The busiest travel season of the year is around the corner—which means it's time to break out that old atlas and hit the road on Thanksgiving or Christmas vacation. But holiday travel is notorious for high prices and unbearably long lines. Luckily, if you’re taking your cell phone, we’ve found the perfect apps to make your holiday travel a breeze, whether taking a road trip or going abroad.
There are apps to help with every part of your travel plans. There are itinerary-planning apps like Wanderlog and TripCase. You can also easily book flights and hotels with apps like Expedia and Booking.com. Tripadvisor and Viator can help you plan fun activities for your family. We’ve also included some other apps for keeping yourself entertained during your flight, apps for camping, and weather apps so you’ll know what to pack for.
Read on for our full list of apps so you can master holiday travel this Thanksgiving season and focus on enjoying your trip.
How we picked the best apps for holiday travel
-
Easy to use
Using these won’t require help from your techie cousin; they are all rather intuitive, allowing you to use them as soon as you download them. -
Affordable
While some of these selections may offer additional in-app purchases or direct towards third-party vendors, none of them require upfront payment for their basic service. -
Hands-on testing
We played around with these before recommending and even used them to save money ourselves. Win-win!
Best travel planning apps
Planning can be one of the most difficult parts of travel. Luckily, there are apps to help keep you organized and show a minute-by-minute rundown of your upcoming trip.
Wanderlog
Wanderlog is a travel planning app that works for all kinds of trips. It has a road trip feature for domestic destinations showing the best route and things to do along the way. For international travelers, you can automatically import your flight and hotel information, and Wanderlog will make a basic schedule, including departures and check-in times. From there, you can build out your itinerary by looking at recommended activities and even budget costs. Your trip plan can even be shared with other travelers in your group.
For even more efficiency, consider upgrading to the Pro version of the app. Wanderlog can access and scan your GMail account, helping you link reservations like hotels, rental cars, and tickets directly into your itinerary. You can also export your entire trip to Google Maps, making it extremely easy to simply plug in your phone and use your GPS to get where you're going.
To that end, the Pro subscription includes access to Wanderlog's route optimizer, which will evaluate your travel times and route and suggest any changes that could save you time along your trip. If you're traveling in more remote areas with spotty cell service, the Pro version gets you offline access to your maps, addresses, and plans so that you won't be stranded.
The app is highly recommended, with a 4.9 out of 5 rating on the iOS store and over 27,000 ratings.
Best hotel and flight booking apps
We’re not really breaking a ton of new ground here—our favorite flight and hotel apps are classics that everyone uses. They’re here because they consistently work.
Expedia
Expedia might be the most popular travel app on the planet. It has over 5.4 million reviews just on the iOS app store and still maintains a near-perfect 4.8 rating. You can do virtually everything on this app from booking flights and hotels to reserving rental cars. There are even extra options like booking premium excursions and cruises. The best part is the Expedia app has a built-in itinerary, so everything is automatically populated when you make your reservations. There’s no need for extra planning apps. The app will even store digital copies of boarding passes and e-tickets.
Booking.com
Booking.com is another popular trip aggregator app. Similar to Expedia, you can book flights, hotel rooms, rental cars, and more. The app also has excellent filtering capabilities, so you can specifically look for things like pet-friendly hotels. It’ll also hold your digital tickets and sometimes offers special deals on specific trips.
The app is rated as a 4.8 with 1.7 million ratings on the iOS store.
Hopper
Hopper is another great trip aggregation app. It can put together multiple one-way fares for flights, potentially saving money by using different airlines. The app can also tell you when the best time to purchase your flight or hotel reservation is, and it will even send notifications if the price drops. You can also book directly through the app, though it does charge a commission to do so. Always make sure to check other options to make sure Hopper is offering the best deal. Some reviews have reported it can be cheaper to find your flight through Hopper and then book it directly through the airline.
Flight hacking apps
A number of flight-hacking apps have popped up on the app stores. Some of them are fine, but we generally recommend avoiding them and sticking to the boring apps. Why? Some of these apps actually violate the service terms of most airlines. Skiplagged is a great example and a popular app that you should avoid.
Skiplagging is when your flight’s layover is actually your intended destination. You simply leave the airport and skip the second leg of your flight. Airline pricing is weird, meaning sometimes a layover in your chosen destination is cheaper than a direct flight. However, booking this kind of flight is extremely risky. For one, if you are forced to check a bag, your luggage is flying all the way to your final destination. The other issue is if the airline catches you, it could ban you from flying with them again because the practice violates their terms. It’s better to pay a little more and stay out of airline jail.
Best apps for finding vacation activities
Half the fun of going on a trip is finding fun activities to do while you’re there. These apps are great for both domestic and international destinations.
Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor is another popular app you’ve probably already heard of. It offers recommendations for virtually any kind of activity that you can find on vacation. You can find reviews for restaurants, museums, tour companies, and even hotels. Keep in mind that all the reviews are made by other travelers, which is both a blessing and a curse. One person having a bad experience can color the perspective of an otherwise great establishment. You can also use the app to make reservations at some hotels, though it doesn’t offer as many options as apps like Expedia and Booking.com.
Viator
Viator is a great app for planning excursions while on your trip. It specializes in tours and attractions and claims it has over 300,000 options to choose from around the world. You can do a broad search by city or get more specific about the kinds of activities you’re interested in. The app will book your excursion and provide you with an e-ticket.
I’ve personally used Viator for a day trip to Toledo, Spain and a tour of Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. Both were easy to search and book right from the app. Viator’s app is rated 4.9 out of 5 with 206,000 reviews on the iOS store.
Turn “hello” into “hola”: The best translating apps
If you’re traveling abroad, you are most likely going to want a translation app to avoid frustration, delays, and otherwise awkward missteps (unless you’re the brave soul who orders blind from a foreign menu—more power to you).
While many tour guides may speak your native language, you’ll benefit from communicating with locals and reading signs yourself. Check out our list of the best translating apps for international travel.
Best entertainment apps for traveling
Travel usually involves long periods of waiting on a plane or riding in a car. Here are some great apps to keep yourself occupied and entertained.
Monument Valley
Monument Valley is a puzzle app. The game guides a single character on a quest through levels of intricate and ever-changing fantasy architecture and complicated geometry. There are hidden paths, optical illusions, and mysterious monuments to reach. It’s perfect for both kids (albeit on the older side) and adults. In fact, a fellow WhistleOut colleague has it along with its sequel and is still challenged every time she plays.
It’s a great travel app because it takes a few hours to complete (so it’ll make your flight time whiz by), works offline (don’t need to pay for in-flight Wi-Fi!), and is an award-winning and visually stunning way to pass the time and exercise your critical thinking skills. It is rated 4.7 out of 5 in the iOS app store and Apple has ranked it in the top ten for its puzzle category for quite some time.
White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds
This app is not exactly the most entertaining app you could put on your phone. Still, it’s vital to any long trip. White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds is essentially a white noise machine on your phone. You can put on your headphones for a long flight or car ride and get some sleep. There are multiple sounds you can choose from and some are even customized for kids. That said, we recommend using this app with headphones while riding as a passenger in a car. Some of the sounds are designed to be relaxing and you don’t want to put your driver to sleep.
Make that long flight better by streaming
Streaming is another great option for keeping yourself entertained during a trip. That said, you’ll probably need a paid subscription for services like Netflix, Max, and Disney+ to download content for viewing offline.
If you have unlimited data for streaming you can check out some of our free streaming apps.
Best camping and RV apps
Some of us like a more rustic experience when traveling. Here are some great apps to help you find a place to camp or park your RV.
Hipcamp
Hipcamp is essentially a travel booking site that specializes in outdoor areas. There are campsites, RV parks, ranches, and cabins available. It generally offers standard camping areas like national parks and paid RV resorts. That said, you may find unusual locations to camp like treehouses, wineries, and blueberry farms. You can make all your reservations on the app and see what kinds of amenities are available for each location. Some campsites may be limited to tent camping, while others may offer things like swimming areas and showers.
Hipcamp is highly recommended and was featured as Apple’s App Of The Day on the iOS store.
.png "The Dyrt app campsite reservation options.")
The Dyrt
The Dyrt is another traveling booking app for the outdoors, but it specializes in camping and RV parks. According to the app, there are over 500,000 locations available to choose from.
You can book your stays directly in the app and filter campgrounds by customization options like amenities and the current distance from your location. If you’re willing to pay for the premium edition of the app, you can even get access to a listing of free campgrounds across the nation.
The app is rated 4.8 out of 5 with over 111,000 ratings.
Best weather apps for travel
Finding a good travel weather app is a must for vacations. Otherwise, you may not pack what you need or may get caught off guard by a rogue rainstorm.
The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel app is the top-rated weather app on both the iOS store and Google Store. It provides a great look at weather around the world and even offers live coverage of extreme weather events. There’s also a live radar and multi-day forecasts. Frankly, this app has a ton of features and at times you may feel a bit overwhelmed. Still, if you want to know exactly what the weather is doing on your trip, this is the best option.
WeatherBug
WeatherBug is another one of the most popular weather apps on both app stores. It offers a ton of different features and multi-day forecasts for locations around the world. While it doesn’t offer as many features as The Weather Channel app, it serves the needs of people who simply want a reliable forecast and live radar.
Travel phone plans
If you’re traveling abroad, you’re going to need an international data plan for most of these apps. Luckily, the days of purchasing a foreign SIM card are pretty much over. Many plans from large carriers and smaller MVNOs offer international data options. If you pick the right plan, you may already have a free allotment of international data.
MVNO international data plans
MVNOs offer great savings on domestic plans, but many also offer international perks.
MVNO plans with international data
| Carrier | Plan | International Data | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Fi | Unlimited Premium | Unlimited 4G LTE | $65/month |
| Mint Mobile | 5GB Plan w/ Uproam |
$5-20 credit blocks | $15/month |
| US Mobile | Unlimited Premium | 20GB high-speed | $44/month |
The Google Fi Unlimited Premium plan is one of the best options for international travel. It starts at $65/month and includes unlimited texts and 4G LTE data in over 200+ countries. Calls are $.20/minute.
Google Fi Wireless Unlimited Premium for 1
| Carrier | Google Fi Wireless |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get 50% off this plan for 12 months when you bring your own Pixel phone and activate a new line on Unlimited Premium plan |
| Total Price |
$32.50 per month
|
| View Plan |
Mint Mobile offers international coverage through its UpRoam service. It allows you to purchase blocks of international data, minutes, and texts. You can prepay for service before your trip or purchase it as you need it. This service is available with all of Mint’s plans.
Mint Mobile international service rates
| Voice rate | Texting rate | Data rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada and Mexico | $.06/min | $.02/SMS message | $.06/MB |
| Other nations | $.25/min | $.05/SMS message | $.20/MB |
Mint Mobile 5GB Data Plan
| Carrier | Mint Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | 5GB Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get this plan for just $10/mo. when you switch to Mint Mobile using promo code 15OFF at checkout. Upfront payment required |
| Total Price |
$10 per month
$30.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $10.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only.
|
| View Plan |
US Mobile offers 20GB/month of international data with its Unlimited Premium plan, starting at $44/month. That rivals the allotments from carriers like T-Mobile at a fraction of the cost. The data is usable in over 120 countries. As long as you monitor your use while traveling abroad, 20GB should be enough to meet your needs.
US Mobile Unlimited Premium Plan
| Carrier | US Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get this monthly plan for only $39 for 6 months of service using promo code ONLY39 OR $5 off per month for 6 months OR 30 Days FREE Trial |
| Total Price |
$39 per month
|
| View Plan |
AT&T, Verizon, & T-Mobile international data plans
The top plans from the big carriers also offer some form of international data options. We’re specifically focusing on the international perks here, but these plans also come with unlimited premium data and large mobile hotspots for the domestic networks. You can check out each plan for specifics and more perks.
AT&T’s Unlimited Premium PL plan starts at $85.99/month and includes unlimited talk, text, and 4G LTE data in Canada, Mexico, and 19 other Latin American nations. There’s also an International Day Pass for $10/day that allows you to use your plan abroad. Your data use will count towards your domestic allotment. The fees are capped at 10 days, so if you continue to use it past that point you won’t be charged. The whole service is never more expensive than $100/month.
Verizon recently restructured its perk system, so parts of international data perks are optional add-ons. All of these options are available with both the Unlimited Plus plan and the Unlimited Welcome plan. Both plans offer 2GB/day of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico as a standard feature.
The optional perk for Verizon is three days of TravelPass for $10/month. This perk offers unlimited talk, text, and 2GB/day of high-speed data in over 210 countries. Using the perk, you have 12 months to use your TravelPass days after you accumulate them. You can get 3/month with the perk or purchase them individually for $10 each. We recommend turning on the TravelPass perk and accumulating days in the months leading up to your trip.
Verizon Unlimited Plus
| Carrier | Verizon |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Current Deal | Get $10 off per line for 1 line via monthly promo credits over 36 months. For new customers only |
| Total Price |
$70 per month
+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.
+ $40 Upfront
|
| View Plan |
T-Mobile’s Experience More option costs $85/month and offers 15GB/month of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico. It also includes 5GB/month of high-speed data in over 215 nations. Texting is also free, but calling costs $.25/minute. This plan also includes great travel perks like in-flight Wi-Fi with participating airlines and T-Mobile TRAVEL, a perk that allows you to save on select hotels and rental cars.
T-Mobile Experience More
| Carrier | T-Mobile |
|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited Data |
| Type | No Contract |
| Total Price |
$85 per month
with Auto-Pay + Taxes and fees
|
| View Plan |
Max McCaskill
Sr. Staff Writer
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