My 7 Most Used Travel Apps
It’s 2023, and that means there’s an app for everything, including travel. I’ve been traveling mostly solo for the past several years, and in that time, I’ve found a lot of digital helpers that have really improved my trips. And since I want to encourage more people to feel comfortable traveling (especially solo!), I thought I’d share a few of my favorites.
XE Currency & Money Transfers is an app that allows you to compare multiple currency conversion rates in real time. I find this really helpful when I’m trying to determine if something is a good deal or not, but also when I’m traveling through more than one country and want to compare prices. This is also a HUGE help in budgeting for a trip, as it allows you to get a really good estimate of what things will cost you if you’re paying in foreign currency. Keep in mind that this does not include any bank specific charges like foreign transaction fees. Another thing to note is that conversion rates can change frequently, and if you are using a cash currency exchange, there are sometimes conversion fees that apply.
Faredrop is a website and app that searches millions of flights every day and sends a notification (via the app or email) to subscribers with links to the best fares they find. This is a subscription service that currently has three different options. These include a free Domestic Plan for domestic economy deals, a Global Plan covering domestic and international economy deals (current cost is $49 billed annually), and a Global Pro Plan which sends both domestic and international economy deals, as well as international business class deals (current cost is $99, billed annually). There are also occasionally sales on the subscription prices, so sign up for their newsletter and keep your eyes peeled!
Google Maps is pretty self explanatory, right? You can pin things to maps, download maps for offline use, and the transit/public transport directions have been greatly improved over the last few years. I use this on every single trip to (at the very least) get to and from the airport and my accommodations in the city where I end up.
Trainline is an app and website that sells train and bus tickets and gives you access to live train times and station information. They compare affordable prices for both train and bus tickets so you can choose the journey that works best your your schedule and your budget. I frequently take trains when I’m in Europe, so this app has been a real load of my anxiety about being in a new place and navigating an unfamiliar transit system.
Airline apps have been especially helpful since the invention of the digital boarding pass. I typically only fly a couple airlines, so I have those apps permanently on my phone, but will temporarily download another airline’s app when I need it. Besides in-app check in and boarding passes, many airline apps allow you to see all of your flight times, boarding gates, flight status, and some allow you to change your seat right in the app. Currently on my phone? British Airways, Aer Lingus, and Delta.
WhatsApp is another one that is pretty common, and something I use while at home in the US too. Since I’ve been traveling for a few years, I’ve made a good amount of friends that don’t live in my country, so texting and calling can get pretty pricey. WhatsApp allows me to call my international friends when I’m at home, and to call my friends and family from home while I’m away.
Last but not least is Monzo. They’re a UK-based online banking company that have somewhat recently begun working with Sutton Bank to provide FDIC insured US accounts as well. My regular debit card has a foreign transaction fee, and sometimes, my credit card hates being used abroad. The Monzo card allowed me to have a tap to pay debit card (long before my US bank offered them) without any ATM fees (unless the ATM itself has a fee) or any foreign transaction fees.