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8 Travel Apps To Save You Time And Money This Holiday Season

We take a look at the apps you need before you head off to your holiday destination.

Published

9 years ago

December 29, 2015

The holiday season is here, and as us tech junkies get prepared to take some much-needed time off, just remember your smartphone can become your best friend and ultimate travel buddy if used correctly. So we looked at eight travel apps which could save your time, money, and hassle when vacationing.

Hipmunk

Hipmunk is one of the hottest, up-and-coming travel apps out today. Hipmunk, which has been recommended from the likes of Time, Forbes, and CNN, will find you the best flights, and the best hotel deals, by comparing the prices on hundreds of top travel sites across the web.

PackPoint

Ever feel like you’ve forgotten something while on the way to the airport? PackPoint is a handy packing app that goes beyond regular packing lists by helping you figure out exactly what to bring by asking you basic questions, such as your destination, the date, the length of your stay and the purpose of the trip. PackPoint compiles a customised list of what to bring based on that information and the local weather forecast for where you are headed.

Airbnb

There is nothing like the comfort of home. But how can you achieve that same feeling when you are traveling the globe, and pay less than you would at a hotel? The answer is Airbnb. Airbnb allows you to search through over 600,000 private residences or single rooms real people are renting out across 34,000 different cities worldwide. Stay a week, or stay just a weekend; you are able to see when/how long certain residences/rooms are available in your preferred travel destination.

Uber

If you’re not using Uber yet, you’re missing out.Uber is like having a private driver at the palm of your hand, and one which doesn’t cost a fortune. When you want to go somewhere, all you have to do is pick the type of Uber (UberX, Uber Black, or UberVan), your location/destination, and then click “Request” (Yes, it is really that simple).

Viator

Arriving in a new city can be overwhelming – you want to see all the sites but don’t know where to start. With the Viator app, you can discover over 20,000 of the world’s top-rates tours and activities in over 1,500 destinations worldwide. Viator’s offers range from VIP experiences at iconic locations, like the Sistine Chapel, to “Skip the Line” passes at popular attractions, like the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building.

Tipulator

Leave 10% on the table after a meal in Tokyo and your generosity will cause offence; do the same in New York and you’ll be called a cheapskate. Thankfully, wherever you go, there’s this – a nifty tip calculator to help the mathematically challenged split bills and tips while neatly sidestepping social embarrassment.

Jetlag Genie

There are plenty of theories floating about concerning the best methods for beating jetlag, very few of which come backed up with any serious scientific clout. Still, it’s generally agreed that gradually altering your sleeping habits before a trip is beneficial, and this clever app will help you do just that. Input your travel dates, destination and usual sleeping times and it’ll come back with personalised alarm clocks to soften the blow when you wake up on Tuesday afternoon convinced it’s still Monday morning.

TravelSafe Pro

A potentially life-saving database of emergency service numbers for just about every country you’d ever care to visit, plus plenty for those that you wouldn’t. There’s also embassy details should passports go missing and – for the truly paranoid – the option to pin certain services to your home screen as widgets, for one-touch access to police, ambulances and fire engines.