When it comes to being a frequent flyer, air travel, whether long or short haul, can be stressful and overwhelming. There are so many details to keep track of, from flight schedules to hotel reservations and transportation arrangements. Thankfully, there are many apps available to make travel easier and more efficient. In this post, we’ve rounded up some of the Traveltrust team’s favourite apps to streamline your travel experiences.
For Keeping Organised: Tripit
First and foremost, no list of best business travel apps would be complete without Tripit. This app is a game-changer for anyone who travels frequently. It’s essentially a travel organiser that automatically compiles all of your trip details into one place. You simply forward your confirmation emails to Tripit, and it creates a master itinerary that includes your flights, hotel reservations, car rentals and more. It even sends you notifications if there are any unexpected changes to your itinerary, such as a delayed flight or a gate change.
What’s particularly smart is that you can access your whole Tripit itinerary offline, so there’s no need to worry about finding a Wi-Fi connection when you’re on the go. It’s like having your own Traveltrust travel manager in your pocket and can save you so much time and stress that no business traveller should be without it.
Honourable Mention: Check My Trip. This app works very similarly to Tripit but is the preference of our UK office staff. Ultimately there’s little to choose between Tripit and Check My Trip and both are excellent apps that will definitely make your life easier!
For Taking the Stress Out of Arriving: Citymapper
When you’re travelling to a new city, it can be challenging to navigate the local transportation systems. That’s where Citymapper comes in. This app provides real-time information on public transportation options, including bus, rail and metro routes. It also shows you the estimated travel time and cost for each option, so you can choose the most efficient and cost-effective route to your ultimate destination.
Citymapper is available in over 80 cities worldwide, and ticks off most of the major world cities you’d expect like London, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo so it’s a must-have for anyone who travels frequently. It’s particularly useful in Europe where coverage is excellent and as well as the major destinations of France, Italy, Germany and Scandinavia it will also get you around the likes of Bratislava, Bucharest, Krakow and even Istanbul.
If you’re the kind of traveller who prefers to experience a city as the locals do, this is a great app to move you around easily without having to rely on costly taxis. What’s more it also includes walking and cycling directions, as well as ride-sharing options like Uber and Lyft so no matter where you’re trying to get to, this app is the one to get you there.
For Enjoying the Best Lounge Access: LoungeBuddy
One of the best parts of traveling for work is getting access to premium airport lounges. These spaces can offer a quiet place to work, free Wi-Fi and complimentary snacks and drinks. However, not all lounges are created equal, and it can be challenging to figure out which lounges you have access to based on your airline status or credit card benefits. This is why LoungeBuddy is an airport lounge user’s best friend. This app helps you find and book airport lounges around the world, based on the frequent flyer programs you’re of which you’re a member.
The best part is that you can also see reviews and photos of each lounge, so you know what to expect before you arrive, helping you avoid the more family focused lounges. This app will save you from spending hours wandering around airports in search of a quiet place to work or even just to unwind on a layover.
For Nailing the Airport Experience: FLIO
Speaking of wandering around the airport, FLIO is a helpful app for anyone who wants to make the most of their time in the terminal. This app provides real-time information on flight delays, gate changes and security wait times. It also includes maps of most major airports, so you can quickly find restaurants, shops and other amenities.
Being able to see which restaurants and shops are in the area around your gate, saves you from wondering when the best time to be waiting by your gate would be. This is particularly helpful if you have a long layover and want to stretch your legs and explore the airport and don’t want to get stuck in a fairly barren area with over an hour’s wait before departure.
For Overcoming Language Barriers: Google Translate
This one is obviously no secret but it’s worth sharing just how useful this app can be to the business traveller. Able to translate text, speech and even images from one language to another Google Translate can provide almost instantaneous translations of everything from street signs to restaurant menus, saving you valuable time and possible confusion.
Its conversation mode, which allows you to have a back-and-forth conversation with someone who speaks a different language, is particularly handy when you’ve veered off the beaten track and are finding English harder to come by! It can also be helpful for business meetings or negotiations where clear communication is essential. The app can also save your translations for offline use, so you don’t have to worry about finding a Wi-Fi connection when you’re on the go. Just remember to download the languages you’re going to need before you travel to have access at your fingertips once you arrive.
For Optimising Your Flight Experience: SeatGuru
When you’re booking a flight, not all seats are created equal. Some seats have more legroom or are located near the toilet or exit row and when you’re making your reservation the airline seat maps don’t tell you about what really matters when you need to select your spot. This app provides detailed seat maps for different airlines and aircraft, so you can choose the best seat for your needs and you don’t need to know exactly which aircraft you’re flying on as the app can usually work it out based on your flight number.
SeatGuru includes information on seat width, pitch and amenities, in all classes of the plane, so you can make an informed decision when booking your seat. Crucially it includes user reviews, so you can see what other travellers have to say about each seat. Never again will you suffer the frustration of being in that seat constantly disturbed by the staff in the galley or having people queue for the facilities by your side.
Streamlining Your Business Travel Experience
These are just some of the apps we recommend to make your travels a little smoother. But of course nothing beats specialist expertise and that’s why Traveltrust’s experienced travel managers offer the ultimate level of professional support to frequent business travellers. If you’d like a level of personal service that can’t be matched by apps on your phone, get in touch with the Traveltrust team today and let us take care of everything for you.