Are you a new-age traveller? Jet-setting from country to country, whether for business or pleasure, may seem like a pipe dream to some but you’re living it. However, are you making the most out of your time abroad? There’s a whole range of apps, available for both iOS and Android devices, that can help ensure you have the best experience abroad, whether you’re catching flights, finding restaurants or just trying to find your way around!
Skyscanner (iOS/Android)
If you’re frequently flying about all over the world, you won’t be a stranger to catching flights. Skyscanner is designed to make this as easy as possible. Enter your preferred flight dates, pick the destination you’re going to and then simply choose the best flight to suit your times and your budget. It’s that simple.
Airbnb (iOS/Android)
Hotels can be expensive and, as a frequent flyer, it’s common for your hotel rooms to all start looking the same. Airbnb is an extremely popular app that provides you with incredibly affordable accommodation in nearly every country in the world. What’s great about it? These hotels and hostels are each unique, designed to their owner’s own taste, creating rooms and properties with beautiful personalities of their own.
Circa World Time (iOS/Android)
If you’re travelling long distances, it’s not uncommon to get confused with what time you’re operating in. Are you still in your past destination time, your stopover time zone or your final destination time? Who knows, but Circa World Time makes it easy to track and monitor the times in multiple destinations in a beautifully visual and easy to understand way.
Kindle (iOS/Android)
If you love your books and you’re a frequent flyer, carrying around dozens of hardback books is going add some serious baggage fees to your expenses. Kindle makes it easy to download your favourite titles and classics, allowing you to ensure your books and novels, no matter where you are or what you’re doing in the world, perfect for relaxing on the beach or for bearing long haul flights.
Booking.com (iOS/Android)
In need of a hotel now or the future? Booking.com is one of the most popular hotel comparison websites used by travellers all over the world. Compared to most booking websites, Booking.com is extremely affordable and is home to a comprehensive collection of hotels, allowing you to find the place for you easily.
LoungeBuddy (iOS/Android)
We all dread the days where we find ourselves stuck in airports with hours to kill, whether you got there early, your flights been delayed or it’s simply a really long stopover. To make the time pass quicker, LoungeBuddy grants you exclusive and instant access to over 170 airport lounges, available worldwide. The service is a pay-per-use system, meaning you’ll only ever have to pay for what you use.
XE Currency (iOS/Android)
Whichever country or destination you’re visiting, it’s important you know exactly where your money is going. To achieve this, you’ll need to be able to convert your money easily and to work out the conversion rates quickly and effortlessly. XE Currency allows you to do just that. With this simple to use a tool, you can quickly convert a sum of money to see the most up to date exchange rates, so you know exactly what you’re spending.
DuoLingo (iOS/Android)
It can be somewhat rewarding to learn the basics of the language you’re currently in or plan to visit. With DuoLingo, you can take daily lessons that help you to master the basics of a language, helping you to get to your desired destination with ease, asking for directions, making orders and otherwise engaging in day to day conversation. The app is visually easy to use and very comprehensive when it comes to the lesson themselves.
Google Translate (iOS/Android)
Learning a language fluently can take years and years of continuous practice, and it’s renowned that the older we get, the more difficult it is to learn. Google Translate makes it easy to traverse other countries, allowing you to download any of the 52 available language packs. This gives you the ability to translate images, sounds and text and there’s even a live camera app for translating any words you see out and about on your travels.
Maps.ME (iOS/Android)
Navigating your way around a foreign city can be stressful. Imagine it’s getting late, you and your family are tired, and you simply want to get back to the hotel. You have no idea where you are, and there’s no one about to ask. This is where Maps.ME excels. Download the map of the destination you’re travelling to for instant access to GPS, even if you have no cell network signal. It even works when you’re travelling in a vehicle, giving you access to maps in every situation.