5 useful smartphone travel apps
More meeting and event planners now rely on smartphones and travel apps to help them navigate the complexities of 21st century business travel. Called the “ultimate travel gadget” by PCmag.com’s mobile columnist Sascha Segan, smartphones are making it easier than ever to travel.
Many planners say they won’t leave home without a smartphone loaded with their favorite travel apps. “I live on TripIt on my iPhone,” says Karen Brown, owner of Conferences by Design in Dover, Del. “Its simplicity and ease of use defy description.”
Read more about TripIt and four additional travel apps worth loading onto your smartphone before your next trip.
TripIt: Users can check flights, receive updates on flight status and gate changes, get airport driving directions, access weather forecasts in destination cities, integrate with smartphone calendars, and more. Brown says TripIt scans her Gmail account for emails that involve any form of travel—car, hotel or air—or dining reservations. “Then it automatically sorts and posts them in chronological order so I can easily see where I’m supposed to be and when. The detail is collapsible so I can see my seat assignments and cancellation policies if I need to, or simply see that I’m supposed to have dinner at Maggiano’s at 5. Price: Free, or $49 for yearlong subscription to TripIt Pro; Available on: iPhone, Android and Blackberry
TripCase: Similar to TripIt, TripCase continually updates flight delays and gate status and suggests alternate flights if you miss one, and allows you to publish trip info to Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Price: Free, and TripCase PRO free through March 31; Available on: BlackBerry, Android and iPhone
Google Maps: Segan calls Google Maps “the single most useful travel app,” and it simply tells you where you are, anywhere in the world, helps you search for nearby restaurants, attractions and landmarks. Price: Free; Available on: Most smartphones
FlightView Elite: In December, the popular FlightView app was enhanced to give users the ability to check real-time flight information either on an airport flight board listing or via a flight search built into the app. Users can receive real-time alerts on flight status and gate changes, as well as airport driving directions and seven-day weather forecasts for more than 900 cities worldwide. Price: $3.99; Available on: Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, Palm
FlightTrack Pro by Mobiata: The app automatically syncs itineraries with TripIt and the device’s calendar and includes zoomable live flight tracker maps with satellite and weather radar imagery that work online or offline. Price: $9.99. Available on: iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad
