Planning your summer vacation? There are many apps out there, designed to help you make the most out of your trip. Here are some of the trendiest travel apps for 2018.
Hopper
Price: Free
Purpose: Finding the cheapest flights
This app is really brilliant. Here’s how it works. You tell Hopper where you want to go, when you plan to leave and return and the app will find you the cheapest flight.
Sounds sort of like Kayak, Expedia, Orbitz, or dozens of other websites, right? However, Hopper doesn’t stop there.
Hopper tells you what tickets cost right now, but it also reveals the historic price range for tickets for that particular route. This is helpful because you can then determine if the current price point is a good deal or not.
It also uses algorithms to track past flight price patterns and provides you with advice on whether or not you should wait to purchase the tickets. I ran a search from Phoenix to Grand Rapids for two weeks out and, after revealing the best price available, the following message appeared on my screen: “The price for this flight isn’t great, but you will likely pay more if you wait. You should book now.” How crazy is that? In addition, if you choose to wait to purchase the tickets, you can have the app notify you if and when the flight’s price lowers, or it can warn you when the price is about to climb.
Dealray
Price: $9.99 per month
Purpose: Finding crazy flight deals with very random destinations
While we have no first-hand experience with this app, word on the street is if you are flexible in your travel plans, Dealray is the way to go. This app will work particularly well if you are simply looking for an adventure and do not have a particular destination in mind.
It works by using algorithms and around-the-clock staff finding deals, pop up sales, even glitches in airlines systems to catch amazing deals.
You simply tell Dealray where you live, and they will send you texts when a deal pops up in your area. Most users report receiving about 3 or 4 deals per month. The catch is you have to jump on the deal fast, sometimes within minutes of receiving the text. So you have to be very flexible with your destinations. But for people with a flexible schedule and a case of wanderlust, sounds like this is the app you've been waiting for. While $9.99 seems pricey, this means you are part of an exclusive group of people receiving these deals, and it allows you to have “first dibs”.
One user reported receiving the following deals:
$144 Philadelphia to Copenhagen
$99 Boston to Reykjavik
$188 NYC to Abu Dhabi
$399 New York to Milan on Emirates
It is important to understand, these are not deals Dealray is creating, these are deals Dealray is finding and sending to you.
Grab - Airport Food Ordering
Price: Free
Purpose: To avoid the airport food line!
With this app, you can look up your airport’s food options. You can view their menus and, with many participating merchants, you can even order your food before you even arrive! This comes in really handy if you have a brief layover or for whatever reason you're short on time at the airport. There are hundreds of locations participating so this app has become very effective for seasoned travelers.
Google Translate
Price: Free
Purpose: Your own personal translator!
Traveling to a foreign country? Google Translate is like being accompanied by your own personal translator. You can use the camera on your smartphone, point it at signs, menus or text and instantly the app will tell you what it says! You can also have it translate by typing.
This is what it is like to live in the future!
iExit
Price: Free
Purpose: Tells you what’s coming up at the next exit
Planning a road trip? This app is a must-have. It is perfect for the scenario where you are driving, and the kids need to use the restroom, your gas tank is on 'E', or you are looking for a nearby restaurant or hotel. This app uses your location and allows you to look at what types of businesses will be available at the next exit. Very handy!
We hope this list of our top 5 summer travel apps for 2018 will come in handy as you set out on your summer adventures. We’d love to hear about your favorite travel apps. Happy traveling!