep in mind that the only way to access this app on iPhone is to first download the Google app, and then you’ll have to use it through that. 

19. Google Translate

Review score: Google Play: 4.4/5, Apple Store: 4.3/5

Best feature: You’ll have the power of language right at your fingertips!

Google Translate is AMAZING and we’ve used it in nearly every country that we’ve traveled to. 

Many people choose to just google “translate [Language] to English” but it’s handy to have the app installed as it’s often much quicker!

You can translate over 100 different languages with this app, and it’s a great way to interact with the locals if they don’t understand your language. 

If you’re a keen traveler then you’re likely to need Google Translate plenty of times throughout your lifetime. Whether that be translating a road sign, speaking to your taxi driver, or haggling a deal! 

Google Translate is one of my top recommendations when it comes to travel apps as it’s helped us out a lot over the years!

20. Revolut

Review score: Google Play 4.5/5, Apple Store: 4.7/5

Best feature: Allows you to save money on ATM withdrawals whilst abroad 

Using a traditional bank account can get expensive if you’re a long-term traveler or digital nomad , which is why many people apply for a card from Revolut .

This travel card offers fantastic exchange rates, helps you save money on transfer fees, and gives you an allowance of up to $240 for no-fee ATM withdrawals.

Revolut offers a free account and paid plans, with the latter allowing you access to a variety of awesome features including travel insurance, cashback options, and airport lounge access. 

We've actually written an in-depth Revolut review if you're interested in learning more...

Aside from Revolut, there are plenty of other banking apps that you can use including Monzo and Wise ! Before you decide which one to use, do some research and see which company is more suited to you. 

21. NHS App

Review score: Google Play: 3.1/5, Apple Store: 2.9/5

Best feature: You can easily access your health records 

The NHS App is UK-specific, but perhaps your country offers something similar so make sure you do a bit of research before your trip.

The great thing about this app is that it gives you access to the newest version of your health records, your vaccinations, and Covid passes (if they’re required). 

This is vital during today's climate, especially as the pandemic has altered the entry requirements for a variety of countries! 

You’ll also be able to access services online which is always handy, but of course, this will be limited if you’re abroad. 

If your country doesn’t have something similar, then make sure you download a general health app that can give you guidelines. An example of this is My Travel Health ! 

22. Priority Pass

Cost: Standard: $99, Standard Plus: $329, Prestige: $469

Review score: Google Play: 3.8/5, Apple Store: 4.6/5

Best feature: Offers you free (or discounted) access to 1,300+ airport lounges

Priority Pass is an airport lounge access program that requires you to have a membership. 

There are three options; Standard, Standard Plus, and Prestige, and each one has an annual fee. 

However, once you’ve paid the fee you’ll get free (or discounted) access to airport lounges all around the world. This is perfect if you’re traveling a lot or you’re a digital nomad so you work on the go! 

We usually sign up around Black Friday for the cheapest rate, and then use the QR code on the app for access.

Although this may seem like more of a niche travel app, it’s a great one to have if you spend a lot of time traveling! 

The best apps for entertainment purposes 

23. spotify.

Cost: Spotify Free: free, Spotify Premium: $4.99-$15.99 per month

Review score: Google Play: 4.4/5, Apple Store: 4.8/5

Best feature: Allows you to download music and listen offline whilst you’re traveling 

Spotify is a digital music service that gives you access to over 50 million songs ranging from the likes of Queen to local artists that are a little less well-known!

You can download albums, make your own playlists, listen to other users’ playlists, or listen to songs that the app recommends based on your music style. Spotify also has plenty of podcasts that you can listen to!

Although Spotify is one of the most popular music apps, you’ve also got the likes of Amazon Music , YouTube Music , and Apple Music . 

Whichever one you go for, I’d recommend going for a plan that allows you to download songs for offline use! 

24. Audible

Cost: $9.50 per month 

Review score: Google Play: 4.6/5, Apple Store: 4.9/5

Best feature: Amazon Prime members get exclusive offers!

I love listening to audiobooks, especially on long drives as it’s a great way to zone out and learn something new. Either that or I listen to a fiction book which is something I don’t usually have the time to do! 

Audible is the best option for this as it offers unlimited listening time when it comes to podcasts, audiobooks, and audibles! 

Although you have to pay for the service it’s totally worth it in my opinion, as you’ll have access to thousands of options.

So if you’re looking for an app for your vacation then I highly recommend downloading this one! There’s even a free 30-day trial if you’d prefer to try it out first before you commit to it.

25. Netflix

Cost: Basic: $6, Standard: $13, Premium: $19 per month

Review score: Google Play: 4.4/5, Apple Store: 4/5

Best feature: Being able to download movies and watch them online!

Everyone is likely to know Netflix and although it’s not a travel app, it’s very handy whilst you’re on the go. 

It’s one of the best apps for trips, especially if you’re going to have long journeys and flights, or spend a lot of time at the airport. 

There are three plans to choose from, and each one offers unlimited access to thousands of films and tv programs. 

The highlight of Netflix is being able to download your favorite movies and tv shows, and then watch them later offline - just keep in mind that the basic plan doesn’t offer this. 

Disney Plus and Amazon Prime also offers you the chance to download offline movies if you’d prefer to go for something else! 

Cost: Kindle Unlimited: $9.50 per month

Best feature: You’ll have access to millions of books on the go

Kindle is undoubtedly one of the best apps for travelers, especially if you’re a keen reader. 

Unfortunately, when we travel we’re subject to strict luggage allowance which means you can’t take a ton of books with you on holiday. 

This is where a kindle comes in handy, as you can purchase books online and then read them digitally on your device. 

Although you can simply download books to read, you’ve also got Kindle Unlimited which is a subscription service. This service allows you access to select magazine subscriptions, millions of books, and thousands of audiobooks! 

There’s so much choice, and you won’t be short of books to read by the pool!

27. Surfshark

Cost: $2-$13 a month depending on whether you choose to pay monthly, yearly, or every 24 months 

Review score: Google Play: 4.2/5, Apple Store: 4.9/5

Best feature: Allows you to access websites and TV series that would otherwise be inaccessible abroad

Surfshark is the VPN of our choice, and a VPN essentially means ‘Virtual Private Network’. 

It technically works by encrypting communications so you’ll have an anonymous IP address. Not only does this help keep your connection secure, but it’s got plenty of other fantastic features too.

For starters, Surf Shark (or any VPN) allows you to access websites that are inaccessible abroad, so for us a lot of .co.uk websites don’t seem to work overseas. 

You’ll also be able to watch TV shows and films that aren’t available in certain countries , as a VPN essentially changes your IP location. 

Having a VPN is also a great option for digital nomads or those with travel jobs as your connection will always be secure.

The best apps for travel inspiration

28. instagram.

Review score: Google Play: 4/5, Apple Store: 4.7/5

Best feature: Allows you to find some awesome travel destinations 

Instagram is one of the most popular apps in the world as it allows you to keep connected with friends and family, whilst showing off your photography skills.

Although social media can often feel draining, this app has so much to offer if you’re a keen traveler!

Instagram allows you to connect with like-minded travelers, inspire your travels, and find fantastic ‘Instagrammable’ locations that you wouldn’t otherwise know about. 

We follow hundreds of our favorite travel photographers, vloggers, and bloggers, and we’re inundated with new places to add to our bucket list on a daily basis! 

Not only will you get to view new destinations through images and reels, but you’ll often get a more realistic experience through stories too. There’s nothing better than that! 

29. Pinterest

Best feature: Can create your own boards and save ideas to them! 

Next up on this list is Pinterest , which isn’t a travel application but it’s got a lot to offer. 

Pinterest works almost like a huge mood board where you can find inspiration on just about anything, and that goes for fashion, recipes, and home decor. 

The best thing about Pinterest is that you can create boards dedicated to your interests, so in this case, it would be travel! 

This is great for travelers, as you can create a variety of awesome boards on ‘bucket list’ experiences, specific countries, budget travel, etc. Then, all you need to do is save those pins and you can come back to them later! 

Pinterest is a very visual platform, and if you want more information you’ll be directed to the pin’s website.

Best feature: You can favorite videos and add them to your own ‘collections’

Although TikTok may not be for everyone, there’s no denying that it’s a fantastic app for travel inspiration! 

TikTok is essentially a video-sharing app and it’s one of the best apps for tourists who are choosing their destination or looking for places to visit after booking a holiday. 

Many travel bloggers, vloggers, and photographers have started to understand the importance of this app as a marketing tool , and that means lots of travel content!

You can favorite the videos that you like and create your own collections e.g. United States, bucket list, Wildlife, etc., and then you can watch them back whenever you like. 

There’s no limit to the number of videos you can save, and you’ll find some great travel tips along the way! 

31. Polar Steps

Review score: Google Play: 4.8/5, Apple Store: 4.8/5

Best feature: The App can physically track your travels whilst you’re on the move

Polar Steps is technically a travel planner and tracker, however, it’s a great app for travel inspiration as you’ll have access to a variety of guides. 

There are plenty of travel guides to read, and all you need to do is search for your destination! From there, you’ll get to see images, attractions in that area, recommended accommodation options, and restaurants. 

Another fantastic feature of Polar Steps is that it can physically track your travels as you go along. Not only will you get to see your travel route, but you can even create a cool travel book with the information! 

You can also add on past trips if you can remember the route, so you’ll have all your travels in the one app.

32. Locationscout

Review score: Google Play: 2.9/5, Apple Store: 3.8/5

Best feature: All the ‘photo spots’ are uploaded onto a map which you’ll have access to

For this travel app guide, I had to include Locationscout ! 

Although it’s not one of the more popular apps, it’s fantastic for those who are looking for some travel inspiration - especially keen photographers. 

Locationscout essentially works by showing ‘photo spots’ in a variety of cities and countries across the world. 

You can then click into each destination (say London for example), and you’ll be given an overview of that place, a grid of ‘photo spots’, and a map that has them all included!

The app then goes further into detail about each photo spot, including information on the best time to visit, tips to get the best photographs, and how to get there. 

If you're a keen photographer looking to improve your skills then why not check out these fantastic online photography classes too!

The best apps for keeping connected with home

Cost: Free (but there’s a cost to ring from landlines or mobiles) 

Review score: Google Play: 4.1/5, Apple Store: 4.5/5

Best feature: Can make free video calls to anywhere in the world! 

Although Skype isn’t considered to be a ‘travel app’ it’s a great way to keep connected with your friends and family back home. 

It allows you to make free video calls worldwide if you’re using skype-to-skype, or you can call from a landline or mobile for a fee. 

If you’re calling from a mobile or landline, then you just need to top up your credit every now and then. As long as you have a WiFi signal, you can call any number in the world and the bill will be extremely cheap! 

Skype is also a great app to have for digital nomads and business owners who are always on the move, in case you need to jump on a work call! Although Zoom is often the more popular option for this! 

34. Whatsapp

Review score: Google Play 4.3/5, Apple Store: 4.7/5

Best feature: Being able to message, call, and video call other numbers for free as long as you’ve got WiFi

Another great app to have if you’re wanting to stay connected to people is Whatsapp !

It's a messaging app that allows you to message, call, and video call other Whatsapp users for free, as long as you’re connected to WiFi.

Not only is Whatsapp useful when it comes to contacting friends and family, but it’s also a great way to keep in contact with people in the region you’re traveling.

Many tour operators, hotels, and companies have Whatsapp, which means you can contact them with any queries and you won’t need to spend money to text or call from your phone. 

If you’re only able to download a couple of apps during your travels, then make sure Whatsapp is one of them!

35. Moonpig

Best feature: You’ll often get in-app discounts 

If you travel a lot, then unfortunately you’re going to miss a lot of birthdays!

Luckily, there are apps out there where you can send birthday cards back home for friends and family members. 

Our favorite is Moonpig as it’s super easy to use, and you can set reminders for birthdays so you don’t forget. 

Not only can you send cards, but Moonpig also has a wide variety of presents, birthday balloons, and flowers available among other items.

They even offer personalized gifts for that someone special , and there are a variety of shipping options to make sure it gets there in time! 

There is a desktop version of Moonpig, but if you download the app you’ll often have access to specific in-app discounts.

Which travel apps will you use?

As you can see, there are so many fantastic apps for traveling. The question is, which ones should you download?

This all depends on what you’re looking to do; book accommodation, find travel inspiration, look for discounts, or keep yourself connected with home! 

Now, everyone knows that phones all have limited memory so it’s not viable to download every single app in this guide. Just make sure you prioritize the ones you think will help the most!

A few of our favorites include Booking.com, Skyscanner, Get Your Guide, Google Maps, and Instagram of course! 

Now you've got an idea of the best tourism apps out there, it's time to start planning your trip.

Here are some guides for inspiration:

• The Best Cheap Places To Travel
• The Best Backpacking Destinations Around the World
• The Cheapest Countries To Visit In Europe

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22 Best Travel Apps Every Traveler Should Know About

From tracking flight delays, finding last-minute accommodations, and even locating the nearest public restroom, these are the most helpful travel apps to download before you travel.

Using the right travel apps can help you save both time and money , while making the journey much less stressful . Many of these apps also provide local recommendations and hidden gems tourists don't often get to see — and some are completely free.

Whether you're looking for an app that will give you discounts for popular local events, offer a last-minute booking at a fraction of the price, or help you breeze through the airport , these are the 22 best travel apps to download before your next trip.

Citymapper helps travelers find the speediest route to their destination, providing step-by-step instructions on where to find the nearest bus and train stations. You'll be able to see when the next arrivals are, and real-time routing means you'll get updates every minute. The app also has a chat feature that allows you to update friends and family on your E.T.A. wherever you are.

Available on iOS and Android .

PackPoint takes the hassle out of packing by creating a customized list of what you'll need for your getaway. Enter your destination, travel dates, length of stay, and activities that might require special gear, like hiking or swimming, and the app will create a custom packing list you can save for future use. Besides checking weather conditions for you, the app also allows users to share their packing lists with fellow travelers.

The beauty of Rebtel is you don't need an internet connection to call friends and family back home. The app connects to local phone lines to provide you with cheap calls in 51 countries around the world without having to deal with the hassle of getting a local SIM card or racking up your phone bill.

If you're looking to get outdoors, this app will provide you with the area's best hiking, biking, and running trails. In addition to details on length, starting location, and trail quality, AllTrails includes reviews and photos from a community of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. You'll find useful information like what to pack, obstacles you'll find along the route, and the best scenic spots to check out.

If you find yourself in the middle of a long layover, Dayuse can get you into a hotel room for a few hours for up to 75 percent less than what the typical overnight rate would be. The app features 5,000 hotels in 23 countries, and allows you to make free cancellations at the last minute, in case you manage to catch an earlier flight.

Selections include everything from business hotels to wellness accommodations, with payments made directly when you arrive. You also get full use of the hotel's amenities for the duration of your stay.

The prices of flights can fluctuate, making it tricky to decide if you should book right away or hold off. That's where Hopper comes in, predicting the best time to find the cheapest fares, saving up to 40 percent. The app also has a price-monitoring feature so that you can select a particular flight and receive alerts if the price drops. Through Hopper, users can also compare the prices and amenities of more than 250 airlines and get alerts about airfare flash sales.

RV Parks & Campgrounds

This camping app helps you locate prime RV parks, campgrounds, rest areas, and gas stations across North America. With more than 40,000 facilities, the app sorts locations based on ratings and includes both privately-owned RV parks and public parks to choose from.

Nike Training Club

Hitting the gym while you're traveling can be tough, but with Nike Training Club , you'll feel like you have a personal trainer right in your pocket. That's because you can access hundreds of free workouts from Nike Master Trainers and celebrities like Kevin Hart, Serena Williams, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Audio and video clips help you make sure you're on top of your technique, while personalized training plans will keep you on track.

If you don't have much time to spare at the airport, Grab allows you to check out what food selections are near your gate, and gives you the option to pre-order your meal so you can pick it up on the way. The app currently operates at over 60 airports worldwide, giving you plenty of bites to choose from on your next trip.

GasBuddy is the app you'll want if you're taking a road trip. GasBuddy tracks down where to find the cheapest gas prices, allowing you to filter by price, location, brand, and amenities. It also provides you with deals at nearby convenience stores and price hike alerts so you can nail down the best prices every time.

Want to know what local events are taking place at your destination? Headout will show you the top attractions, shows, tours, and experiences in popular cities like New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orlando, Hawaii, Dubai, and more.

Activities range from catching a Broadway show, yoga in the hills, or taking a helicopter tour, with exclusive last-minute offers that can be up to 80 percent off.

If you need to access the internet during your travels, chances are you'll have to connect to public Wi-Fi, which can be sketchy. TunnelBear allows you to connect privately and securely by providing you a VPN (virtual private network) that will encrypt your browsing data to keep your information hidden from hackers and advertisers. The app comes with 500MB of free browsing data each month, or you can opt for unlimited data at a low monthly rate.

Hostelworld

Hostelworld is where you'll find more than 17,000 hostels, hotels, B&B's, and communal spaces in 178 countries. The app is great for solo travelers looking to meet fellow vacationers during their trip, including a Noticeboard that highlights events and meetups, and a translator that will help you communicate in up to 43 languages.

WeatherBug provides forecasts for millions of locations around the world, with current, hourly, and even 10-day options. The app also has specific weather maps to track everything from lightning and wind to pressure and humidity, and makes staying on top of changes to the weather easy with instant alerts.

Eatwith allows you to dine with locals, in their homes, all over the world. Menus are posted for you to see, while hosts will typically list what they cook, the languages they speak, and any alcohol pairings they'll be serving. Not only does the app give you a chance to meet locals and get superb dining recommendations, but it also allows you to enjoy a high-quality meal for less than what you'd typically pay at a restaurant.

Available on iOS and Android.

Trying to locate a public restroom can be tricky, especially in a new destination. That's where Flush comes in. The app has a database of more than 200,000 toilets, and quickly provides travelers with nearby bathrooms. You can search without an internet connection, and the app will also notify you if a restroom requires a fee.

While banks may charge you a fee for transferring money abroad, Wise allows you to make a transfer based on real-time currency exchanges, so you can send money at rates the company says are up to eight times cheaper than what you'd find at traditional banks.

TripIt makes it easy to put together a cohesive travel itinerary. Simply forward your confirmation emails, like your hotel and flight reservations, or your rental car reservation, and TripIt will build a full itinerary to help you stay organized with all of your plans.

With real-time alerts, you'll know if your flight is delayed or canceled, while the flight finder can help you book a new option should a cancellation occur.

Another good app for the road, Waze gives you community-based data about traffic jams, and information to locate points of interest like the cheapest gas stations and the fastest routes to your destination. Live maps include voice-guided navigation to easily guide you.

Xe provides live exchange rates and charts to keep you on top of money matters during your travels, easily allowing you to choose between different currencies you'd like to convert. It also has a rate alert so that you can monitor your favorite currencies — and it can be used offline.

Timeshifter

If you're sick of the jet lag battle that inevitably comes with travel, check out Timeshifter , an app that helps you to avoid jet lag long before your flight departs. Thanks to neuroscience research on circadian rhythms and sleep, the app provides personalized recommendations that take into account your age, gender, typical sleep patterns, and specifics about your trip. The app will tell you when you should avoid or seek daylight, and when you should stay awake or take a nap. The result? A gentle jet lag experience, which translates to more time exploring your destination.

FlightAware

If you have a tight connection or are picking up friends or family from the airport, look to FlightAware for help. The app tracks flights in real time, so you can see exactly where the aircraft is at any given moment. In addition to providing arrivals and delays, you can also see if weather will have any affect on certain locations.

Evie Carrick is a writer and editor who’s lived in five countries and visited well over 50. She now splits her time between Colorado and Paris, ensuring she doesn't have to live without skiing or L'As du Fallafel.

Best travel apps in 2021

Beat the traffic, avoid flight delays and find a place to stay on your next trip

The best travel apps are the ones that take all the stress out of a trip, freeing you up to enjoy the journey. And fortunately, you've got a lot of choices when it comes to finding apps that can help you plan your next getaway. 

You'll find everything from trip planners and itinerary generators to online marketplaces for flights and hotels in both the Play Store and Apple's store for apps. Combine one of the best travel apps with some great travel tech , and your chances for a smooth trip will increase dramatically.

• These are the best Android apps overall
• Get better trip photos with the best Android camera apps

Not sure where to look first? We've found a list of the best travel apps for when you're ready to hit the road again after sticking close to home for more than a year.

1. MyTSA (Free: Android; iOS)

Before you hit the road, make sure you've got MyTSA on your smartphone. The official app of the Transportation Security Administration isn't going to win any beauty contests, but it will let you check wait times at security checkpoints at major airpots. And that can help you plan on how much travel time you need to allow.

The app includes historical wait-time data while also giving you the option of checking crowd-sourced reports of how long security lines are at that moment. The ability to search what you can bring on a plane, get live assistance and find out info on the TSA PreCheck program make this a good app for travelers to keep handy on their smartphone.

Download MyTSA: Android , iOS

2. Expedia (Android, iOS: Free)

If you're a frequent traveller, you need a good all-in-one travel app, and Expedia is a tried-and-true option. You can book every aspect of your trip through Expedia, including hotels, flights and rental cars. The app also lets you bundle deals on travel and lodging, look for cruises, and research things to do when you arrive at your destination. 

If you're looking to stretch your travel budget even farther, Expedia promises exclusive deals for mobile users, with members of Expedia's rewards program enjoying additional perks. 

Download Expedia: Android , iOS

3. Flighty (iOS: Free)

There are flight trackers, and then there's Flighty, an iOS app for people who really want to know the location and arrival time of their plane. The free version of the app gives you basic flight-tracking tools, but pay up for a subscription ($8.99 a month or $49.99 per year), and you get access to more sophisticated features such as push notifications, syncing with TripIt or with calendars, and an assistant to help with your flight connections. 

Flighty also claims to be able to predict flight delays by monitoring inbound planes for 25 hours and monitoring FAA-mandated delays. You can check out the portions of the paid app for free during a 14-day trial.

Download Flighty: iOS

4. Hopper (Android, iOS: Free)

Another app bringing big data and predictive algorithms to the world of air travel is Hopper It uses a massive database of airline prices and historical trends to predict when prices to a destination are likely to be lowest, when they're likely to change, and the best time to buy a ticket for a particular date and destination. 

You can watch flights on specific dates or destinations, and the app will advise you whether it's worth it to buy now or to wait, tell you the dates when it's likely cheapest to fly, estimate changes in price, and notify you of price drops or rises. You can also save your payment details within the app for quick booking.

Download Hopper: Android , iOS

5. iExit (Android, iOS: Free)

If your travel plans involve a lot of driving, iExit works as a handy freeway exit guide, listing nearby highway exits, as well as the kind of businesses and amenities there are nearby. Need to gas up or find some good food or a place to stay for the night? iExit’s search tools come to the rescue, showing you nearby gas stations (with price data powered by GasBuddy), motels, and even deals and discounts from nearby businesses.

Download iExit: Android , iOS

6. Waze (Android; iOS)

Nothing gets a vacation off on the wrong foot like getting stuck in traffic. Waze can't eliminate the traffic, but it can help you get around any jams, especially if you're in an unfamiliar city. 

The navigation app feeds your smartphone real-time traffic information, based on reports from other Waze users. That data includes accidents, speed traps and other hazards that might keep you from getting to your destination in a timely fashion. 

Other features sure to impress travelers include automatic rerouting, cheap gas alerts and the ability to send your ETA to anyone waiting at your final stop.

Download Waze: Android , iOS

7. Skiplagged (Android, iOS: Free)

If you're traveling light and looking to save a few bucks, check out Skiplagged. It's a neat app that can keep your travel costs down by taking advantage of "hidden city flights", where flyers get off at a layover, instead of at the final destination. 

Enter your origin and destination, and Skiplagged will show you the cost of a direct flight, as well as any cheaper "hidden city" flights that have your intended destination as a layover. The caveat? Stick to carry-on luggage, as any checked-in bags will go all the way to the flight's final destination. 

Skiplagged also allows you to book hotels, including last-minute deals and special offers.

Download Skiplagged: Android , iOS

8. Flio (Android, iOS: Free)

Flio aims to be the all-in-one companion app for harried travelers making their way through airports worldwide. An official partner of 300 airports, Flio also has info on thousands more. That lets the app feature terminal maps, a boarding pass scanner, a flight tracker and directions to shuttle buses and booking options for everything from parking to lounge access. 

The app's sheer variety of services and features make it a great addition to the app toolkit of frequent fliers and vacationers alike.

Download Flio: Android , iOS

9. AtYourGate (Android, iOS: Free)

AtYourGate is another helpful airport companion that focuses more about retail opportunities while you're killing time waiting at the airport. If you need food, supplies (like say a phone charger to replace the one you forgot to pack), or last-minute gifts, you can browse the AtYourGate app for nearby shops and restaurants instead of having to wander around the airport. 

AtYourGate users can order food or other items, pay through the app, and even arrange for the item to be delivered to them right at their gate, lounge, or other location. AtYourGate currently operates in a select number of major airports, including JFK, La Guardia, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Portland, San Diego, and Newark.

Download AtYourGate: Android , iOS

10. Mobile Passport (Android, iOS: Free)

Mobile Passport is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection-approved app that helps speed you through lengthy immigration lines. It allows anyone with U.S. or Canadian passports to submit their passport control and customs declarations through the app, replacing paper forms and providing faster processing in a number of major US airports where the Mobile Passport service is supported. 

The app will save you a good amount of time in line, but it’s no reason to leave your physical passport at home. Mobile Passport is a companion app, not a replacement.

Download Mobile Passport: Android , iOS

11. TripIt (Android, iOS: Free)

TripIt promises to cut back on the travel hassle by consolidating your travel plans into a simple, convenient itinerary. Viewable online and synced to your cell phone, you can also share itineraries with your contacts. 

You just link your email account to TripIt, and the service will automatically dig through your inbox for reservation confirmations and other forms. Using that data, TripIt builds an organized itinerary of your flight boarding times, hotel check-ins and more. While TripIt is a free download, a $48.99 annual subscription gets you features like real-time flight alerts and updates on how long airport lines are.

Download TripIt: Android , iOS

12. App In The Air (Android, iOS: Free)

App In The Air is designed to help you through the entire process of your airplane flight, serving as a booking assistant that reminds you of your gate, ETA, check-in requirements, baggage tips, and more. 

The app condenses all of this important information so that it's easy to refer to at a glance, while also providing handy extras. You can view a summary of your airline's baggage rules (or even have an augmented reality overlay that you can use to measure your baggage to see if it will fit for carry-on or overhead guidelines). 

Travelers can integrate the app with TripIt, track loyalty rewards, view airplane amenities and even forward their details to their Apple Watch or Android Wear device. A premium subscription ($29.99 per year) includes real-time flight status updates, automated check-ins, and more.

Download App In The Air: Android , iOS

13. GasBuddy (Android, iOS: Free)

If road trips are more your thing, consider GasBuddy, a mobile app that helps users track down the cheapest gas in their region. Users can tap into their GPS location through their phone, or search by address or zip code to find the nearby gas prices.

As many of the prices are based on user reports, GasBuddy rewards users with points for reporting and updating a station's prices, with points making you eligible for regular raffles of prizes like free gas.

Download GasBuddy: Android , iOS

14. Roadtrippers (Android, iOS: Free)

Another handy travel companion when you hit the road is the aptly named Roadtrippers, a trip planning and itinerary app that lets you plot your next road trip, and helps you discover destinations, attractions, and useful stops along the way. 

With Roadtrippers, you can share your route and schedule with friends and family. The app helps users find everything from diners and dives to hotels, restaurants, national parks, roadside attractions and other scenic points of interest. 

If doing that research on a small phone screen stresses you out, you can plan trips in the Roadtrippers web portal if you prefer, saving locations and stops into a trip plan which you can sync across multiple devices for easy reference.

Download Roadtrippers: Android , iOS

15. PackPoint (Android, iOS: Free)

PackPoint is a travel packing wizard that provides a checklist of travel essentials that you'll need to pack, depending on the nature of your trip. 

Simply create a trip profile with your destination, length of stay and purpose of travel. PackPoint then creates a customized packing and luggage checklist that takes into account whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, the type and amount of clothing to pack based on the weather forecast and other factors. 

The app also comes with a variety of premium features, such as TripIt integration for automatic packing list creation.

Download PackPoint: Android , iOS

16. TripAdvisor (Android, iOS: Free)

TripAdvisor is your crowd-sourced guide to hotels, restaurants and attractions worldwide. The app allows you to browse through plenty of reviews, images and videos featuring various establishments worldwide to get a better idea of what awaits you at your destination. 

You can also access contact details; search for nearby establishments; explore restaurants by food type, price range or rating; check out air fares; and even add to the knowledge base by posting your own reviews, images and entries for the places you visit. There are even some handy "Near Me Now" features to alert you of nearby points of interest once you're on the scene.

Download TripAdvisor: Android , iOS

17. Airbnb (Android, iOS: Free)

Airbnb is a marketplace app that allows users to search for and find unique accommodations across the world, from mom-and-pop B&Bs for a night, to a small apartment for a week, or even a castle for a month. There's no shortage of quirky and unique establishments. Airbnb covers a range of prices in more than 34,000 cities across almost 200 countries, which means the adventurous or flexible traveler has some interesting choices for accommodations on their next trip.

Download Airbnb: Android , iOS

18. Vrbo (Android, iOS: Free)

Vrbo's mobile app is another option for finding places to stay on your next trip. At Vrbo, the emphasis is on vacation rentals, and with 2 million unique places to stay in 190-plus countries, you've got plenty of options. 

Use the Vrbo app to search for vacation homes, plan your trip and book your lodging. The app also gives you access to key booking details — what is the Wi-Fi password at your rental property, anyway? — and lets you share your itinerary with friends and family.

Download Vrbo: Android , iOS

19. Hotel Tonight (Android, iOS: Free)

If you unexpectedly need to look for last minute hotel rooms, check out  HotelTonight. It offers last-minute discounts on vacancies and same-night accommodations from top-rated hotels. Users can search by category and quality such as Basic, Hip or Luxe; view information on nearby hotels; and quickly book accommodations from within the app.

Download HotelTonight: Android , iOS

20. GlobeTips (iOS: Free)

How much should you tip? GlobeTips is a handy app that can tell you how much gratuity is customary wherever you are in the world. In addition to global tipping guides, GlobeTips includes a calculator for automatically calculating the tip, splitting the bill, and handling sales tax.

Download GlobeTips: iOS

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23 User-friendly Travel App Design Examples

• BY Bogdan Sandu
• 26 December 2023

Imagine holding a compass that doesn’t just point north, but guides you to hidden cafes in Paris, tranquil beaches in Thailand, and buzzing bazaars in Istanbul – all in your pocket. That’s what stellar  travel app design  is all about. In a world constantly on the move, the right blend of intuitive interface and indispensable features in a travel app can redefine adventure for wanderers and planners alike.

You’re about to embark on a journey through the art and science of crafting digital gateways that not only lead you to your next destination but become an essential part of the experience.

Whether you’re planning a solo retreat or a group escapade, knowing what goes behind the screen will reshape how you view travel apps.

From  map integrations  that simplify navigation to  personalization  giving you a tailor-made experience, we’ll uncover the digital threads that weave the fabric of a successful travel app.

You’ll not just learn; you’ll gain the insight to discern what makes an app go from handy to have to impossible to live without. Prepare to dive into an ocean of pixels and possibilities!

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8 of the best travel apps that travel editors can't live without

By Charlotte Davey

The best travel apps, when used to your advantage, can be the most indispensable companion for a trip. Not only can they save you time and money, but they can also reduce any journey-induced stress. Need to work out costs on a group trip , translate a menu, or get from A to B when you don’t speak the language? There’s an App for that. But just as you don’t need a suitcase laden with unworn clothing, no one needs a phone clogged with gimmicky or useless apps. We asked our jet-setting editors to share the apps they genuinely use while travelling and the lesser-known gems that have saved a holiday. So while the BA App, Rome2Rio, or Monzo might be stalwarts of the frequent flyer’s home screen, here are the clever, hardworking Apps our travel insiders swear by.

Cost: Free to use (Wanderlog Pro includes additional features and costs around £40 per year)

USP: One of the best travel apps for planning every kind of trip, including road trips and group travel: create a trip itinerary, budget costs, organise flights and hotel reservations, and collaborate with friends. After your trip, share a travel guide to inspire other travellers.

Wanderlog brings everything you need to plan your trips into one seamless app experience. Its user-friendly, web-scanning database contains a huge wealth of information about sights, attractions and places to eat and drink. Not only can you find recommended hotspots through the app and add these to a map view, but you can also import reservation and flight details from your emails. Wanderlog is especially ideal for group trips. Your customised itineraries and lists can be edited by multiple people in real time, and users can leave notes for fellow travellers – such as a reminder of the must-have dish or dress code at a restaurant. Smart AI functionality means that the app can offer (editable) auto-generated itineraries as well. And if that isn’t enough, you can track expenses and cost-splitting too, indispensable for larger groups and squabble-prone families. Toyo Odetunde

Cost: Free to download.

USP: Request a chauffeur-driven, class-leading car on-demand or in advance for yourself or on behalf of others.

Wheely is a seriously plush chauffeur service within an easy-to-use app, currently operating in London, Paris , Dubai, and Moscow. What makes this ideal for the frequent flyer is that you can add in your flight details when booking an airport pick-up, so the driver knows exactly what time you’ll be landing (so no risk of them driving off if you’ve been delayed), and they’ll be ready and waiting for you (with your name on a sign) at arrivals. For any other queries, you can live chat with a real person (no bot responses here) – for example, if they can provide a baby seat (which they happily did for a recent family holiday ). Cars come with water and chargers as standard, and drivers are friendly, professional and knowledgeable. Peace of mind at the click of a button. Charlotte Davey

Hong Kong Taxi Cards

Cost: £1.99

USP: With over 9,000 Hong Kong addresses translated into written Chinese and Cantonese, equipped with a function to request additional addresses and get feedback quickly, this is not an ordinary dictionary-type translator app.

This is indispensable for travelling around Hong Kong if you’re not fluent in Cantonese. The App has pretty much every address ready in Chinese and Cantonese, so you can show your taxi driver where you want to go without getting lost in translation. It also has a speaking option which delivers the address fluently, which is really helpful if you have zero grasp of the language. Another handy feature is that the App will show you the journey time and estimate fare – something to remember is that not all taxis have card machines so you’ll need to make sure you have enough cash on you before you hail a cab. Matt Buck

Cost: Free to download (Splitwise Pro costs £2.79)

Charlotte Davey

Lee Marshall

Arati Menon

Connor Sturges

USP: Splitwise is the easiest way to share expenses with friends and family and stop stressing about “who owes who”.

This is a game changer for working out costs on group trips. Everyone in the party signs up, and then you simply enter your expenses as you go – with a description of what it was (flights, accommodation, food, etc) and who it needs to be split between (i.e. the whole group or just those who were in the taxi, for example). It’s a great way to stay on top of costs, from larger expenses to smaller spending, like a round at the bar. At the end of the trip, click ‘simplify debts’, and you should be left with just one transaction each to ensure everyone has paid the same amount. You can label each trip and see who has settled up, and if someone doesn’t pay the App will send them helpful reminders (saving pennies and friendships). Charlotte Davey

Google Translate

USP: Translate between up to 133 languages with instant camera translation.

Google Translate is nothing new, but if you download the app, you can use the camera on your phone to upload signs, labels, or menus for an instant translation. This is a lifesaver for travelling in a country that doesn’t use the English alphabet or a language you’re unsure how to pronounce. The platform is currently proficient in 133 languages, so this is a great one wherever you are in the world. The App also works offline so you don’t need to worry about data roaming charges. Another function that is noteworthy is the speaker option – not only can you point your phone at a sign for a translation, but it will then speak in your chosen language, which is particularly helpful for those who are visually impaired. Charlotte Davey

USP: Find wheelchair-accessible restaurants, cafes, toilets, shops, cinemas, parking lots, bus stops and much more.

Developed by a not-for-profit company based in Germany , this is a great app for wheelchair users, families travelling with prams, or even for those with heavy suitcases navigating public transport. Operating in over 30 countries, a vast number of restaurants, stations, shops, and more are shown on an interactive map with a traffic light system for whether it is fully accessible (green), part accessible (yellow), or not accessible (red). The App replies to users rating places they have visited, so less touristy areas won’t have as much information. Charlotte Davey

Cost: Free to download

USP: Stay connected in over 200 countries and regions. Install an eSIM and get online in minutes with no roaming fees.

Especially handy if you’re travelling through different countries, Airalo allows you to use different eSim cards to keep your data roaming costs down. The App is free to download, and then simply choose the country you’re in, and select a data plan depending on how long you're there and how much you’ll be using your phone. You can often save around £10 for a week's holiday which is worth it if you’re a frequent flyer or watching the pennies while travelling. Sophie Knight

Cost: Free to use. In-app purchases.

USP: Whering is the digital wardrobe and styling app where you can curate, organise, style and plan your outfits.

Whering is essentially a portable digital wardrobe – a ‘Clueless’ style outfit planner on your mobile phone. Fill your in-app wardrobe by uploading photos of your clothes, or by importing images from the app’s cosmic database or your favourite online retailers. Whering will then process these images into sleek, combinable ‘cut-outs’, allowing you to put together countless outfits, looks and mood boards, which can also be organised by occasion. If you’re short on time, or feeling either uninspired or spontaneous, Whering’s AI can deliver outfit suggestions in seconds – even taking into account the weather forecast, ideal when travelling a country you’re not familiar with (or just braving London’s erratic climes). The Planner function is especially great for trips, storing your outfit ideas for specific dates and events. Also great for travel planning is the packing list feature; you can add items to a packing list for a particular destination, and Whering can suggest items you may have forgotten. Toyo Odetunde

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16 Travel Apps That We Use On Every Vacation

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• Travel Tips

When we got married over 40 years ago, the internet didn’t exist, and smartphones were confined to the realm of science fiction. So when we traveled, we had to rely on paper maps and guidebooks specific to our destinations.

Over the intervening years, smartphones have become part of our reality, and have evolved into indispensable travel tools upon which we rely for trip planning, destination details, booking accommodations, and spur-of-the-moment changes in the itinerary based on changing circumstances.

Today, there are so many clever and useful smartphone apps that it’s impossible to cover all the ones we use — so we’ll share some of our favorite and most utilized apps. We work exclusively with Apple devices because of their instant accessibility for people who are blind and vision impaired. Many of the apps we mention here are available for Android devices, but we’re not familiar with apps for this platform.

1. Travel Smart

When we travel overseas, we need to know that if we require medical attention we have adequate health insurance. We purchase an annual plan from Allianz that covers both of us. Claims that we have had to submit have been handled efficiently.

Fortunately, we’ve never needed medical evacuation, but we have a friend that used the service of AirMed when his wife fractured a hip in Costa Rica. AirMed handled everything involved in a transfer to a hospital in the U.S.

3. SmartTraveler

SmartTraveler from the U.S. State Department is an essential app we consult before overseas travel, and sometimes while on the move, since it provides critical information on visas, safety and security, local laws, and how to contact the closest embassy or consulate in an emergency.

Pro Tip: You can use this app to confirm you can legally carry your medication (even prescription medication) to the countries you are visiting.

11 Small Travel Accessories I Always Bring That May Surprise You

Many rental cars today have onboard navigation systems. The problem is that each brand of vehicle is different and may be awkward to program, particularly if you have to use your non-dominant hand to type on the screen. When renting cars in Europe, the navigation system is set up in the native language, so we rely exclusively on a smartphone for navigation.

Our app of choice is Waze , which actually uses Google maps as its base, but is crowdsourced for changes in road conditions in real time. A downside is if you lose cell signal, you also lose mapping capability.

Pro Tip: When traveling outside the U.S., it’s best to change out your SIM card for a local one. Using your U.S. SIM card in another country could be costly.

5. Rome2Rio

With Rome2Rio , you enter a starting point and a destination, and the app provides recommendations on different forms of transport that connect the two locations. For example, we were in Sicily on the night we learned Italy was closing its borders due to COVID. We used Rome2Rio to look at outbound destinations around Europe and to identify the airlines serving each city and the range of prices to expect.

Pro Tip: Download apps for the airlines you might use on your trip. They definitely helped during our evacuation from Italy by enabling us to consult several budget airlines flying from Sicily.

Moving between countries In Europe, we frequently travel overland because it is often less expensive than flying and you get to see the changing countryside en route. One-way car rentals are not practical, so we’ve used FlixBus because of their extensive network and reliability.

7. Trainline

We use trains much less than buses, but when we have chosen this mode of transport we have used Trainline to find schedules and approximate pricing. A reservation can also be completed using this app, but we prefer to go to the station to confirm schedules, pricing, and the need to reserve seats.

Pro Tip: We add subway and/or local bus apps as we travel to new cities.

8. Booking.com

We make many of our lodging arrangements through Booking.com prior to departure, but sometimes plans are more fluid, or we need to make last-minute changes. An example is being unable to negotiate several flights of stairs with a broken ankle. 

Pro Tip: Sometimes we look for alternative arrangements using hotels.com , Airbnb , and Hotel Tonight .

If you are a devotee of the National Park System in the U.S., they have a great app ( NPS ) where you can get information about many, if not all, national parks. We use this app to search for information by several different criteria including state and facilities available. Beyond providing basic information, there are self-guided tours for many sites.

10. Rick Steve’s Europe

This app has an extensive list of self-guided walking tours in cities and towns throughout Europe. We’ve used them in Florence and Venice and have really appreciated the detail provided.

11. Get Your Guide

The Get Your Guide app is a great source for finding guides that fit the type of walking or driving tour you are seeking. Each sets their own itinerary and the associated cost.

Pro Tip: Many cities are now developing their own walking or driving apps showcasing the highlights of their downtown or suburban areas. The VisitJax app for Jacksonville, Florida is just one example. Check with the local tourist office website to see whether your chosen city has an app.

When traveling outside the U.S., it’s important to understand how much things cost, so having an app that will do currency conversion is essential. We use XE to help with this, but because of exchange rates and fees, the ultimate amount you pay may vary slightly from other currency conversion apps.

Pro Tip: Download apps for each of your credit cards and your bank to track charges and if necessary, pay bills online.

13. Global Tips

Tipping customs vary in different countries so. We use this app to ensure we fit in with local customs as much as possible.

14. NordVPN

We strongly advise against using any public Wi-Fi, especially when doing financial transactions. Using your phone’s data plan is far more secure. For an added level of security, we highly recommend using a virtual private network (VPN) app that anonymizes your connection and significantly reduces the risk of being hacked. There are free VPN apps, but we use NordVPN , a subscription that allows multiple devices for a single price.

15. Speak And Translate

When traveling, the ability to communicate is essential, but there are times when you won’t find someone who speaks any of the languages you know. When we were in China, the concept of using a translation app was introduced to us by a hotel clerk. You select your native tongue and the language of the other party then you ask your question verbally into the app and it provides immediate translation both verbally and in the local script.

Pro Tip: We also used Google Translate in China to crosscheck translations.

16. WhatsApp

To be able to communicate with friends and family while on international travel we use WhatsApp as an effective tool for video calls, voice calls, and texts using Wi-Fi and/or our data plan. The other party must also have the app on their smartphone.

Pro Tip: The time to test how it works is before you leave home.

For more travel tips , explore these articles:

• 8 Key Tips For Experiencing A Stress-Free Multi-Gen Vacation
• 8 Things You Should Do Every Time You Walk Into A Hotel Room According To A Flight Attendant
• 7 Travel Concerns For Older Travelers And How To Prepare For Them

Penny Zibula has been a freelance writer and blogger since she retired in 2013. Her background is in public relations and community outreach, with stints as a newspaper reporter, television talk show host, and producer. She applies her life-long love of learning and passion for travel to her writing about destinations, history, culture, food, and accessibility.

Simon Lock spent most of his professional life writing detailed scientific documents, including three theses, articles published in peer-reviewed journals, and complex reports for the government and commercial clients. He has also written copy for several websites he has created, including his wife's blog SixLegsWillTravel . Now an avid photographer and commercial drone pilot, Simon writes primarily about the interface of travel and technology.

• Software development

9 essential travel app features every globetrotter needs

Travelling is currently more accessible than ever before. We can effortlessly organise a quick city break or even a several-month journey around the globe while sitting comfortably on the couch. Finding convenient flight routes, selecting fascinating tourist attractions or arranging travel insurance – all this wouldn’t be possible (or at least it would be much tougher) without various digital solutions that support travellers in every aspect of the entire tour.

Simply put, travellers rely on mobile apps during their trips and use them for various reasons. Consequently, the demand for travel apps is reaching its peak – in Q2 2022, the number of app downloads hit an all-time high of 137 million in the U.S.

It all leads to one conclusion: this is the perfect time for travel mobile app development , as demand for them is higher than ever . But what should the mobile app include? Which features to build to make it stand out from the competition? This article will give you some hints!

9 must-have tourism app features to include in your mobile app

Want to make sure that your tourism mobile app fully responds to travellers’ expectations and will support them throughout their numerous journeys? Here’s what users value the most in travel mobile apps. Include these essential features to provide the best travel experience.

Keep in mind, however, that the set of app features will depend mainly on your travel mobile application type. Travel management, insurance, flight or booking apps will address completely different user needs, consequently determining which features should be implemented for each of them.

1. Booking system

Let’s begin our list with one of the most popular features that can be included in mobile apps for travellers. With this functionality, people can easily find accommodation or flights, book them right away and, importantly, keep the boarding pass or check-in confirmation always close at hand . What’s more, booking functionality can additionally give users the possibility to receive relevant notifications. According to a survey from Sale Cycle , users especially value app notifications informing about the trip status, price changes or reminders about the booking process.

Keep in mind, however, that the booking feature applies to many more fields than just accommodation . Your travel application can also serve to book a visit to a much-frequented museum or a city-guided tour. The choice is yours.

Here, Booking has been the undisputed leader for years now. In 2021 alone, the revenue of this world-famous online booking app reached $10.9 billion . To compare, in the same year, Airbnb generated $5.9 billion.

2. In-app translation functionality

The world is open to travellers more than ever. For that reason, international travelling has become a global trend that is still on the rise. However, making trips to foreign countries comes with one very significant barrier: a foreign or a regional language.

Such an issue may cause some unpleasant situations, especially when travelling abroad to countries where the English proficiency level among locals is insufficient. That’s why it’s crucial to include an in-app language translator in your digital product, as it allows travellers to handle stressful and unpredictable situations . And as it turns out, 46% of people avoid travelling to a country where only a foreign language is spoken.

Here, AI may also be additional support thanks to voice recognition or computer vision solutions . By processing images or videos, you will be able to implement a visual translation. With it, travellers scan text, and the translation appears immediately in the app.

3. Payment integration

Want to run a hotel or flight booking mobile application? Or, actually, any app that allows in-app purchases? In that case, implementing a fully secure payment gateway is absolutely a necessity. Users should be assured at every stage of the payment process that the money they send and the sensitive data they share won’t get to unauthorised third parties. What’s more, thanks to payment integration, they will be able to complete the transaction within your app.

Moreover, it’s crucial that your payment options also include a currency rate converter (or at least an option to check currency exchange rates). Such a feature will respond to one of the most irritating issues travellers face when travelling abroad, i.e. the necessity of converting money to local currency and counting it. From a tourist perspective, such a feature may be handy in many situations – when paying for transportation, attractions, hotel etc. By implementing a currency converter, users won’t need to use separate currency conversion apps when paying, which will fasten and facilitate the payment process.

4. Travel itinerary generator

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone else could plan the trip for you and take it off your shoulders? Well, travel apps can do it, and with quite good results.

A travel itinerary generator is something that millions of travellers around the globe have been waiting for. The mechanism is quite simple: all users need to do is enter their dream travel destination, and the feature will generate the whole plan, including the best attractions or accommodation. The goal of this feature is to make planning trips way easier and more accessible.

One of the most successful “guidance” travel apps is TripAdvisor. As its creators state , “No matter what type of trip you’re looking to take, the Tripadvisor app makes planning easy and lets you guide others on their way.” The app lets users plan practically every aspect of their trips : from finding the best local restaurants through discovering fascinating must-see tourist attractions to booking a stay in a hotel.

Another popular all-in-one travel application, TUI , not only serves to find a dream destination or make a booking but also manages the entire trip using a single application.

5. User ratings and trip reviews

Here’s a safe bet: you read reviews and check ratings on different occasions. Moreover, positive user feedback builds your trust and supports your decisions. Am I wrong?

In the online world, we are constantly surrounded by intrusive ads that attack us everywhere. So, user ratings and reviews remain practically the only source of genuine opinions . And the rule also applies to the leisure industry. Did you know that almost 80% of users consult online reviews when selecting where to stay on their trips? Or that for 58% of customers, reviews help choose restaurants? User opinions have immense power, so following the best industry examples, you should implement the review system in your app.

The above-mentioned TripAdvisor even built its unbeatable position in the travel industry as a place where users can find legit reviews shared by the community. And believe us – users will be eager to share their experience if given such an opportunity.

If you want to learn more about how to collect more app ratings and reviews from your users – be sure to check our guide!

6. Easy transport order

Whether people need to get from the airport to the city or want to organise a cross-country road trip – they need safe and reliable transportation. And that’s another thing that may cause some frustration. People travelling to a completely new city for the first time may find it challenging to move around, find the nearest train stations or choose a trusted transport provider to get them from point A to point B. That’s why transportation services in your travel app may be a game-changer that significantly boosts the user experience.

Here, you can choose a variety of transport-related features to add to your travel app :

• Uber-like cab services
• Blablacar-like community-based travel network
• Booking public transport tickets

One of the most successful examples of transport features in the mobile app was implemented by Skyscanner . This world-renowned large travel company has gained massive popularity for its search engine for airlines. Over time, the company expanded its feature set to include car rental. Today, on this all-in-one mobile app, travellers can find a car abroad effortlessly within seconds.

7. Weather forecasting

Sometimes bad weather can be an unpleasant surprise that ruins long-waited holidays. Massive storms can lead to flight cancellations, heat may make discovering cities unbearable, and sudden temperature drops can take all the fun out of spending evenings at the beach. For these and many other reasons, travellers want to know exactly what the weather will be like.

Implement the weather forecast feature in your app and alert your users of upcoming weather predictions . What’s more, following the example of apps like RainViewer, you can also add the possibility of getting accurate short-term rain and storm forecasts for a given location.

8. Emergency services

Sometimes during a journey, some unexpected situations may occur. Certainly, we hope we will never have to use emergency numbers or look for the nearest hospital, especially while travelling in a foreign country. However, life can bring us surprising turns of events, that’s why travellers should be prepared for any emergencies.

This feature may genuinely save lives. By implementing a location-based emergency services feature, you can show travellers in a given area valid emergency numbers or directions to a pharmacy, clinic or police station .

Such a feature will give users a sense of security, and you will send a clear signal that you make their safety a top priority.

9. Social media integration

And last but not least…

In your travel mobile application, you can add the option to integrate your travel app with the most popular social media platforms like Instagram or Twitter. In this way, users will get to share experiences from their journeys through their social media accounts. And believe us, people love posting about their holidays – as many as 60% of travellers do it on their trips.

Importantly, to facilitate the integration, remember to add a log-in option within your app , which will significantly speed up getting access to the social media profile.

In fact, the social aspect is a vital part of practically any type of mobile application, and travel apps are no exception. Our experts at Miquido had the great pleasure of creating a network mapping app for YouMap. The project’s primary goal is to enable users to create customised maps based on their personal experiences and interests, which they will then be able to share with the world. Learn more about the YouMap project!

Invest in travel app development!

As the travel and tourism industry is brimming with great digital solutions, you need to bring something extra to the table to make your mobile app stand out. Implementing revolutionary user-oriented features may be a great way to achieve that.

The above list presents top features that can boost travellers’ user experience and make them want to reach for your app on every journey. However, remember that your app purpose and business goals should dictate the final choice of your feature set. So choose whatever works best for you!

Need help building a dedicated travel mobile app to support your bold business goals? Or maybe the travel market is not exactly your niche, and you need an experienced entertainment app development company ? Contact us – our entertainment or travel app developers will create a custom digital solution that will delight users.

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The Full Guide to Travel App Development: Revenue Models, Features, Cost

Updated 05 Jun 2023

When it comes to planning a trip, travelers rely on their mobiles more than ever. According to Travelport Digital , 80% of travelers used a mobile app to research trips in 2018.

So travel app development is a perspective niche to bring investments in. But if you want to build a big-time travel app, you need to carefully choose the business model, features, and decide on the budget.

In this guide, we’re sorting out travel mobile app development – from how they work to how to make a successful travel app. And how much it’s going to cost you.

Let’s get started.

How Travel Apps Work

Agencies create travel apps for much more than listing hotels and restaurants. Still, providing useful and engaging travel content remains their best lead generation channel.

The content travel companies rely on often includes:

• travel guides
• reviews and ratings from travelers
• exclusive tours

By developing a travel app, companies offer a more convenient tool to search for tickets and check their cost, rent cars, and so on.

Same with accommodation search and booking. With extensive filtering options, reviews system, and other travel app features, users won’t spend tons of time choosing the right place.

Industry giants like Expedia and TripAdvisor allow doing all that from a single app.

Finally, some platforms work with upsales – they make custom propositions to clients, according to their preferences. Like offering specific tours, insurances, and additional services.

Travel app design concept by Cleveroad

How Travel Apps Make Money

Next, we’re finding out what keeps travel apps like Expedia, TripAdvisor, Booking.com afloat.

There are three revenue models for tourism app development:

• merchant model (Expedia)
• commission fees (Booking.com)
• advertising (TripAdvisor)

Merchant Model

Expedia makes most of it's profit following the merchant model. Their gross bookings increased to $28.3 billion in the second quarter of 2019.

Here’s how it works: the platform buys hotel rooms and then resells them to guests. As Expedia rents rooms in bulk, hotels can offer the cheapest deals to it's customers.

Besides, merchants bundles often extend to airfares, car rentals, and other services.

For example

Expedia buys 100 rooms at $50 per night instead of $90 (the best available rate). Customers are happy as they get rooms cheaper than the hotel initially offers, hosts – because of the number of rooms booked and the income.

Commission Fees

Small hotels don't have advertising budgets as huge chains do. This means their best chance to attract travelers is to get listed on large resources like Booking.com.

In turn, companies that created travel apps may set commission rates from each transaction. For instance, Booking.com charges from 10% to 30% of each booking made.

Want to repeat Booking.com’s success? Check how in ' How to Create a Hotel Booking App ' guide.

Booking.com sets the rate at $100 and, if sold, the guest pays, $100 but the hotel gets only $75. The remaining $25 goes to the platform as the commission fee for customer service, marketing, and so on.

Advertising

The advertising model is the most affordable one and works best for small agents who want to build a travel app.

You can show relevant ads like hotels, tour operators, airline ads, and more. Or sell advertising space to firms in the relevant industry.

TripAdvisor is driven by it.

It earns money from flights and hotels by charging cost-per-click to the OTA and supplier sites. In plain words, they get paid for redirecting the customer to third-party websites.

Sure, the listing doesn't guarantee a boost of bookings (after all, reviews and rates remain the same). But a hotel ranked last can greatly increase it's traffic with the sponsored placement.

TripAdvisor offers sponsored listings options and allows paying hotels to show up in the top of users' search results operating on a cost-per-click basis. Clicks on these sponsored listings cost around $1-$3.

Core Features of a Travel App

How to start a travel app development ? By picking the MVP features.

Here are the must-haves most travel apps share:

• Sign-up/profile management
• Searching system
• Chat with hosts
• Notifications

Let’s take a more detailed look at each.

1. Registration and Profile Management

Sing up is the core feature of any application, including travel apps.

It would be great if you allow users to browse the app without logging in each time. But when it comes to bookings, saving payment details, or chatting with the host, registration can’t be skipped.

Most platforms use email/phone number+password combination for sign up.

But social login is also a must-have for travel app development. It allows reusing login details from social media accounts (like Google, Twitter, or Facebook) in just a few taps. The faster, the better for user experience.

Hosts should also have personal accounts in the app to list their property.

In terms of safety, they shouldn’t skip the registration step at all. Plus, becoming the platform’s partner usually takes more time than plain user registration. At least hosts need to provide documents confirming their ownership, agree to the terms, and so on.

Travel app UI: registration panel by Cleveroad

2. Search and Filters

Any travel app should help users to find a place to stay. According to their preferences, the number of people, budget, dates, and so on. The more complex filters users have, the more precise result they get.

Here are the primary filters users should have access to:

• Number of people
• Additional services (parking, Wi-Fi, and so on)

3. Listing Information

Let's imagine users have found a hotel or a restaurant according to their preferences. Naturally, they’d want to find out more about the place.

Usually, travelers get access to the following information:

• Available booking dates
• Description
• Customers' reviews
• Rules and cancelation policies

Another good idea is to show listings on a map. That's how users will see how far the hotel or restaurant is from the city center or the nearest subway station.

To create itinerary apps, developers use Apple Maps or Google Maps, depending on the platform (iOS or Android).

Next, hosts should also have an option to add their place and it's description to the list.

They need to enter:

• description
• available rooms

4. Messaging Channels

You may also think of adding a chat between customers and hotel representatives when developing a travel app. If users won't find an answer to their question in the application, they should have an option to ask staff members directly.

There’s no need for complex solutions with audio or video-calls. A plain chatbox will be a good job too.

Most travel apps allow the booking of tickets, hotels, tours, and other related services. To implement this functionality, developers use various technologies and APIs – like Booking.com, Skyscanner, and other widely popular tools.

What is a travel API, and how it works? We've spelled it out! Check out our '15 Best Travel APIs to Help You Build a Great Product' to see them.

But platforms like TripAdvisor or Booking.com rarely collect the payment from travelers; they prefer to leave it to the hosts.

Travel mobile app design sample: booking feature

6. Reviews System

The reviews system helps users to find out what travelers think and discover the pitfalls.

Here's how it works: when the users check out of the apartment (or the payment goes through, the system will show a notice asking them to rate their experience.

Recommendations from travelers will help other guests understand whether the place is what it seems.

7. Notifications

Push notifications are great for informing about updates, discounts, or sending reminders before the trip. Especially if you’re developing a travel app that is rarely used on an everyday basis.

Push notifications work for:

• showing new offers, discounts, price changes;
• reminding customers about the services left unchecked
• improving customer experience by informing about booking changes or sending reminders

That was the list of MVP features required for any travel application at the start.

But later, you can always add some sophisticated features like:

• weather forecasting
• currency converter
• in-app payments
• language translators, and so on

Weather feature concept by Cleveroad

How to Create a Travel App

Finally, let’s figure out how to make a travel app, both engaging and must-have useful.

1. Work for Your Target Audience

Ask yourself who you’re developing a travel app for.

Dealing with young travelers on a budget? They are easy to win over with discounts, assistance with finding hostels and push notifications about upcoming sales and free activities.

Aiming at big spenders? They have expensive tastes and want high-quality offers. Deliver top of the line experiences with unique offers they'll never forget.

Finally, it’s a good idea to add some personalized offers when developing a travel app. And there’s no shame in peeking at competitors and studying their offers.

Vice versa, you’ll see their week and strong points and may get a few great ideas about what their apps are missing.

2. Pick the Right Team

Done with planning? Time to start looking for a reliable travel app development company.

It may be a good idea to outsource the development abroad. Usually, software development services in Europe or Asia are cheaper than in the USA or Canada. And the quality is often the same.

We've made deep research on European pricing. Check it in our ' IT outsourcing in Europe ' guide.

To pick the company, I suggest using one of the leading review and rating platforms:

On these websites, you'll see the list of companies by countries, hourly rates, and check what their clients have to say.

Top travel apps development companies for android and iOS

3. Collaborate with the Hosts

No fancy travel app design or smooth performance will work for customers if there are no good offers provided. So collaboration with hosts is one of the key points of travel application development.

That’s a large amount of data, and hosts are more likely to manage it from an easy-to-use app.

Appearance matters! Order top UI/UX design services for building a cunning app.

From their account, hotel managers should be able to monitor the bookings, general information, and other details.

Another point is a smooth notifications system.

Besides, customers are likely to blame the app if anything happens during their trip. Make sure you’re choosing trustworthy partners that will follow your agreement.

How to make travel app: main steps

Tech Stack For Travel Application Development

Modern technologies come handy for making travel apps run smoothly and load fast.

If want to build a travel app for iOS, the most popular programming languages are Swift and Objective-C . As for Android, engineers may choose Kotlin or Java .

Besides, no application can run without third-patry tools and integrations.

Here’s an example of a project development stack (iOS, Android, web):

App development

• Passport.js
• Crashlytics

3-rd party services

• Google Signin
• Google Maps API
• Google Play

Still, remember that any set of technologies always depends on your project and business requirements.

Cost of a Travel App Development

Building a travel application for two platforms (iOS and Android apps) may cost about $103,600 . It's an APPROXIMATE number based on $50/h rate (Eastern Europe, Ukraine).

The exact number fully depends on your needs and expected functionality.

How much your travel app costs?

Our business analysts at your disposal! We’ll check requirements and calculate the cost, for free.

How I got this number? It's simple: the more hours devs will spend on the mobile development services , the more it's going to cost you.

Our business analysts estimated that travel app development for both iOS and Android (including the hosts’ part, backend and admin panel), will take 2,072 hours .

Besides, the total price of travel app development depends on your vendor's country of residence.

Here are just a few examples with different regions:

• Eastern Europe . $103,600 (based on $50/h)
• Central and Western Europe . $207,200 (based on $100/h)
• USA . $310,800 (based on $150/h)
• Australia . $207,200 (based on $100/h)

Cleveroad Expertise

We are an IT outsourcing company with more than 11 years of experience in the market. Our main objective is to renovate the internal processes of our customers’ business, aiming at higher user satisfaction as well as competitive advantages obtaining. Travel software is the on-demand niche our expertise comprises.

Cleveroad software engineers will eagerly architect solutions for booking, HMS, and TMS digital products to provide the voyagers with a perfect service.

Need a travel app?

We’ll help to turn your idea into a full-scale product.

Travel apps help users to research destinations, find good flight and accommodation deals, and book services. Apps like TripAdvisor also offer travel guides and allow users to check reviews and ratings from travelers.

• Step #1. Define your target audience and come up with unique offers for them.
• Step #2. Hire qualified developers to build a travel app.
• Step #3. Collaborates with the hosts (hotels, restaurants, and so on).

About $103,600 for iOS and Android apps and admin panel. It's an APPROXIMATE number based on a $50/h rate (Eastern Europe, Ukraine). If you need an accurate estimation of your project, contact us .

Evgeniy Altynpara is a CTO and member of the Forbes Councils’ community of tech professionals. He is an expert in software development and technological entrepreneurship and has 10+years of experience in digital transformation consulting in Healthcare, FinTech, Supply Chain and Logistics

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By Paula Borowska August 17, 2020

12 Travel Apps that Are Useful and Beautiful

I have been traveling extensively for the last three years. I’m currently planning a much larger trip of at least six months where I will combine backpacking with living abroad. Over the years, I’ve picked up a bunch of tricks for making travel easier and having the right set of apps definitely helps. Because I’m a designer by trade, I have picked my own list of amazing apps.

If you’re a traveler you will appreciate these apps for their utility. If you’re a designer you will appreciate them for their good design, either UI or UX. The apps vary from helping you save money to helping you spend it. Let’s get started with some eye-pleasing designs!

01. Hopper ( iOS / Android )

Hopper is one of the few travel apps I use for finding a good flight deal. Out of them all, this is the most visually appealing. Hopper’s visual style is pleasant and friendly. It’s not too professional and cold. Their use of color as an accent is well-coordinated.

I enjoy how they use green, yellow, and blue to indicate flight prices on various dates. It makes the comprehension so much easier than having to look at numbers. I like how clutter-free the application is. It definitely comes in handy when I’m flexible with my flight times.

02. Steller ( iOS / Android )

I really got into Steller two years ago during my first long trip. I found it a nice way to create a short photo story about my adventure.

I also enjoyed that it helped me get inspired by other people’s adventures. I also like that Steller is not limited to travel; I found plenty of DIYs and cooking recipes, too. It’s a really fun app to help you kill some time. The quality of photography in the app is top notch as well 👌🏿! I have a harder time looking away from Steller than Instagram.

03. Qapital ( iOS  / Android )

I recently fell in love with this savings app. I love that you can set financial goals such as saving 100 bucks for new shoes. I’m using it to save $400 to dine at a Michelin Star restaurant in France and $350 to stay a night at the Marina Bay in Singapore.

I’m also a big fan of the various ways you can save. You can set it up to save the change from each transaction, or a certain amount or even $1+ each day. It’s very helpful in achieving my various traveling goals.

04. Duolingo ( iOS / Android )

Not only this app is adorable, it’s effective, too. I’ve been improving my Italian with this app for years. I highly recommend Duolingo to anyone interested in languages or going to a new country.

Spending some time learning a few words in Dutch or Spanish can definitely help when you’re spending some time in the country. Locals appreciate when you can say a thing or two in their own language and it doesn’t hurt to know more.

In addition to Italian, I’ve been making my way through Spanish and Portuguese. It makes the time go much smoother on my commutes.

05. Lonely Planet Guides ( iOS / Android )

Lonely Planet has so many different resources. They have recently published a mobile app with free city guides. They don’t have too many cities on there, yet but they are growing. It’s similar to their website but in an app. This way you can use it offline, too.

It gives you a glimpse into a city on the go and it’s beautiful, too. Lonely Planet has been improving the quality of its brand design. Actually, I’m a big fan of their branding. Their new app is another lovely example of their amazing design and content.

06. GetYourGuide ( iOS / Android )

I only recently found GetYourGuide and I’ve already been on so many tours and activities with them. They have an amazing collection of things you can do when you travel. Most of them offer really good prices, too. For instance, I’ve booked a bunch of activities I’m going to do during my next travel to Marrakesh and Nice. I strongly suggest checking them out.

At the very least it will give you an idea of what you can do while traveling. How knows, maybe it will inspire you to do a particular activity such as camel trekking in Morocco. If you end up buying a tour get the app; it’s much easier to manage your reservations this way.

07. BucketListly ( iOS )

If you’re like me you enjoy completing various adventures. BucketLisly lets you keep a list, update it, and check things off. There is a lovely community of people on there who do all sorts of things.

This includes things from traveling for the first time through riding a camel to spending two weeks backpacking in Sri Lanka. Whatever you’re up to, you’ll find someone who did it or wants to do it, too.

This is a great way to document your travels. Both the mobile and web app are great for looking through all the things everyone has done to get inspired.

08. Lola ( iOS )

I haven’t used this app yet but I’d love to (there is a waiting list). It’s a beautiful personal travel agent. I mostly want to give it a try because of its UI. Okay fine, I’m curious about its artificial intelligence.

I have been skeptical of smart apps as they don’t always find the most budget-friendly of efficient routes. I want to play with it and see if it can help me find better routes, maybe cheaper ones than I can by myself.

Trying to score a good layout can be very tedious at times. But, it is also a nicely designed mobile app. So, it has that going for it, too.

09. HostelWorld ( iOS / Android )

If you’re looking for affordable accommodation this is the app for you. As the name suggests, HostelWorld has a lot of hostel listings around the world. I’ve been using them for a very long time to find accommodations from Paris to Bangkok. The good thing is that they have so many options!

They don’t only have hostels but also bungalows, B&Bs, and hotels. I’ve only booked hostels with them, like a $4 a night hostel in Phuket. What a deal! And, it wasn’t even falling apart 😉 I like their mobile app, too. That’s why it is on the list. Navigation around is pretty easy and it’s handy to have your reservations ready when checking in.

10. HotelTonight ( iOS /  Android )

This app doesn’t work all over the world. They have most global cities covered but their main market is in the US. So, for those of you looking for a last minute hotel reservation, this is an app for you. They provide discounted rates for a night or two.

I’ve used it once when I was in Vegas. I got a lovely deal at the Caesar’s Palace. We even had a view of the trip. It was fantastic. I love the app because of their great deals but also because of their UI design.

I like that it’s dark and the fact it has good photos of their listed hotels. If you aren’t too budget-conscious there is a good variety of hip and luxurious hotels on there, too. Because the hotels come with a discount, it might be a nice chance for you to treat yourself for a night. That’s what I ended up doing in Vegas and we didn’t break the bank either.

11. PackPoint ( iOS / Android )

Before traveling somewhere, it’s good to know what to bring with yourself. It’s especially tricky when you’re going to a new location or multiple different locations. I like this app for their friendly look and feel.

I think the use of the light teal color is a nice touch. PackPoint provides you with a packing list depending on your destination. I like how versatile this app is. It asks you what types of activities you’re into, when you’re traveling, and how long you’re going to be there.

12. Google Translate ( iOS / Android )

I do speak English, Polish, and some Italian. I can comprehend Spanish to a decent extent, too. But, let’s face it, I don’t know everything. Google Translate is the most useful tool of these all. Being stuck in a foreign country can be stressful without knowing their language.

Having to deal with an emergency or not even being able to read many things can be unpleasant. I personally love the “photo to translation” feature. Download Google Translate and love its ability to make life oh so smoother. I’m also a fan of the simple material design UI used in the app.

Do you travel?

If you travel I’m sure you have come across an app or two that you love, too. Do you mind sharing it? Bonus points if it’s a beautiful app or one with an amazing UX.

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20 Creative Travel App Designs for Your Inspiration

Traveling is probably in a lot of yearly to-do lists and most of us are probably in the midst of planning our next big trip of the season.

One thing we’d probably appreciate is a travel app that is both appealing and simple to use, giving you all the detailed and specific information of a travel destination alongside stunning photos that make you want to be there already. It would be even better if said app also lets you find hotels, plan accommodations and set itineraries all inside the app on a good-looking interface.

On the other side of the fence, creating such apps might be challenging though not impossible . Many designers have attempted to create the idea of a travel app. And some of them are really good. Here is a showcase of some of the more fascinating and appealing ones.

Read more: 10 UX lessons you can find in travel websites

Traveller App by Ludmila Shevchenko . This travel app was designed to share tips and comments on particular travel destinations. I love the simple design but most of all the colorful filters over the images of destinations.

Book a Hotel by Agilie Team . This app allows users to choose a travel destination and book a hotel right on the app. Thin light fonts and dark grey background looks amazing along with beautiful sites of the local scenes.

Lets Go by Prateek Dave . Huge stunning travel images made this design truly attractive. The menus on the top and bottom colored with blue and yellow makes it convenient to find and use the navigation bar.

Take in the Scenery by Cai Cardenas . Despite the fact that this app was created just for fun, it looks super awesome. I love the big images, the white on blue, and round-ended status bar showing the rate of the place/hotel.

Camping App by Murat Gürsoy . A great example of card design in a mobile travel app. It features beautiful images with white typography. Also, I like orange reservation menu plu sthe nice use of icons.

Travel Places by Humble Akhter . A full-fledged mobile app design for a travel app, the blue colored hover on the images make the red blight CTA buttons look really cool. The different categories are all placed in small and cute but functional circles.

Volo – Your Travel Journal by MinJee Hahm . This travel journal is made to share your travel journey with friends and followers. The design is simple, minimalistic, and light yet lets you share your writings, travel photos, allow likes on the photos, and keeps your log chronologically lined up.

Travel app [Card view] by Alexander Zaytsev . Multiple cards of destinations encourage users to swipe through them to find the next travel destination. It’s a clever thought. Pay attention to the colorful gradient on the image which looks like a light leak.

Timeline by Piotr Adam Kwiatkowski . This design features an amazing timelined journey with beautiful images taken on each leg of the journey. It shows places visited, images taken, and miles traveled. It seems to have infinitive scrolling, perfect for those who can never stay in one place.

Travel app Glimpse by Prakhar Neel Sharma . This design is so light and minimalistic and it gives a twist to the card design by making it not so squarish. The first screen left shows recent posts about travel destinations, and the second screen displays user reviews in numbers.

Travel Concept by Regy Perlera . Here is one more design with perfect blue color and font choices. Recent and All Time switch encourages to press the button. I also like the use of the hamburger menu button here.

Urban Walks by Anton & Irene and Danil Krivoruchko . The app showcases various travel tours available and travel is depicted on a beautiful hand-drawn maps and landmarks. I can only imagine how much time and effort were put into it.

Travel Place Info by Agilie Team . This animation shows how you can scroll and search through an interface for various tours. Scroll down, choose the location and it will unfold showing details.

Travel Guide Concept by Irina Salnykova . Here you can see the menu, list of tours, and an image of a chosen tour. I like the pink icons on the blue background on the sidebar menu too.

iBeacon by Jana de Klerk . This iBeacon app design is available for free download in PSD. I love the sunny images and modern minimalistic fonts.

TripAdvisor (Material Design) by Rico Monteiro . Here is a concept of TripAdvisor in Material Design which is a step up from the original design. The plus button is a nice touch.

Compass by Rahul Bhosale . This travel app displays a yellow compass in the bottom and an amazing-looking image slider where photos hide behind each other. On the right screen, there appears to be a destination profile.

TOD by Léo Sestier . Here is a simple app design which allows you to choose a place you want to go to based on your interests. Glyph icons show the categories you can choose. The background images work great on the home screen of the app.

Roundtrip by EY-Intuitive . This simple app is designed to track every step of your trip. This initial view is a circle of the entire journey, hence the "roundtrip". You can use zoom to check the time details of each date.

Rentalcars by Tom Thorley . This app allows you to rent a car while travelling. It showcases beautiful images, various destinations and prices.

How to Design a Travel App UI/UX (& Case Study)

Travel App Dashboard , Travel App UI , UI/UX Design

Travel App UI/UX

Sometimes we search travel apps just to dream about a vacation. We look at travel pictures shared by friends, family, and total strangers and immediately ask ourselves if we’d like to travel there as well. The desire to explore new places and have novel experiences is part of being human. The travel app UI/UX design needs to do one thing, above all else, it needs to somehow make the travel experience better through a digital user experience. Lastly, creating a travel app UI design is always going to be a challenging task because you need to enhance the experience of your users while at the same time, meeting the business goals of your company.

The first rule of designing a travel app is to map out a plan. You can do this by:

• Thinking about the types of users you want to attract.
• Defining what makes your app unique, and then using those features in all aspects of the design process.
• Analyzing your competitors’ apps for inspiration and learning from them as well as their mistakes – no one wants to see you copy their designs!

Having said that, bear in mind that these are only the basics because designing a travel app is much more complex than this. A large part of our travel app design services is brainstorming ideas and mapping out strategies that would ultimately bring the entire user experience together.

As a travel app designer, you have to think about the user experience from their point of view. Therefore, the most important thing is to understand what users need and what they want. Since it can be a daunting process, our design experts have created an in-depth guide on how to design a travel app along with a travel app UI/UX design case study that will help you clearly visualize the design process.

The primary goal of any travel app design

Ideally, the main objective of any travel app design is to add value to the user’s life. As a UI/UX design agency , when developing a travel mobile app’s design , we ensure that we create a travel app that is meant to be used repeatedly because it assists travelers with their trips by providing information, tips, and advice.

For instance, if the purpose of your travel app helps users plan their trips from start to finish, the user should have an overall experience that is better than just having a simple itinerary when using your app. This could mean they can check out maps and directions, read reviews and comments, share their experiences on social media, keep track of their expenses (if they use them), find local attractions, or more!

Besides, there should also be a clear incentive for the user to use your app. Whether the user will save money at the end by using the app or have a seamless travel experience, your app’s use case should make its final reward evident right from the get-go.

For this to happen, there should be a clear connection between your app and its user base. A good example of this would be Uber, which has been able to gain popularity because of its ability to solve problems that many people have had with transportation; in particular, the lack of dependability in the public Taxi market. The app allows users to easily procure a car from anywhere in their town or city, providing them with more options when it comes to transportation. Here, Uber’s end reward for the user is convenience and regional coverage.

On the other hand, consider companies like Airbnb and TripAdvisor; their apps give users more options when looking for accommodations or places to eat around town. In this case, the end reward is an overall better travel experience.

Simply put, if you are going to make people look into their phones while they are traveling, your overall travel app design should be able to give them a solid return on their investment in your app.

In our experience the basic principles of a travel app UI design are as follows:

Simplicity is the key to great user experience.

You don’t have to stuff all the latest UI/UX design trends in your travel app’s interface to improve its usability. The best travel app designs are simple so that users can understand it well and use it easily when they are traveling to an unfamiliar place.

This concept is evident in every aspect of the design process, from brainstorming ideas from scratch to implementing them on a wireframe. As a rule of thumb, the fewer elements you use, the easier it is for your users to understand the usefulness of the app.

A good example of this is the iPhone’s user interface, which has been praised for its functional minimalism throughout its entire history. Everything is designed within a thumb’s reach, allowing even a novice to use the device effortlessly.

Structure makes sense of complexity.

The travel app UI/UX needs to have a structure with a clear hierarchy and elements. So, the organization of your content needs to be obvious for users to immediately be able to navigate around, which helps them feel less overwhelmed and more at ease with your app.

A good structure will also help them find their way around quickly and efficiently as well as prevent them from getting lost in the app.

Visual appeal

Visual appeal is essential for any design project!

Your design should be easy on the eyes because it is part of developing trust and respect from the user. We’ve all heard a friend say that a certain app “sucks!” Whereas the truth is that the developers probably spent endless hours on it and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, but one bad user experience and it deleted from a user’s phone and filed away in his or her mental file under “sucks!” So, travel UX design is not just about making things clear and comprehensible but also about making things visually engaging and immediately usable.

Functionality

Functionality could be present in every aspect of a mobile travel app UI design through its navigation or its features.

This principle helps users make sense of the information presented in the interface and do what they need to do with it.

Consider this to be the UI/UX design version of Chekov’s Gun principle, which applies to movies. According to the principle, each element in the narrative needs to have a meaningful contribution to the story. If something doesn’t add value to the story, it should be eliminated.

Quite literally, Chekov’s Gun principle states that if a gun is introduced in a story, it has to be used as an active part of the narrative. Similarly, each element used in your travel mobile app design must have a purpose for its existence. If it doesn’t improve your app’s functionality, it needs to be eliminated.

Reusability

What makes an app successful?

If it brings users back to it as intended, it is a good app. It is that simple. Your travel app design template must be developed with only one key goal in mind: make it reusable.

If your travel app dashboard isn’t experiencing consistency in user behavior, you need to rethink your template and possibly recreate one from scratch. Since app redesign is almost always more challenging than creating a new one, it is wiser to get everything right on the first attempt.

Developing your travel app dashboard.

Travel app requirements that designers shouldn’t ignore

The best travel apps help users get more out of their trips by providing them with everything they need to make it a great experience. Let’s take one of our travel apps as an example and dive deeper.

Fuselab helped build Geotourist, an app that allows tourists to find routes and first-hand accounts of travelers on their destinations ahead of their trips. You can read more about it in our travel app case study . But for now, let’s take a look at the specific issues and goals that were addressed by our team during the design process.

Performing travel app UX research to meet the key goals first

When you design travel apps, you need to ensure that they help users complete their goals, whether it be booking travel or finding the right hotel, restaurant, or attractions.

For Geoturist app UI/UX design, our research concluded three important goals: publish user-generated content in as many major cities as possible, attract users who are willing to add in-depth reviews, and make the app media-rich with videos and audio for each destination.

So, our team focused on these three things when planning the UI/UX design. We also studied all the travel app design inspirations that we could shortlist to understand if they were meeting the same goals and what gaps we could fill when designing our app.

The result? After our re-design, the app had a 30% increase in its monthly customers – all because it offered the value that its users were looking for.

Build in more personization in your travel app design.

Don’t delay needed fixes and UX improvements to your application.

Organizing content and elements sensibly

A creative travel app design doesn’t necessarily have to value aesthetics over the basics. Every travel app UX design should accommodate its user’s sensibility. This means organizing the content within the app into logical groups of information or functionality that can be accessed more quickly and easily than, say by browsing through all available options individually.

To reiterate, ask yourself the most ridiculously obvious question on earth: “why should users download this app when they can simply Google everything?” before determining your app’s value.

Let’s take social media apps for instance. An app like Instagram is now designed to let users find and access eateries in a specific location – some of which are not even listed on Google, perhaps because the people running the place don’t know about Google listings but know about Instagram.

All you must do is type in a keyword or tag and locate the places targeting those tags on the map. This is much faster than scrolling down endlessly through posts or profiles to discover new places. This type of organization also gives people more time to spend on their favorite social network.

In the case of Geotourist, our team utilized familiar icons and intuitive navigation for the app’s users. This eliminated the need for demos or tutorials for using the app because everything was self-explanatory. As a result, tourists were able to download the app and derive immediate value from it.

Balancing the words with numbers in your travel mobile app design

Some of the biggest travel app design problems can be easily resolved. For instance, too many words are bound to confuse you, so we need to balance them using numbers that appeal to your rationale. Moreover, the value perceived in digits is always given more importance than if it is perceived in terms because the former allows you to quantify your returns.

For the Geotourist app, we used the dashboard to show our clients how much value their users were gaining from the app. A dashboard has a collection of information (mainly related to the multiple aspects of the app’s data) that allows users to view and interact with it.

The best way to do this is by using data and analytics. Analytics is used to measure and analyze data from a number of different sources, such as website traffic, app usage, and customer feedback. We organized the data regarding user behavior and engagement on Geotourist into meaningful datasets, allowing our client to see the real-time interaction on the app – from social media interactions to tourist reviews.

The purpose of this was to give the creators of Geotourist detailed insights into their users without making them create charts or reports to make sense of all the data generated by the app. The app automated the analytics for them.

Using the analytics from Geotourist, they can now see what’s working and what isn’t, so they can quickly adjust to keep their customers happy and coming back for more.

Keeping all elements interactive

When designing a travel app dashboard, you are not only responsible for the layout of the pages but you also have to consider how it all works together.

According to the latest transportation app UI/UX design best practices , an effective design can help increase engagement, retention, and conversion rates by increasing perceived value and brand awareness among users. This was evident in the Geotourist app because we religiously stuck to the design fundamentals – one of which was improving the responsiveness of the app.

Everything clicks! Our team designed the user interface of the Geotourist app in such a way that it gave users a lot of room and opportunities for engaging with the app. All of this happened because the high “clickability” encouraged users to explore the app and dig deeper to find out what else they could do with it.

User experience is an unavoidable part of any app. Since user experience heavily relies on the user interface, even a single element can affect your engagement rate. So, it is always wiser to work with a professional travel app design agency to build one for you. Get in touch with our team to discuss your needs.

Marketing Director - Senior Strategist

About Author

Marc caposino.

Marc has over 20 years of senior-level creative experience; developing countless digital products, mobile and Internet applications, marketing and outreach campaigns for numerous public and private agencies across California, Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. In 2017 Marc co-founded Fuselab Creative with the hopes of creating better user experiences online through human-centered design.

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How to Build a Travel App: Top Features and the Final Cost

Looking to build a travel app like Airbnb or Skyscanner from scratch? In this blog, we will tell you where to start and how much it will cost – including examples of our travel apps!

2 years ago   •   10 min read

Can you imagine going in person to the ticket office to book a flight or using a printed map to find your hotel? These days, it’s almost impossible to plan a trip without using technology, and we can pretty much do everything through our phones. No wonder 61% of travelers booked their flights via a smartphone app in 2019.

With the borders between countries opening up again, more and more people are getting back to using the traveling apps on their smartphones. So it’s the perfect time to think about your own tourism app, be it for booking accommodations or providing your users with travel experiences.

But how to build a travel app? What makes a travel app great? Which features are absolutely essential for the travel application development, no matter its type? And, finally, how much does a travel app cost? Let’s work through the answers together.

4 top travel app types to develop

Before discussing how to make a travel app, let’s start with the basics: the very functionality of your future application. Your app might help users at any stage of their journey, from researching destinations to finding the best hotel offers.

What are some of the most used travel app types?

Flight and transportation booking apps

Of course, it’s hard to get anywhere without booking a flight first. Flight aggregators are the most popular ways to find a convenient offer and a frequent choice for travel app development. People can use the transport app to analyze the prices and available dates from different airlines and then book a flight on the spot.

The same goes for buses, trains, or even ferries. Opening website after website of each carrier is no fun, so downloading an all-in-one app is a great choice for travelers.

Some of the most popular trip booking apps are Skyscanner and Kiwi for flights, or Omio and Rome2Rio for all types of transportation.

Accommodation booking apps

Immediately after booking your flight, you will likely open an app like Airbnb or Booking. Again, there is no use in searching accommodation options on Google or a map, then visiting the hotel’s website to check prices.

Accommodation aggregators let the users choose a suitable stay by filtering the sites by date, accommodation type, price, reviews, and so on. Thanks to the automated booking systems, travelers don’t have to communicate with the accommodations directly.

Often, such apps also take care of conflict resolutions and refunds. In turn, booking application owners do not have to worry about monetization as they earn profit through commissions.

Travel guides

Once flights and accommodations are booked, travelers are left wondering how to get the most out of their time. Which places are worth visiting and which ones are overhyped? What are the city’s hidden gems? Where should I go if I only have a few days?

Travel guides can answer these and other questions on the spot. Filters can help users select tours or agendas based on their interests. For example, you might want to focus on one theme, like historic sites or sports activities.

How to make a travel guide app? Basic travel guides usually provide information via text. However, you can make a travel app more competitive by adding audio excursions or even augmented reality features.

Trips and activity booking apps

For those who want to create a travel app that stands out among the market, a travel organizer app is a great choice and in demand as you can target specific regions, trip types, and demographics – whatever you choose.

For example, recently, we created a travel app for searching and booking sports activity trips. Users can select an activity type, such as hiking or kayaking, view the available trips, and book the one they love the most.

What are the main features of a travel app?

The travel mobile app development process always starts with choosing the app’s functionality. Of course, some features depend on the type of solution you choose, but there are others that any kind of application needs. These include:

• User registration and sign in
• Search engine with filters
• Database with all listings
• Booking system with payment gateways
• Push notifications

Then, depending on the solution type, you might need additional functions.

Get help choosing the feature set: developing your travel app with Perpetio means business and tech consulting included.

Let’s take the example of travel apps development: our trip booking app. This application is an MVP (minimum viable product), which is the approach we recommend our clients to use for any new product. Why?

By building an MVP, you’ll get a fully functioning competitive app while saving the extra money and time it takes to build a complex solution. When presenting an app made from scratch, the best feedback you can get is from actual users. You will include the features customers need and find valuable. And extras can be added later on as your product extends.

User registration and login

First things first. To use any app, people will need to log into it or sign up in some way. Because trip booking apps require users’ sensitive data, such as their emails and card numbers, registration is simply necessary for completing the booking and protecting this information.

Usually, the user’s phone number or email address is used for registration. You might also offer the option to register via social media accounts. Either way, the Firebase authentication tool is most commonly used for enabling user login.

Searching and filtering

After a user is logged in, they are usually redirected to the home page displaying all the available elements. For example, in our travel guide app, we list all the sports trips in which a user can sign up.

Depending on the app type, various listings might include flights, accommodation, excursions, sightseeing points, and so on. The point is that there is no chance of building a travel app without a database. Your database can be either a local one, such as SQLite, or a cloud, like Firebase.

Apart from simply scrolling the list of trips, the user should be able to filter them according to their preferences. This helps them save time and, as a result, get a better experience. Possible filters include:

• Activity types
• Number of people
• Accommodation types (e.g. a flat or a hotel room)

Take a look at our travel app development for iOS and Android example. Here, our primary filter is the activity type, such as biking or camping. We also give our users the option to enter a location in the search bar manually, which produces trips in a particular country or region.

The best way to fetch data from different airlines, hotels, and other providers is to use a travel app API (application programming interface). APIs allow developers to call other websites when a user starts a search and, as a result, provide up-to-date pricing and availability. For example, you can integrate the Skyscanner API to provide flight booking information.

After finding a suitable option using filters or scrolling, the user will need more detailed information. No matter what your app is listing, there is always something to share. For example:

• If you offer plane or bus tickets, your users need to see the carrier, departure and arrival time, reviews, price breakdown, luggage regulations, refund policies, and so on.
• If your app is all about accommodation, naturally, photos are what users want to see most.

Additionally, a listing should have a text description and available amenities (like Wi-Fi or laundry options). Integrating a Google or Apple map with the accommodation’s location is a great idea too.

Clearly, not many people are ready to book a room or flat without reading the reviews and examining the cancelation policies.

• Travel guides can come in many different ways. The listing can be an entire tour or a particular sightseeing spot. It’s best to offer multiple ways to engage, for example, reading a text and listening to the audio version of it. Travel guide listings need to have map integration, as well as photos to help users identify each location.
• Trip or experience booking apps work similar to accommodation ones. Users will need details about the trip, its cost, photos from the location, reviews, and a route map.

Finally, when the user feels good about the ticket, accommodation, tour, or anything else, they need to complete the booking. As we mentioned before, this process involves sensitive information, so a secure database is a must.

Of course, a reliable payment gateway is required as well. Still, if your app is an aggregator, the payment can go directly to the provider through the same API you used for fetching the data about the booking.

Where can I find travel app developers and find out how much it costs?

Now when you know what stands behind each of the travel app features, it’s time to spell out the price it takes to build a travel app. Let’s see how much a travel app MVP can cost.

Choosing a travel app developer

The first parameter that forms the app’s price is your travel app development company.

A recent report states that 71% of travel app users take their digital experience into account when deciding on a flight. To help the users enjoy booking any travel service through your app, design and development decisions should be made by professionals.

How can you know whether a team can be trusted with travel app development for Android or iOS? Look for those who already have similar solutions in their portfolios. Check out websites like Clutch and GoodFirms to find a company.

Money-wise, it is cost-effective to choose design and development teams from Eastern European countries, such as Ukraine. While the quality of their service is the same as the US and Western European-based providers (who charge $80-100/hour), the hourly rate is more budget-friendly. An experienced Ukrainian team will charge around $35-50/hour.

The process cost

So, suppose the hourly rate of the team you want to work with is $40/hour. But how to create a travel app, and how many hours will the process actually take? The short answer is “It depends, but at least 400-1000 hours for an MVP.”

These hundreds of hours are divided between the design, development, and testing processes. Each of these stages includes a lot of work and details to take into account, from researching the market to testing the final app. If you’re interested, you can read more about what the design stage includes in this blog post .

One important thing to remember is that this estimation is for a project with MVP features. If you are wanting more complex features, like augmented reality for your travel guide, it will require additional hours.

The table below will give you an idea of much time each stage takes:

If we continue the example with the Ukrainian team that charges $40/hour, an MVP app will cost $16 000-40 000 minimum.

This is the approximate calculation for one platform only. If you are planning to get both iOS and Android apps, the expenses will be doubled. Alternatively, you might choose Flutter development to get an application suitable for both platforms.

The bottomline

With tourism getting back to normal, there is an increasing demand for modern and convenient travel apps. And, considering the pandemics’ risks and aftermath, most people prefer online solutions now so it’s the perfect time to build your own travel app.

Perpetio has experience with building travel apps of all the types we described in this article, like travel guides, booking, and accommodation applications. You could see our cases as examples; we like sharing knowledge based on our own expertise, not hypothetical stories. The features and estimations we shared today come from the real-life cases we completed. We can assure you that building a travel app is doable and even fun if you team up with a company that can make the process straightforward, provide you with enough consulting, and takes responsibility for the final result.

• What makes a good travel app ?

Must-haves for a decent travel app include a search engine with filters, a database with all listings, a booking system with payment gateways, and other features depending on the app type.

• How do travel apps make money ?

When creating a travel app, you can choose a suitable monetization model, such as in-app ads, freemium, in-app purchases, a paid app, and others.

• How does a travel app work ?

Depending on the type, a travel app can help users purchase transport tickets, book accommodation, buy experiences, or navigate through new locations.

• Getting Started

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More From Forbes

5 travel apps every traveler should download.

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Downloading the best travel apps can be the key to a successful trip

Have apps, will travel. We rely on apps for pretty much every facet of life, and when you’re on the road, having a few travel apps queued up can help save stress, time and money, and make your trip so much better in very simple ways.

Beyond your standard airline, railroad, hotel chain and fast food apps, here are five travel-specific apps every traveler should download on their smartphone before heading out.

Top 5 Travel Apps

Google maps.

If you’re not using Google Maps to do more than navigate your trip, you’re not using it right. Google Maps is an essential part of any trip in 2024, for so many reasons. Firstly, you can download offline maps before you go, an extremely helpful resource if you don’t have service and need to find your way (you know, since no one has paper maps anymore). Google Maps can also help you plan a route with multiple stops, add starred and flagged places your network recommends and use AI to help with travel searches. Google Maps can help you find your parked car, find gas stations and so much more. Free to download in Apple App Store and Google Play.

Hikers, this one’s for you. Hikers of all levels can find hiking routes, long walks and camping sites via AllTrails , which offers peer-rated reviews of each spot, rankings and a level of easy, moderate or hard. Depending on your activity preference, AllTrails can also recommend spots for mountain bikers, wheelchair users, runners, hikers with dogs and more. A free version is comprehensive, but avid hikers may want to sign up for a subscription to AllTrails+, which offers even more details about your outdoor activity, including air quality, satellite weather, pollen, light pollution and user heatmaps. Free to download in Apple App Store and Google Play.

A smartphone can be an essential hiking tool, especially when you're out of town.

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Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, hotel tonight.

Spontaneous travelers should download Hotel Tonight for last-minute bookings, often at a discount. The hotel app offers flash deals, as well as the ability to book stays in advance or for multiple nights and it’s perfect for procrastinators who just need a place to crash. It’s also great for flight delays, unexpected stop overs or road trips with no specific route in mind. Planners can also favorite specific properties before they travel to check nightly deals. Regular users will earn perks and steeper discounts after multiple bookings. Free to download in Apple App Store and Google Play.

If you’re traveling with your dog in tow, the BringFido app is a must have. The user-sourced and ranked database offers listings of accomodations, restaurants, events, activities and more that are dog-friendly in towns and cities across the United States and beyond. The app is great for playing a dog-friendly itinerary or finding a dog-friendly brewery or fenced in park on the go. Users can also post their favorite spots and leave tips for other dog visitors and their owners. Free to download in Apple App Store and Google Play.

Travel is so much better with a dog, especially when you know where to take your four legged travel ... [+] buddy.

Itinerary lovers, this one’s for you. TripIt is perfect for those organizing a major getaway or organizing a bunch of small trips that you just can’t possibly remember all the details for (flights, hotels, car rental, etc.) The free app aggregates all the plans in your email, stores confirmation numbers and will send alerts to remind you to leave for the airport, check in to your next accomodation, head to your dinner reservation and more. It’s like a personal assistant in your pocket, that can also track your rewards points, help with flight compensation and more. A free version is sufficient, but $49 for a year of TripIt Pro earns you extra benefits like airport navigation, baggage claim info and potential reimbursement, and the ability to upload 25 documents. Free to download in Apple App Store and Google Play.

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Travel App Development: How to Create a Travel App in 2024

Alexander Ragin

December 08, 2023

Trends in travel mobile app development

Does your travel company need a mobile app, companies that won’t benefit from a travel app, the specifics of travel app development for each app type, must-have features for travel apps, travel app development process, security in travel app development, technologies used for travel app development, tools used for travel app development, travel app development team, how long does it take to develop a travel app, how to find the right development company, zoftify’s experience in travel app development.

With almost 65% of all traffic in the travel industry coming from mobile devices , there is no surprise that travel apps are growing increasingly important every day. From travel planning and trip booking to staying connected on the go, apps are the best companion and tour guide a traveler can have.

At the same time, they offer unique brand and growth opportunities for travel companies, and that's the reason so many businesses are taking their websites mobile with great success.

Travel and tourism app development is a huge topic, which is why we’ve created this comprehensive tourism app development guide to help you learn everything you need to know about mobile apps and not miss out on the opportunities they provide. Let’s dive into the mobile travel app development process, and see how apps can transform ambitious travel agencies, tour operators, and other travel companies.

As with any other business sector, the travel industry is no stranger to trends and influences that shape the way it functions. Let’s see what’s up and coming in the travel market and the role that apps can play.

Growing popularity of mobile apps

Mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular, and the travel industry is feeling the effect. The global revenue of the travel app market is expected to increase by a whopping 64% by 2027 .

More and more travel companies rely on mobile apps and their unique functionalities to make enticing offers to their customers and provide better service. It is one thing to interact with users through a website, and a completely different thing to be in contact with them through an app, which is always stored in their smartphone and reminds them of your services through push notifications.

For sure we are only going to see more travel apps in the future, especially considering how some of the newest technologies are affecting the market already — the rise of AI and AR is going to make apps even more efficient in providing new and engaging experiences and supporting travelers during their journeys.

Personalization

Solo travel is on the rise, with customers looking for experiences that are specifically tailored to them . That’s why personalization is especially important. Travel apps use customer data to show unique recommendations and offers that match the customer’s preferences, making personalization feel natural and helpful.

Mobile payments

Mobile payments are becoming increasingly more important, as we all expect quick and easy ways to pay, with our card details there for us at the click of a button. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed this trend further, with many businesses taking a digital-first approach and now choosing to only accept digital payments.

Travel apps are at the center of this shift, enabling tourists to pay for trips and services on the go, without hassle. According to a Travelport survey, 61% of travelers in the USA now use their smartphone to both book and pay for travel . That is why implementing credit card payments, Apple Pay, and Google Pay into a travel app is crucial.

Artificial intelligence

AI is certainly a hot topic. Travel and tourism companies are finding new ways to leverage the technology, from AI generated itineraries that use behavioral data to provide customers with personalized travel plans to dynamic pricing tools that change room rates automatically to help businesses maximize their revenue.

However, when it comes to mobile apps, the most obvious use of artificial intelligence is AI-powered chatbots that take care of customer support. They provide 24/7 availability and quick responses in multiple languages, saving time and effort for businesses. Watch this space!

Push mobile-only loyalty programs

Another trend of the industry is loyalty programs that are especially beneficial for mobile users. Travel giants like Booking.com and Agoda utilize app-exclusive mobile rates (for example, a 10% discount for a booking) to incentivize and retain users through mobile experiences.

This focus on providing exclusive benefits promotes extra downloads and more engagement from customers, since apps offer a constant presence of your brand in users’ everyday life.

Sustainability

Sustainability is more important than ever, with travel businesses often in the spotlight for their negative impact on the planet . The tourism industry is notoriously known for its huge carbon footprint, water consumption, and impact on local communities.

Thankfully, travel companies are finally starting to take the environment seriously, implementing various sustainability metrics across their operations and creating new digital solutions like carbon footprint calculators and eco-friendly travel apps. With digital check-ins and ticketing, think about the amount of paper you can save with an app alone!

Augmented reality and virtual reality are two of the newest trends in the travel industry. There are lots of ways you can bring them into your travel app to give yourself a competitive edge and offer a unique experience. Some accommodation businesses have started including interactive, 360-degree views of their rooms in their listings, while others are gamifying the travel experience with VR landscapes of a particular destination.

Leverage the power of AR and VR to bring your travel and tourism services to life. While costly now, it is reasonable to assume that these technologies will become more accessible in the future.

So, which travel companies can benefit from mobile apps? Let’s see how you can match app features and business needs in the most natural way.

Established companies

First of all, mobile apps are best suited for established businesses that can truly utilize their potential — businesses with a stable workflow and multiple travel agents or other employees to support it. Apps require investments and provide benefits proportionate to the size of the travel business. Established travel companies typically have larger budgets for marketing and app development, allowing them to create more popular, high-quality, and feature-rich apps.

Another benefit is data and analytics: established travel businesses have access to a lot of accumulated data and customer behavior patterns, which can be used to provide better service and create personalized experiences within the app, leading to higher user engagement. Finally, established companies have a set of existing systems they can integrate with the app to provide a cohesive and streamlined experience for users.

Mobile-first travel startups

It goes without saying that travel app development for startups might be their perfect entry into the travel market — think of Hopper, for example. If your idea revolves around utilizing app-specific features like geolocation, push notifications, or something else, then an app is a must .

Repeat business focus

Mobile apps are unparalleled when it comes to retaining customers . Applications are stored inside users’ mobile devices, and the app logo is always visible on the screen. Add push notifications, reminders, special offers, and loyalty programs into the mix, and you get a set of tools designed specifically to keep customers engaged and connected to your business for a long period of time.

Companies that focus on repeat bookings and increasing LTV will find apps incredibly helpful tools for achieving that purpose.

Companies interested in launching a loyalty program

If you’re interested in launching your own loyalty program, you’ll find apps exceptional . They provide a direct and personalized channel to engage with travelers, allowing you to inform them about your loyalty program benefits, special offers, and personalized rewards, keeping them engaged with your brand.

Mobile apps also provide a wealth of data on user behavior, preferences, and interactions. You can leverage it to gain insights into customer preferences and refine your program and marketing strategies.

Businesses aiming to provide exceptional services

Travel businesses that are focused on providing exceptional services can hugely benefit from developing mobile apps. Apps enable travelers to reach out to you 24/7, see their information on the go, get tailored recommendations, buy tickets with ease, and store their documents without the need for paperwork.

To put it simply, apps offer an experience that no website can provide , so any travel company looking to provide something outside of ordinary website functionality should consider app development.

Now that we’ve established which companies should consider app development, we have to mention that apps aren’t suitable for every business — they should only be developed for companies that are ready for it.

Custom mobile app development for a travel company with only a handful of agents and bookings wouldn’t be wise — the investment would be disproportionate to the scale of the business.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, app benefits correlate with the size of the company and its ability to invest in development and maintenance, so you should only decide to build one when you’re truly ready for it. The notable exception is travel app development for a startup that has built its whole strategy around the app.

Another thing worth mentioning is that mobile apps also won’t suit your company if your current system doesn’t allow any third party integrations , since apps work best in combination with existing tools. Ensure that your software is flexible enough to support that.

Booking and transportation apps

Booking and transportation applications help users make reservations and bookings for flights, hotels, car rentals, and other travel necessities. Apps of this kind require inventory management functionality — they should have a comprehensive inventory of available accommodations, and transportation options.

Modern customers also expect integrated payment gateways for seamless transactions, and a user profile feature that enables them to create and manage their profiles, preferences, and booking history.

Finally, integrating your app with CRM and the booking system will help a lot with managing customer interactions and bookings efficiently.

Concierge apps

Concierge apps are designed to provide personalized assistance to travelers. They offer a range of services and information, like recommendations for restaurants, attractions, and activities based on users’ preferences and the particular location they're in. Concierge applications may also provide real-time updates on the weather, show local transportation options, provide a language translation service, and connect users to emergency assistance.

Apps of that kind rely on in-app chat tools that can connect travelers with agents for personalized support. They should also have the capability to create, view, and manage personalized travel itineraries, including flights, accommodations, activities, and reservations. Finally, just like booking apps, they should provide users with the ability to manage their profiles and preferences within the app.

Tour guide apps

Tour guide apps serve as virtual guides, providing information and assistance during trips: from audio guides and maps to detailed information about popular tourist attractions and landmarks. They enable users to explore destinations at their own pace, following suggested itineraries or providing the ability for the user to create their own.

Tour guide apps rely heavily on rich content, so detailed descriptions, images, and other media elements are absolutely necessary. At the same time, while content-rich, the app's interface and user experience should be designed to be user-friendly and simple to navigate.

Travel planning apps

The purpose of a trip planning app is to assist travelers in organizing their itineraries. Users can often create detailed trip plans, view guides on travel destinations, and sometimes book excursions.

There are different types of travel planning apps, including those focused on budget travel, family vacations, solo travel, and adventure trips. Each type will have specific features tailored to the respective travel preferences.

Travel planning app development often relies on implementing artificial intelligence to provide personalized recommendations, itinerary suggestions, and travel insights based on user preferences and behavior.

Advanced search

An advanced search is one of the most essential features of any travel app. It helps travelers sort and filter through your offerings and choose the options that fit them. The best search tools go a step further, offering users personalized suggestions based on their search and booking histories.

Booking system

Booking systems allow users to book and manage travel services like flights or car rentals. A robust booking system is a must for most travel apps, since it provides reservation management tools (like booking modifications and cancellation options), real-time availability, and pricing info, all packaged together on a user-friendly interface.

Payment gateway

Secure and simple payment gateways like Stripe, Google Pay, and Apple Pay are crucial for any travel app. They offer unparalleled convenience and can boost your sales significantly.

Payment gateways also allow users to store their payment information, making their future purchases a breeze and helping you get a satisfied, loyal audience.

Real-time updates

Mobile apps are back-pocket companions, so it’s important to include features that make life easier for travelers wherever they are in the world, whether that’s in the UK or on a remote island in the Pacific.

With real-time updates on flight delays, weather conditions, and more, you give users good reason to stick with your travel app, since websites just cannot match that kind of on-the-go reliability. Set your app apart and grow loyalty to your travel and tourism business with tools that users can depend on.

Travel itinerary

Travel itineraries help users keep in check with their travel plans by providing them with all their trip information in one place. Itineraries can also sync with users’ calendars and send automatic reminders so travelers feel informed at all times. With an in-app interactive itinerary, you can provide your travelers with the confidence they need during their trip.

Offline access

Offline access is just as important as other travel app features . After all, users need access to their travel info even without internet connection. Travelers who find themselves in remote areas like woods or mountains might need an offline map for navigation, while offline access to customer support might mean everything for someone arriving alone in a new city.

And of course, customers will appreciate not having to pay expensive mobile roaming charges to simply use your app.

Thinking about travel agency app development?

Schedule a call with one of our travel tech experts!

Developing a travel app is a multi-step process that requires a lot of consideration . Done right, you’ll get a top-notch solution that can boost your company's revenue, brand recognition, and overall customer satisfaction.

Here at Zoftify, our travel application development process consists of a few important phases — discovery, development, user acceptance testing, app launch, and post-launch support.

This is the most complex part of our travel application development guide. Let's break down each phase.

If you're interested in how we work in more detail, you can contact Zoftify directly and we'll walk you through it.

Product discovery phase

The first step in our tourism app development process is discovery. This usually consists of several workshops with our dedicated travel experts team to define the core features, functionalities and priorities for your app. Our experts in travel app development help to refine your app idea with industry best practice and trends in mind.

The discovery phase will also give you an estimate for overall app development costs and a timeframe required to build a travel app from scratch.

This phase is crucial in tourism application development, helping you to establish a plan that saves you from costly reworks down the line .

Before we start the custom travel mobile app development process, we conduct thorough market research to help you see if your idea is viable in the current market. We also define what success looks like for your travel app development project, who your competitors are, and who your target audience is.

All of this will help us develop a comprehensive project plan with goals and metrics for success, plus defined user personas.

UI/UX design

Next, we create the outline of your future app to help you visualize it. We start with wireframing — or even a functional prototype that you can try out yourself.

Your feedback helps to shape the wireframes, and we’ll work in iterations to ensure you get exactly what you want. You can also test the wireframes with a focus group to guarantee that your users will like it just as much as you do.

Once done with the wireframes, our UI/UX designers will work on the interface for your app, including the buttons, colors and fonts. Our creative team will ensure that your travel app is intuitive and on-brand.

UI/UX is crucial — if users feel that something's off with the way the app looks or feels, they might feel differently about your travel business and even abandon the app altogether . A clean design will make your company seem professional and reputable in the eyes of the user, while its usability and ease of navigation will be the reason they decide to stick with your app.

The importance of UI/UX design in travel app development can't be overstated, which is why we've dedicated a whole article to this topic — make sure to check it out!

Technical analysis

The technical analysis is all about assessing the feasibility and technical requirements of the proposed app. It covers several key elements like platform selection, infrastructure requirements, performance considerations, security assessment, technology stack, integration points, and data management.

The output of the technical analysis stage is a comprehensive document that serves as a roadmap for the development team, providing necessary info about the architecture, infrastructure, and technologies to be employed during the development process.

A thorough technical analysis is necessary, because It helps with identifying potential challenges and risks early in the project . Providing a clear understanding of the timeline and resource requirements helps facilitate accurate project planning and budgeting.

Development phase

Project kickoff.

During this stage our team sets up the necessary tools and establishes the development environment. It all begins with onboarding the development team, product owners, stakeholders and any other experts involved, describing the project's objectives, scope, and timelines. Project kickoff stage ensures that everyone has a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities .

Then we set up Jira and Confluence to enable efficient task tracking, issue management, and collaborative documentation. After this we move to travel app module decomposition (smaller tasks that can be assigned to developers).

Project kickoff also requires setting up the project's Git repository, establishing branching strategies, and ensuring that all team members have the necessary access and permissions to contribute to the codebase.

Finally, we establish continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to automate the build, testing, and deployment processes. This involves configuring build servers, defining testing procedures, and integrating with deployment environments.

Development process

The travel application development process mostly consists of coding. Our talented programmers implement the functionalities you outlined during the previous stages of travel app development, following the established pixel-perfect approach.

Along with coding, our developers integrate external APIs, e.g. from GDS or larger OTAs. They also develop unit tests that significantly increase the quality of your app. Integrating with travel APIs is essential for getting real-time inventory availability, flight schedules, and transportation options. At the same time, QA engineers test the app to identify and address any issues, bugs, or performance concerns.

At Zoftify, we work in “sprints”, which means that the tourism application development process is iterative and broken down into 2-week bursts of activity. This enables us to deliver results on a rolling basis, as features are developed, so you can watch your app come to life in front of you. As the app owner, we provide you with regular updates to keep you informed during the build .

User acceptance testing (UAT)

The next stage of travel company app development is UAT.

Our QA engineers test that your app works exactly the way you envisioned it, from its usability and general performance to security and functionality — and if you have your own testing team, they are very welcome at this stage as well.

We carry out several tests, like integration testing and beta testing, and only when every last issue has been found, documented, and fixed, can we launch your app. UAT can take some time, but we can't overestimate the importance of launching a travel app that is perfectly refined .

App stores releases

It’s really important to get any travel app release right, as you want your audiences’ first impression of your app to be a positive one . But it’s not just about the marketing — following all of the guidelines of a specific app store requires a lot of knowledge and consideration.

Our travel mobile app development team knows the ins and outs of the Google Play store Apple App store, so they can handle the complex launch procedures and ensure your app meets the stores’ requirements.

Maintenance

No travel mobile app project stops at launch — it's not enough to just develop a travel app and release it as a finished product . Like any digital solution, apps require maintenance, bug fixes, and updates to stay relevant and perform well.

Technical issues and poor performance are among the most popular reasons for abandoning apps, which is why our developers continue to monitor and support your app to keep it working hard for your business.

This guide to travel app development wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t touch on the subject of security. As a travel app owner, you are responsible for the safety of your users’ data — and that is a huge responsibility . There are several rules to follow to help you maintain the highest levels of security throughout the travel app development journey.

Middleware is a type of software that acts as a bridge between different applications, systems, or components, and is essential for handling communication, data transfers, and security. You should never connect an app directly to a GDS or API with a secret key — there must be a middle layer that keeps all the secret keys and maintains the highest security standards . Think of middleware as the connecting layer that enables the components of your travel app to function and fit together seamlessly and securely.

If you’re interested in our middleware tech stack for travel application development, we typically use NestJS (a popular Node.js framework) as a core, PostgreSQL for databases, and AWS for deployment, giving us efficient runtime, robust and reliable data storage, and scalable and reliable infrastructure for hosting middleware components.

Error-free code and regular security checks

Vulnerabilities in the code can lead to security issues, so it’s important to ensure everything is safe by conducting regular checks. Our developers follow the best industry practices and routinely inspect the code to guarantee safety at all times.

Upgrade packages and maintain the app

Regularly upgrading packages and maintaining the app is crucial for fixing security vulnerabilities . App maintenance involves fixing bugs and issues that may arise over time, optimizing performance, improving loading times, and ensuring compatibility with new systems and third-party services.

Your app requires data encryption, so that both users’ data and the app’s code remain unreadable to hackers and other unauthorized parties . Encryption is a very common practice, but an extremely effective one, which is why our professional travel app development team recommends implementing it.

Secure APIs

APIs serve as the primary way to transfer data, so ensuring the process is secure is a priority . This can be achieved by using SSL protocol and only allowing API access to necessary applications with data authorization, and using a strong gateway or a central server to manage user authentication.

There are several approaches to building mobile applications — from native to cross-platform and hybrid options, and there are also lots of different tools that can be used for that purpose. Let’s learn more about the advantages and downsides of every development method and talk about the tools we’ve found to be the best.

Native app development involves building separate apps for each platform, separating travel application development for iOS and travel application development for Android. After all, they each use their own programming languages and development tools: Swift or Objective-C for iOS, and Java or Kotlin for Android.

This approach offers the best performance and user experience , as well as access to all native features and APIs of the device. However, it requires separate codebases for each platform, leading to high development costs and a long time-to-market .

Cross-platform

Cross-platform option means developing a single codebase that works for both platforms, which is both quick and cost-efficient. For this purpose, developers generally use React Native or Flutter. We at Zoftify prefer React Native, which is often considered to be the best framework for developing travel apps.

The best part of React Native is that it leverages native components and APIs, enabling apps to deliver native-like performance despite being cross-platform.

Secondly, React Native allows us to write reusable code components that can be shared between different parts of your app, or across your future projects with us. This reduces the cost of a travel app development, speeds up iterations, and ensures consistency throughout your app.

Finally, React Native offers unlimited integration capabilities, so we can easily connect third-party APIs like maps, payment gateways, and social media into your app.

Among the various technologies used in custom app development for travel companies, our experience has shown that React Native stands out as the most effective, consistently driving a positive return on investment (ROI) .

Hybrid app development for a travel company involves using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, wrapped in a native container (using tools like Ionic Capacitor), to create apps that can run on multiple platforms.

For hybrid apps, you can use Ionic — an open-source framework that provides a library of mobile-optimized HTML, CSS, and JS components, along with built-in support for Angular or React, enabling us to quickly and reliably build hybrid solutions with no hassle.

Hybrid mobile apps are typically slower and less robust.

Application programming interface _ _ (API) is a set of rules and protocols that connects pieces of software and enables them to communicate with each other. It** **is used in travel and hospitality app development to access and integrate data, services, and functionalities from various sources, including third-party providers and internal systems.

To put it simply, APIs enable developers to seamlessly integrate flight schedules, hotel availability, weather forecasts, and other data sources into the app .

There are two main ways of API integration — let’s see how they function.

In traditional server-based architecture the app runs on dedicated servers where developers manage the infrastructure, including provisioning, scaling, and maintenance. When using APIs in a server-based approach, the app communicates with the server to access the required data or services. This setup provides full control over the environment but requires ongoing management and scaling efforts .

The serverless option, which is offered by platforms like AWS and Firebase, allows us to focus solely on writing code without managing the underlying infrastructure. This way, APIs can be utilized to access cloud-based services, databases, and other functionalities without the need to maintain servers. This approach offers scalability, cost-efficiency, and reduced operational overhead, as the platform handles the infrastructure management .

Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes in any set of computer files, and is primarily used for coordinating work between developers. Think of it as Google Docs for software developers. It is a cornerstone tool not just for travel mobile application development, but any modern software development in general.

Crashlytics

Another tool in our tech stack is Crashlytics — a real-time crash-reporting tool that helps us monitor and resolve any issues affecting your app .

Crashlytics provides our travel app developers with a descriptive list of crashes and other issues, sorted in terms of priority. We use Crashlytics after travel application development too, as it helps us quickly determine the root cause of any technical problem and manage them swiftly, to ensure customer satisfaction.

Analytics tools provide us and your business with valuable insights into user behavior, app performance, and the effectiveness of marketing campaigns . In our work we mostly use Firebase Analytics and Mixpanel, and also AppsFlyer for user attribution.

Firebase is free and it offers a comprehensive set of app analytics that enables us to understand user engagement, retention, and conversion. That allows us to track user interaction with features like search, booking, and navigation, and provides insights into user demographics, user journeys, and in-app events, allowing us to optimize the app experience based on real user data.

Mixpanel is another powerful analytics tool that focuses on user-centric analytics like user behavior and engagement metrics. Mixpanel can help track user actions like searches for destinations and interactions with travel content.

AppsFlyer specializes in mobile attribution and marketing analytics, allowing you to track the performance of marketing campaigns, user acquisition, and app monetization. With AppsFlyer, we can enable you to measure the effectiveness of your marketing channels, optimize ad spend, and understand the full user journey from app installation to desired actions.

CI/CD stands for continuous integration and continuous deployment, and it is the process of automatically building, testing, and deploying mobile apps that can later be validated by QA specialists and beta testers.

To ensure your app works exactly as intended and is free of bugs, CI/CD pipelines provide automated tests for extra quality and security. This means increased productivity, rapid feedback loops, and ultimately faster time to market .

In our work, we use CI/CD tools like Bitrise and AppCenter.

Push notifications providers

We also rely on push notification providers like Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) and Braze. They enable efficient, timely, and personalized notifications, and play a significant role in tourism and hospitality app development.

FCM is a cross-platform messaging solution that allows developers to send messages to users on both Android and iOS devices. FCM facilitates the delivery of push notifications to users, keeping them informed about flight updates, hotel bookings, or travel recommendations, keeping users engaged.

Braze is a customer engagement platform that provides tools for creating highly targeted and personalized push notifications, emails, and in-app messages. It allows for segmenting users based on their travel behavior and preferences, and then tailor notifications to suit their specific needs.

A/B testing for mobile

A/B testing is a testing method that consists of asking random users to compare two versions of a certain page or an app element to find out which one performs better in terms of conversion rates.

A/B testing tools like Firebase Remote Config and Optimizely play a crucial role in our work, since they enable us to experiment with different versions of features, content, and user experiences to optimize your app's performance and user engagement .

Firebase Remote Config allows us to remotely configure the behavior and appearance of your app without requiring users to download an app update. It enables us to assess user responses to different configurations and make data-driven decisions to enhance the app's performance and user satisfaction.

Optimizely provides a platform for A/B testing, enabling us to create and run experiments to compare different versions of elements within the app, helping us understand which versions resonate best with users and drive the desired actions, like bookings or engagement with travel content.

Looking for experts in travel app development?

Schedule a call with our team.

Previously, we outlined the app development process, now let’s see what roles are required for each step of the travel app development journey.

Design phase

Product designer.

In the design phase, the product designer is responsible for creating the overall vision for the travel app : they focus on defining the features, functionality, and user experience, providing a solid foundation for other team members. They collaborate closely with your company during this stage to ensure that the design aligns with your brand vision and objectives.

UI/UX designer

The UI/UX designer focuses on the user interface and user experience , creating wireframes, prototypes, and designing the visual elements of the app to ensure a seamless and engaging flow. They also conduct user testing to gather feedback and iteratively improve the design based on user interactions and preferences.

Project manager

The project manager oversees the design phase. They ensure that the team stays on track with the project timeline and budget , and coordinates and communicates with other team members to ensure that the travel application development process goes smoothly.

Quality assurance

The QA specialist is responsible for testing the design elements of your app to ensure that they meet quality standards , are free of bugs, and function as intended. They work closely with the product and UI/UX designers to identify and address any usability or functionality issues.

Mobile tech lead

The mobile tech lead provides technical leadership and guidance during the design phase, ensuring that the design aligns with the technical capabilities and constraints of the chosen mobile platform.

Travel researcher

Designing a great app requires understanding of what makes them great in the first place. The travel researcher gathers insights and data related to user behavior, preferences, and trends in the travel industry and provides this information to help the team make informed decisions about your app's features and functionality.

They also conduct competitive analysis to ensure that the travel app stands out in the market and finds its niche.

During the development phase, the project manager continues to oversee the project, ensuring that the development team stays aligned with the project goals, timeline, and resources. They also facilitate communication between the team and other stakeholders to address any challenges and ensure smooth progress.

Mobile developers

Mobile developers are responsible for writing the code, implementing the features, functionalities, and user interface in accordance with the design specifications . They also collaborate with the QA team to address and resolve any issues identified during testing to ensure smooth performance.

Quality assurance specialists continue to test the app during the development phase, identifying and reporting any issues or bugs in the functionality or user experience of the app.

Business analyst

The business analyst provides strategic guidance during the development phase — they analyze business requirements and ensure that the development aligns with the overall business goals.

API developers

API developers focus on creating and integrating the necessary APIs that allow the travel app to interact with external services and data sources , while ensuring that the APIs are scalable, secure, and optimized for efficient data exchange, contributing to the overall performance of the app.

The project manager continues to play a crucial role during the maintenance phase, overseeing the ongoing support and updates for the travel app. They manage the allocation of resources for maintenance activities and ensure that the app remains aligned with evolving business needs and technological advancements.

Mobile developer

Mobile developers are involved in maintaining the app, addressing any technical issues, and implementing updates or new features as needed . They collaborate with the QA team to conduct regression testing after updates to ensure that the app's existing functionality remains intact.

Quality assurance specialists continue to test the app even after launch , ensuring that any updates or maintenance activities do not compromise the app's quality and performance. They consistently monitor user feedback and app performance metrics to identify areas for improvement and optimization.

On average it takes around three months to build a simple or mid-complex app . However, the more functionalities you want to include, the longer it can take. The best way to estimate the travel app development cost and time required is to reach out to Zoftify with your idea.

Choosing the right web and mobile travel app development company is essential, but making the choice isn’t always easy, especially if you don't know where to start.

There are a few things you should look for in a company: experience, portfolio, and their familiarity with the travel and tourism industry . What you're looking for is a company that has a solid background, successful app releases, and knows exactly what you need, so you can be sure that they will deliver a top-notch product that meets the needs of your target audience.

Luckily, Zoftify fits all of those requirements, so you don't have to look much further. Our experienced development team knows the ins and outs of mobile applications and the travel industry, so we’ll be your partner through the entire travel app development process . No matter how niche your business or idea is, we’ve got you covered, from travel organizer app development to travel deals app development.

That’s why Clutch rated us as one of the best travel and tourism app development companies.

Contact us today using our contact form, and we'll guide you through.

Zoftify has extensive experience in developing travel apps for businesses of varied sizes and niches, and we are proud of the astonishing results of our work. Check out how we managed to increase repeat bookings for Tourshunter by 55%, and built a Festivalio app in just 45 days.

How much does travel app development cost?

In general, the more functionalities a company wants to add to their app, the more the cost of tourism app development grows, which is why prioritizing the most important features is crucial.

It is difficult to share exact numbers in a general travel app development guide:: a company wanting to build an extensive booking app will have totally different requirements to a company wanting to invest in niche travel request app development. For an estimate, contact Zoftify and we’ll break it down for you.

How do travel apps leverage AI and machine learning to personalize user experiences?

Travel apps utilize AI and machine learning to provide incredible customer support through chatbots and personalize user experiences by analyzing behavioral data.

These technologies also enable predictive analytics for pricing trends, optimizing travel itineraries, and providing personalized notifications based on user interests. While these features might bump up the cost of travel app development, they are definitely worth it.

How can developers optimize travel apps for both iOS and Android platforms?

Developers can optimize travel apps for both iOS and Android platforms by leveraging cross-platform development frameworks like React Native or Flutter to build and maintain a single codebase for both platforms.

While separate iOS travel app development and Android travel app development is the optimum approach from a technical view, the difference in the final product is negligible. Plus, cross-platform developments will help you keep the cost of travel app development down.

Additionally, they can ensure native performance by optimizing the app's design and features according to the specific guidelines and best practices of each platform, providing a seamless user experience across iOS and Android devices.

Founder & CEO

Alex loves travel and tech and founded Zoftify to help travel companies use technology more effectively. Before this, he worked in tech consulting, where he led international mobile development teams.

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Table Of Content

• Travel Industry in a nutshell

Factors Affecting Travel App Development Cost

Travel app development cost breakdown based on app type, tips to save money on travel app development, how scaleupally can help you in building travel and tourism apps.

In today’s digital era, travel apps have become an integral part of our lives, providing convenience and accessibility to travellers worldwide. However, entrepreneurs and businesses looking to enter the travel app market often face the challenge of understanding the cost involved in developing a travel app. 

In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the factors that influence the cost of travel app development in 2023. From outsourcing options to location considerations, team size, platform choices, and functionality, we will cover all the essential aspects to help you make informed decisions about your travel app development project.

The travel industry is a significant contributor to the global economy, generating billions of dollars in revenue each year. In 2019, the global travel and tourism industry contributed approximately 10.4% to the world’s GDP, amounting to a staggering $8.9 trillion. 

This sector also supports numerous jobs worldwide, employing over 330 million people, which accounts for approximately 10% of global employment. These statistics highlight the importance of the travel industry in driving economic growth and providing livelihoods for millions of people.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) , international tourist arrivals reached 1.46 billion in 2019. This figure represents a 4% increase compared to the previous year and demonstrates the growing interest in travel among individuals worldwide. 

The Asia-Pacific region accounted for the highest number of international tourist arrivals, followed by Europe and the Americas. These statistics indicate that people are increasingly exploring different parts of the world and seeking new travel experiences.

The rise of technology has also played a significant role in shaping the travel industry. Online travel bookings have become increasingly popular, with travellers using various websites and mobile applications to plan their trips and make reservations. In 2023, online travel bookings accounted for approximately 57% of all travel bookings globally, amounting to around $755 billion. This trend highlights the shift towards digital platforms in the travel industry and the importance of providing seamless online experiences for travellers.

Before we delve into the specifics, it’s crucial to understand the key factors that influence the cost of developing a travel app. These factors include:

• Outsourcing or Hiring Freelancers

Location of the development team

Platform choice, backend infrastructure and administration panel, design complexity, functionality, app maintenance costs, hidden app development costs.

Now, let’s explore each of these factors in detail and understand how they impact the overall cost of travel app development.

Outsourcing or Hiring Freelancers: Choosing an Approach

When embarking on a travel app development project, the first decision you need to make is whether to outsource the development or hire freelancers. Both options have their pros and cons.

Outsourcing app development to a dedicated company can provide you with several benefits. Firstly, it allows you to focus on your core business while leaving the technical aspects to experts. Additionally, outsourcing offers a cost-effective solution, as you don’t have to invest in infrastructure or bear the overhead costs associated with an in-house team. Moreover, outsourcing provides access to a wide talent pool, ensuring you have the necessary expertise to build a successful travel app.

On the other hand, hiring freelancers may seem like a cost-saving option, but it comes with its own set of challenges. While freelancers may offer lower rates, they may not provide the same level of security and compliance as a professional app development company. Additionally, working with multiple freelancers for different tasks can lead to communication and coordination issues.

Ultimately, the choice between outsourcing and hiring freelancers depends on your specific needs, budget, and the level of responsibility and compliance required for your app development project.

The location of your app development team can significantly impact the cost of making travel apps. Different regions have varying hourly rates due to factors such as the cost of living, corporate taxes, and market demand.

Regions with a high cost of living and corporate taxes, such as North America, Australia, and Singapore, tend to have higher developer rates, ranging from $70 to $200 per hour. On the other hand, developing countries such as India and Indonesia, offer more affordable rates of $15 to $30 per hour.

Eastern Europe, particularly countries like Poland, provides a good balance between cost and quality. Developers in Poland, for example, tend to charge an average of $40 to $60 per hour. 

When considering the location for your travel app development, it’s important to weigh the cost against the level of expertise and quality required for your project.

The size of your development team directly impacts the cost of travel app development. The more people involved in the process, the more money you will spend.

A typical travel app development team consists of various roles, including business analysts, UI/UX designers, project managers, developers, and quality assurance engineers. Each role adds value to your project and incurs costs based on their skill sets and work experience.

For example, a business analyst helps convert your ideas into technical requirements, estimate mobile app development costs , and recommend features based on market trends. 

A UI/UX designer visualises your app’s interface and creates wireframes and prototypes. Developers translate documentation into code, while quality assurance engineers test every aspect of your app to ensure its functionality and performance.

The cost of each role depends on factors such as hourly rates, the complexity of the project, and the level of expertise required. It’s essential to consider the team size based on your project requirements and budget.

Below is a rough breakdown of cost/hour for each of the verticals mentioned above:

Determining the platform for your travel app, whether iOS, Android, or both, is another crucial factor that affects the development cost. Each platform has its own set of characteristics, development tools, and user base.

iOS and Android are the two major platforms dominating the mobile market. iOS is known for its strong presence in markets like the US, North America, Australia, and northern Europe, while Android holds the majority of the market share globally.

When choosing between iOS and Android, consider factors such as your target audience, geographic location, and budget. If your target audience primarily consists of iOS users or resides in regions where iOS is dominant, developing an iOS app may be the best choice. 

On the other hand, if your target audience is more aligned with Android users, opting for an Android app may be more suitable.

Another option to consider is cross-platform development, which allows you to build an app that works on both iOS and Android using a single codebase. 

Cross-platform development can save time and cost, as you don’t need to build separate apps for each platform. ScaleupAlly promotes Cross Platform Development using React Native or Flutter to the founders and businesses as this help keeps the cost under the radar. 

Choosing the right platform for your travel app depends on your target audience, market research, and budget considerations.

Most travel apps require a backend infrastructure to enable client-server interaction. The backend handles tasks such as data verification, authentication, processing business logic, data storage, and security. Additionally, an administration panel may be necessary to manage app content, user permissions, payments, and notifications.

The complexity of the backend infrastructure and administration panel can impact the development cost of your travel app. Simple apps with fewer backend functionalities will be less expensive to develop, while complex apps with extensive backend requirements will incur higher costs.

It’s worth considering ready-made solutions for basic administration panel needs to reduce development costs. However, if you require a custom and complex administration panel, it will need to be built from scratch, contributing to the overall development cost.

The design complexity of your travel app also plays a role in determining the development cost. The more sophisticated and customised the app design is, the more time and effort developers will need to implement it.

Also read: Cost of designing mobile app in 2023

Simple travel apps with native user interfaces and limited functionality will be quicker and cheaper to develop. Examples of simple travel apps include weather forecast apps, note-taking apps, or simple booking apps.

On the other hand, complex travel apps may require custom designs, animations, and a wide range of features. These apps support broad goals, and nonlinear workflows, and may have a large number of design screens with complex transitions. Examples of complex travel apps include advanced booking platforms, multi-functional travel guides, or trip planning apps.

The design complexity of your travel app should align with your target audience and the level of user experience you aim to provide. Remember that a well-designed app can enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and overall success.

The functionality of your travel app is a significant determinant of the development cost. The more features and functionalities you want to include, the more time and effort it will take to develop.

Common features in travel apps include user registration and login, search functionalities, booking and payment systems, geolocation services, push notifications, and user profiles. The complexity of these features can vary based on your specific requirements.

It’s important to prioritise the must-have features for your travel app to stay within your budget and development timeline. Starting with a minimum viable product (MVP) that includes essential functionalities can help you validate your app idea and gather user feedback. You can then gradually add additional features and enhancements based on user demand and market trends.

App development is not a one-time investment. After your travel app is launched, ongoing maintenance and updates are necessary to ensure its optimal performance, security, and user satisfaction.

App maintenance costs typically cover activities such as supporting the latest operating system versions, bug fixing, performance optimization, code updates, server maintenance, and third-party service upgrades. These costs are usually not included in the initial development estimation and should be considered as part of your long-term app budget. The annual maintenance normally starts with 50% of the development cost.

It’s important to allocate resources for app maintenance to keep your app up to date, fix any issues, and implement new features or improvements based on user feedback.

In addition to the factors mentioned above, there are hidden costs associated with travel app development that may impact your overall budget. These costs include:

• Fees for third-party integrations: Implementing ready-made integrations such as payment gateways, push notifications, or social logins may require subscribing to a service that incurs additional costs.
• Admin, marketing, and management costs: Managing app content, user permissions, payments, and notifications may require additional tools or services that come with their own costs.
• Infrastructural costs: Setting up and maintaining the backend infrastructure, including content delivery networks, servers, and data storage, may incur additional expenses.
• App Store and Google Play charges: App Store charges an annual fee of $99 for an Individual Developer Account, while the Google Play store charges a one-time fee of $25.

Taking these hidden costs into account during the planning stage can help you avoid any surprises and ensure you have a realistic budget for your travel app.

The cost of developing a travel app can vary based on the specific application category and its complexity. 

Here, we provide a breakdown of travel app development costs for different app types. 

1. Travel Booking App

• Development Cost: $30,000 – $60,000 using Cross Platform Tech
• Development Timeline: 5-8+ months
• App Examples: Expedia, Booking.com, Airbnb

Travel booking apps are complex platforms that involve features such as search functionality, real-time availability, booking and payment systems, reviews and ratings, and user profiles. The development cost for a travel booking app can range from $30,000 to $60,000, depending on the level of customization and functionality required.

2. Travel Guide App

• Development Cost: $10,000 – $50,000 per platform
• Development Timeline: 3-6 months
• App Examples: TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, Guides by Lonely Planet

Travel guide apps provide users with information about destinations, attractions, restaurants, and accommodations. They may include features such as offline maps, user reviews, personalised recommendations, and itinerary planning. The development cost for a travel guide app can range from $10,000 to $50,000 per platform, depending on the complexity and level of customization.

3. Trip Planning App

• Development Cost: $10,000 – $70,000 per platform
• Development Timeline: 3-12 months
• App Examples: TripIt, Sygic Travel, TripCase

Trip planning apps help users organise their travel itineraries, including flights, accommodations, transportation, and activities. These apps may offer features such as itinerary sharing, real-time updates, offline access, and integration with booking platforms. The development cost for a trip planning app can range from $10,000 to $70,000 per platform, depending on the functionality and integration requirements.

4. Hotel Booking App

• App Examples: Hotels.com, Trivago, Agoda

Hotel booking apps allow users to search for and book accommodations based on their preferences and budget. These apps typically include features such as search filters, user reviews and ratings, real-time availability, and secure payment options. The development cost for a hotel booking app can range from $10,000 to $30,000 per platform, depending on the complexity and integration requirements.

5. Flight Booking App

• Development Cost: $30,000 – $100,000 per platform
• Development Timeline: 4-12 months
• App Examples: Skyscanner, Kayak, Expedia

Flight booking apps enable users to search for and book flights, compare prices, and track flight status. These apps may include features such as flexible date search, price alerts, seat selection, and secure payment options. The development cost for a flight booking app can range from $30,000 to $100,000 per platform, depending on the level of customization and integration required.

Please note that these cost estimates are approximate and can vary based on the specific requirements, functionality, and complexity of your travel app.

While travel app development can involve significant costs, there are several strategies you can employ to save money and optimise your budget. Here are some tips to help you save money on travel app development: 

• Define a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) : Start with a basic version of your travel app that includes essential features and functionality. This allows you to validate your app idea, gather user feedback, and reduce initial development costs.
• Utilise Open-Source Frameworks : Take advantage of open-source app development frameworks to accelerate development and reduce costs. Open-source frameworks provide ready-made modules and libraries that can be customised to suit your travel app requirements.
• Consider Cross-Platform Development: Opt for cross-platform development to build a travel app that works on multiple platforms using a single codebase. This approach can save time and cost compared to building separate apps for each platform.
• Outsource Development : Consider outsourcing your travel app development to a reputable and experienced app development company. Outsourcing can provide cost savings, access to a skilled team, and the ability to focus on your core business.
• Prioritise Features: Identify the must-have features for your travel app and prioritise their development. This allows you to allocate resources efficiently and avoid spending on unnecessary features.
• Design Templates and UI Kits : Utilise free or affordable design templates and UI kits to expedite the design process and reduce design costs. These resources provide pre-designed elements that can be customised to match your travel app’s branding and user interface.
• Optimise Backend Infrastructure: Optimise your travel app’s backend infrastructure to minimise costs. Consider using cloud-based services and scalable architecture to reduce infrastructure and maintenance expenses.
• Maintenance and Updates: Allocate resources for ongoing app maintenance and updates to ensure optimal performance and user satisfaction. Regular updates can help prevent major issues and reduce long-term development costs.

By implementing these cost-saving strategies, you can optimise your travel app development budget and achieve a successful app within your financial means.

ScaleupAlly can provide valuable assistance in building a travel and tourism app by offering expertise, guidance, and services in various aspects of app development. 

Here’s exactly how ScaleupAlly can help you in creating a successful travel and tourism app:

• Market Research and Analysis: ScaleupAlly conducts in-depth market research to identify trends, user preferences, and opportunities within the travel and tourism industry. This research helps in understanding your target audience and competitive landscape.
• Customised App Strategy: We work with you to develop a customised app strategy tailored to your business goals and objectives. This includes defining the app’s unique selling points and features.
• User Experience (UX) Design: ScaleupAlly also provides expertise in UX design, ensuring that your app offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface. We create wireframes and prototypes to visualise the app’s flow and functionality.
• Development Services: ScaleupAlly can also assist in the actual development of the app, helping you choose the right technology stack, develop the frontend and backend, and integrate essential features such as booking engines, payment gateways, and location-based services.
• Quality Assurance and Testing: We also ensure the quality and reliability of your app through rigorous testing processes, including functional testing, usability testing, and performance testing, to identify and fix any issues before launch.
• Scalability Planning: ScaleupAlly can help you plan for scalability , ensuring that your app can handle increased user traffic and data as your business grows. This involves selecting scalable infrastructure and architecture.
• Data Security and Compliance: We also provide advice on data security measures and compliance with industry regulations to protect user data and maintain trust.
• Monetization Strategy: ScaleupAlly can also assist in developing a monetization strategy for your travel and tourism app, whether it’s through bookings, commissions, ads, subscriptions, or partnerships.
• Marketing and Launch Support: In addition to this we also offer guidance on marketing strategies and tactics to promote your app effectively to global or local audiences. This includes app store optimization (ASO) and digital marketing strategies.
• Post-Launch Support: ScaleupAlly provides ongoing support and maintenance services to ensure your app remains up-to-date, secure, and performs optimally. We can also help you gather user feedback for continuous improvement.
• Integration with Third-party APIs: ScaleupAlly can assist in seamless API integration, if your app requires integration with external services like flight or hotel booking engines.
• User Engagement and Retention: ScaleupAlly also provides strategies for user engagement and retention, including push notifications, loyalty programs, and personalised recommendations.

By leveraging the expertise of ScaleupAlly , you can navigate the complexities of travel and tourism app development more efficiently, reduce development risks, and increase the likelihood of creating a successful app that meets the needs of travellers and tourists while achieving your business objectives.

Developing a travel app involves careful planning, consideration of various factors, and a thorough understanding of the associated costs. By considering factors such as outsourcing options, location, team size, platform choice, design complexity, functionality, and hidden costs, you can estimate and manage the cost of travel app development effectively.

Remember to define a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) , leverage open-source frameworks, and prioritise features based on user needs. Consider outsourcing to a reputable app development company and utilise design templates and UI kits to expedite development and reduce costs. Regular maintenance and updates are essential to ensure the optimal performance and success of your travel app.

With a clear understanding of the factors influencing travel app development cost and the tips for cost optimization, you can embark on your travel app development journey confidently. Invest in a robust and user-friendly travel app to provide travellers with enhanced experience, convenience, and seamless travel planning. 

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10 Apps That Will Make The Most Of Your Vacation In 2024

I f you've ever spent time at a networking event, made small talk at your kids' soccer games, or scrolled through a dating app, you'll know that "travel" is something almost everyone will tell you they enjoy. Couple that with an attachment to our smartphones that borders on co-dependent, and it's no surprise to learn that travel apps are a hot commodity. Some of the best innovations in travel come in the form of apps. Staying in touch with people at home, travel planning, staying organized on the road, or connecting with other travelers? Not only is there an app for that, there are many apps for that. 

To help you sort through the plethora of what's out there, here are some travel-ready apps to make your vacation a blast. We've sourced suggestions from people who travel for a living and those who leave their local area only rarely, so no matter how often you jet-set, there is an app for you.

Read more: 12 Smart Gadgets You Didn't Know Existed

If your cell plan doesn't include international roaming, you can get slammed with steep fees for using mobile data outside your own country.

There are a few ways to get around roaming charges, including buying a local SIM card for the country you are traveling in, using a Wi-Fi stick , or investing in a dual SIM phone, like those from Samsung, Apple, or Google. One of the easiest and cheapest options though, is an eSIM app like Airalo . Airalo was one of the first in the eSIM game and continues to be popular with travelers. Fans of the app point to how easy it is to download and get started quickly, and how much it saves in fees. On the other hand, some users have noticed a discrepancy in how well it works in different countries. One reviewer on TrustPilot states "We do NOT recommend this plan given the extremely poor performance in Vietnam" despite noting excellent service in Hong Kong. 

Airalo is a paid service, available on the App Store and on Google Play.

Google Maps is often the default app travelers reach for when navigating new territory. It's a trusted resource for a lot of reasons, including the ease of finding reviews and info for even very small businesses. But it's not the only map app out there, nor is it the best in every situation. The main advantage of Maps.me over Google Maps is that it is based on user-generated information. Particularly for folks who are getting around on foot, this "boots on the ground" approach is excellent and more direct than reporting problems to Google Maps . It also means that if you find a cool place on your travels and want to make sure other travelers can find it, you can add it to a map.

Like Google Maps and other useful way-finding apps, you can download maps and bookmark points of interest for offline use, although the background information on locations is not as robust as on Google Maps. Maps.me also allows you to access various modes of transportation while offline, which Google doesn't. 

Maps.me is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Cash's position as king is increasingly precarious. On your travels, you'll find cashless options in places you might not expect. The mass availability of mobile payment platforms like Square means you may be able to whip out your phone or card at Swiss coffee carts or Mexican street vendors. Wise (formerly Transferwise) lets you move between currencies seamlessly. Wise lets you operate in 40 currencies, which is particularly handy if you are traveling to several different countries. They advertise charges that are less than the major banks. However, some users have complained about complications with money transfers, so be forewarned if you intend to use this app for sending money. 

Of note to travelers is the option to get an actual bank card that can function as an international debit card with a nominal conversion fee (not all bank cards can pay by debit in countries other than your home base.) Or, save a step and scan your phone to pay from your Wise account. 

Wise is available on the App Store and from Google Play. There is no charge to download the app, but fees are charged for some banking activities.

If you are going to be traveling from place to place on your vacation, you will want the Rome2Rio app on your phone. Enter your destination and departure location, and the app spits out the options and approximate costs for each leg of your journey. For instance, if you are in Edmonton, Canada, and want to get to the Thai island of Ko Yao Yai, the app will suggest six options, labeling the best, cheapest, and fastest combination of flight, minibus, and ferry. You can't purchase tickets through the app, although there are links to book accommodation that take you to Booking.com. Being able to purchase travel fares through the app would make things easier, especially if they were offered in a package, but the absence of that feature means you can investigate and compare prices from different booking operators , so we are putting it in the win column.

Rome2Rio is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Rick Steves Audio Europe

Rick Steves is recognized as a top voice in travel guides. His down-to-earth approach to travel has endeared multitudes of followers to him, spawning an industry of books, television shows, and a sprawling web presence that features how-to guides, articles, and an active travelers' forum. On top of all that, he has a free app for self-guided walking tours through many of Europe's top sights called Rick Steves Audio Europe . Reviewers of the app give it a high rating (4.7 on Google Play and 4.3 on the App Store) using superlatives like "This app is GOLD," and comparing the quality of the tours to paid audio tours. On the downside, it is difficult to sync the app on multiple devices, so if you are in a group you may all be at slightly different parts of the tour, which can be mildly annoying. There are a bunch of tour sites, with more added periodically.

The audio tours and accompanying maps are downloadable, so you don't need to worry about burning through mobile data or needing to rely on Wi-Fi. Rick Steve Audio Europe is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

How many trips come vividly back to life in your mind just by thinking about that one excellent bowl of Cacio e Pepe pasta or sun-drenched sip of a Paloma? Exploring a place through its flavors and discovering new spots to eat is a beloved part of travel. In Europe, TheFork (the French version is called LaForchette) is the go-to app for crowd-sourced restaurant reviews. Previously, the app also covered Australia, but at the start of 2024, it was announced they will be pulling out of Oz.

You can find Michelin-starred restaurants with months-long wait lists or little hole-in-the-wall spots by searching the name of the eating establishment, the city or neighborhood you want to eat in, or the kind of cuisine you are craving.

The app is worthy of its space on your phone just for the restaurant listings and reviews, but if you want to explore more of the capabilities, there are ways to expand its usefulness. You can make reservations, register to collect points, access discounts and specials at select spots, and pay through the app. TheFork is free to download and available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Looking for a little love on the road? The Fairytrail app might be the ticket to romance (or ROAMance) you are looking for. Aimed at digital nomads and van life devotees, the app is a nice addition to the dating lives of travelers of all stripes. Members are evaluated and assigned a fairytale character similar to enneagram-slash-Myers-Briggs personality types, which is a new and novel approach compared with other iPhone dating apps or Android dating apps .

Because the app is focused on people with nomadic lifestyles, matches are location-independent. The idea is that users of the app will be willing to travel to each other to meet and date. There is a setting that allows an extra layer of matching: dream places to visit. If you so choose, before chatting with a match you need to have an overlapping "bucket-list" destination. Previously, this was an unavoidable step but became an optional setting after it was changed in response to frustration expressed by reviewers. The app is being redesigned in 2024 and soliciting feedback from users. Stay tuned, it seems more happy endings are in store! Fairytrails is free to download with in-app purchases and is available from the App Store and from Google Play.

Price Scanner And Converter

A very unpleasant aspect of vacationing in another country is coming home to a shocking credit card bill. Part of the problem is the tendency of holidaymakers to spend like money isn't real, but the other problem is how difficult it is to calculate prices into your own currency. Sure, you can come up with shortcuts to do quick math, but that gives you an estimate rather than an exact cost. To help, there are many different currency converter apps out there, with features like real-time rate calculation and offline capability. The somewhat clunky-named Price Scanner and Converter takes it one step further by using your phone's camera to scan prices and display them automatically in your preferred currency (out of 150 global currencies.) New iPhone cameras also have a similar capability, but it isn't as seamless a process as using this app.

This price scanning app isn't presently available on Google Play, although there are similar apps to be found. The reviews are pretty overwhelmingly mediocre, so if you are on team Android, your best bet may be to download a regular currency converter and enter in prices the old-fashioned way.

Downloading the Price Scanner and Converter is free from the App Store.

Searching through your emails for confirmations and itineraries isn't an efficient way to access your travel information. And good luck if you have used your work email for some of your planning and your personal email for others. What if you are offline when you need to find your tour details? Nightmare fuel. Tripit has created a simple user experience, allowing you to forward all those endless travel planning emails to be arranged into an easily accessible itinerary in a single spot, which you can access from any of your devices.

Other features of this include the ability to load PDFs, QR codes, and other travel documents to your Tripit travel folder. There are helpful navigation tools, like airport maps, neighborhood safety ratings, and nearby places. You can share your travel plans and sync them to your calendar. For $49 a year (or a free 30-day trial) you can upgrade to Tripit Pro for enhanced travel aid, including notifications to help keep you on track and on time. 

Tripit is free to download from the App Store and from Google Play, and you can upgrade to the premium Tripit Pro on the Tripit website or in the app.

Mobile Passport Control

The latest app from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol goes by the wildly creative name, " Mobile Passport Control ." It's a no-nonsense app with a no-nonsense name that allows users to streamline the customs experience. Rather than filling out declarations forms, users enter their information into the app and send it to border officials so they can access it as soon as they get to customs. You can do this immediately upon arrival, say as your plane is taxiing to the gate.

The app is for United States citizens and Canadians with a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa who are entering the USA at one of 33 American airports, 11 preclearance sites, and four seaports. It works in tandem with your passport, but it doesn't replace it.

As a bonus, some sites allow those with the Mobile Passport Control app to use their own (almost always shorter!) line or expedited Global Entry lines at passport control. You can enter family members on the same app and there is no approval process, just download and go.

A previous iteration of the app had a premium, paid version, but this is no longer the case. The app is free on the App Store and Google Play.

Read the original article on SlashGear .

What is the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse?

It almost time! Millions of Americans across the country Monday are preparing to witness the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse as it passes over portions of Mexico, the United States and Canada.

It's a sight to behold and people have now long been eagerly awaiting what will be their only chance until 2044 to witness totality, whereby the moon will completely block the sun's disc, ushering in uncharacteristic darkness.

That being said, many are curious on what makes the solar eclipse special and how is it different from a lunar eclipse.

The total solar eclipse is today: Get the latest forecast and everything you need to know

What is an eclipse?

An eclipse occurs when any celestial object like a moon or a planet passes between two other bodies, obscuring the view of objects like the sun, according to NASA .

What is a solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking its light from reaching our planet, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. The resulting "totality," whereby observers can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, presents a spectacular sight for viewers and confuses animals – causing nocturnal creatures to stir and bird and insects to fall silent.

Partial eclipses, when some part of the sun remains visible, are the most common, making total eclipses a rare sight.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon and the sun are on exact opposite sides of Earth. When this happens, Earth blocks the sunlight that normally reaches the moon. Instead of that sunlight hitting the moon’s surface, Earth's shadow falls on it.

Lunar eclipses are often also referred to the "blood moon" because when the Earth's shadow covers the moon, it often produces a red color. The coloration happens because a bit of reddish sunlight still reaches the moon's surface, even though it's in Earth's shadow.

Difference between lunar eclipse and solar eclipse

The major difference between the two eclipses is in the positioning of the sun, the moon and the Earth and the longevity of the phenomenon, according to NASA.

A lunar eclipse can last for a few hours, while a solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes. Solar eclipses also rarely occur, while lunar eclipses are comparatively more frequent. While at least two partial lunar eclipses happen every year, total lunar eclipses are still rare, says NASA.

Another major difference between the two is that for lunar eclipses, no special glasses or gizmos are needed to view the spectacle and one can directly stare at the moon. However, for solar eclipses, it is pertinent to wear proper viewing glasses and take the necessary safety precautions because the powerful rays of the sun can burn and damage your retinas.

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

• GradPost Blog

Don't miss our Spring 2024 Funding Forecast

Spring Quarter usually marks the end of the academic year, but finding funding is a continuous process! Check out this sample of upcoming deadlines of funding opportunities for postdoctoral, doctoral, graduate, research, and other short-term awards or travel grants. Various deadlines listed. Consult websites for current details and application information.

Spring quarter usually marks the end of the academic year, but finding funding is a continuous process! So, if you are looking for financial support for the coming year or next, remember to routinely look at funding postings so you get an idea of what topics or issues are getting funded. Spring and summer are also great times to prepare your fellowship application materials - personal statement, research statement, and academic CV.

Below is a sample list of upcoming deadlines. Regularly inform your faculty adviser about your current research ideas and progress as this is very important when requesting letters of recommendation. Also, be sure to check the program websites regularly for the most updated information on important dates and submission details. Good luck!

NOTE: Please report any broken links to Funding Peer Liliana Garcia

Jump to information about: Postdoctoral Fellowships Dissertation Support Graduate and Doctoral Support Research Support Other (Travel, Short-Term, Award, Summer, etc.)  

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

Mar 15  The Hindle Postdoctoral Fellowship (history of technology)

Apr 1 German Historical Institute Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships

Apr 1 SHOT- NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship (history of space technology)

Apr 1 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Aerospace History

Apr 1 American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowships

Jul 15 David B. Larson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Health and Spirituality

Sep 15 Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowships in Israel for U.S. Citizens 2020/2021

Sep TBD American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowships

Oct 1 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) International Program INVEST Drug Abuse Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

Oct 15 American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowships

Oct 18 NSF Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

On-going Incorporating Benefits & Costs of Environmental Regulation in Computable General Equilibrium Models Research with the US Environmental Protection Agency

Various deadlines Funding Opportunities for Postdoctoral Scholars - list via Harvard website

Various deadlines Postdoctoral opportunities in medical research - via Stanford website

Various deadlines Minority Postdoctoral Opportunities List

Various deadlines Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Postdoctoral Fellowships

Various deadlines Special Programs for Postdoctoral Fellows - via National Science Foundation

Various deadlines Post-doctoral Opportunities List - from the National Institute of Health

Various deadlines - Postdoctoral Positions at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory  

DISSERTATION SUPPORT

Feb 25  Melvin Kranzberg Dissertation Fellowship (history of technology)

April 1 Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations Marilyn Blatt Young Dissertation Completion Fellowship

Apr 1 Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES) Dissertation Research Grants

May 1 North American Conference on British Studies Dissertation Research Fellowship

May 1 Grants for Health Services Dissertation Program (R36)

Jul 17 Linguistics Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

Jul 20 Biological Anthropology Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

Aug 1 Grants for Health Services Dissertation Program (R36)

Aug 15 Cultural Anthropology Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

On-going Research Opportunities at the US Forest Service Research and Development (R&D)

On-going Archaeology Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards (Arch-DDRI) - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

On-going Documenting Endangered Languages Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

On-going Geography and Spatial Sciences Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (GSS-DDRI) , National Science Foundation (NSF)

Various Deadlines Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Opportunities  

GRADUATE & DOCTORAL SUPPORT

Apr 1 Batten, First Union, and Peter Nicolaisen International Fellowships

Apr 1 SHOT- NASA Predoctoral Fellowship (history of space technology)

Apr 10  National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowships

Apr 15 Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Graduate Fellowship (National Deadline; local chapter deadline is usually 2 weeks earlier)

Apr 15 BHW Group Women in STEM Scholarship

Apr 30 Government of the Slovak Republic approved the establishment of the National Scholarship Programme

May 8  Google India PhD Fellowships

May 8  Google China/Hong Kong/Japan/South Korea Phd Fellowship Program

May 11 American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) New Century Scholars Doctoral Scholarship

Jun 15  American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Fellowship for Minority Doctoral Students

Sep 7 American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowships

TBD American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) Graduate Student Scholarship

TBD PEO International Peace Scholarship (IPS) - also open to international students studying in the US

Various Deadlines Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations Fellowships and Grants  

On-going Gerda Henkel Foundation Ph.D. Scholarships in the Historical Humanities   

RESEARCH SUPPORT

Apr 1 Research Fellowships in Aerospace History

Apr 1 Harry S. Truman Library Institute Research Grants Program Apr 10  National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships Apr 12 Horton Hydrology Research Grant from American Geophysical Union

Apr 13 Project Management Institute's Research Grant Program for the study of project, program or portfolio management

Apr 15 Emerging Crises Oral History Research Fund

Apr 19 American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation Student Research Grant in Early Childhood Language Development

Apr 19 American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation Student Research Grant in Audiology

Apr 24  Japan-US Friendship Commission and the National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan

Apr 30 International Foundation for Ethical Research (IFER) - Graduate Fellowship Program

Apr TBD Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program

May 1 NRC Research Associateship Programs (RAP)

May 1  US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science (SC) Graduate Student Research Program

May 2 National Institute of Justice Graduate Fellowships in STEM

May 15 Deutsches Akademisches Austaauschdienst (DAAD) Short-Term Research Grants (for research in Germany)

Jul 15 The Leakey Foundation Grants for Research Related to Human Origins

Aug 1 NRC Research Associateship Programs (RAP)

Sep 15 Fulbright Canada-American Scholars Awards

Sep 15 Kluge Fellowships (humanities and social science research)

Oct 15  Harry S. Truman Library Institute Research Grants Program

TBD UCHRI Grants and Fellowships

TBD Graduate Fellowship for Research in Japan

TBD Merck KGaA Research Grant Competition

Various Opportunities New York Public Library Research Fellowships

Various Deadlines Smithsonian Institute Fellowships

Various Deadlines Metropolitan Museum of Art Research Fellowships

Various Deadlines Center for Disease Control (CDC) Fellowships

On-going Dirksen Congressional Research Grant

On-going The Spalding Trust Grants for the Comparative Study of Religions

On-going Statistics Fellowship with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

On-going OCS ORISE Fellowship with the Food and Drug Administration

On-going Digital/New Media Fellowships with Dept of Health and Human Services

On-going Dept of Energy Opportunity in Fuel Cell Research

On-going National Institute of Health Individual Graduate Partnerships Program

On-going Title VIII Research Scholar Program American Councils - in-country, independent research for three consecutive months to nine consecutive months in Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe  

OTHER (Travel, Short-Term, Award, Summer etc.)

Mar 31 Sara Finney-Johnson Scholarship - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Apr 1 Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery

Apr 7 Short-Term Carter Center Graduate Assistantships in Atlanta

Apr 8 Charles Koch Institute Summer Internship

Apr 10  National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships

Apr 28 Mary Murphy Graduate Scholarship - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Apr TBD Interfaces Graduate Training Program at UCSD - in biological, engineering, physical and health sciences

Apr TBD Lupus Foundation of America Summer Fellowships

May 1  Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting (no citizenship requirements)

May 1 James P. Danky Fellowship in Print and Digital Culture

May 15 Catherine Prelinger Award (women's history)

May 31 PSA/Journal of Postcolonial Writing Postgraduate Essay Competition

Jun 5  SACNAS Travel Fellowships

Jun 26  LGBT Studies One-Month Research Fellowship at Yale University

July TBA  National Air and Space Administration (NASA) Internships *NOTE: Select opportunities are also open to citizens from countries participating in the NASA International Internship Program.

Sep 1 Samuel H. Kress Foundation Conservation Grants Programs

Sep 1 Samuel H. Kress Foundation Art History Digital Art History Grant Programs

Fall TBD Presidential Management Fellows Program US Office of Personnel Management

Rolling Deadline - Veteran Research Supplement with the Center for Integrated Access Networks