FLIGHTS

HOPPER

An app that makes it feel like you have your own personal travel agent. You can look up flights through airports you want to fly through and set them to be “watched.” Your saved trips will send you notifications when deals are available or prices start to rise. Hopper is a great way to get deals on trips you are planning in advance.

MOMONDO

A flight deal app that compares hundreds of flights to find the cheapest, quickest or best one. You can also filter through nearby airports, preferred airlines and see the cheapest days to fly with a calendar comparison.

FLY DELTA

I have a Skymiles account with Delta, which is why I chose to feature this app. However, I suggest you download the app of whichever airline you are flying with. You can receive notifications on your flight, check on its status and the gate of your departure. I have found this especially handy when I have a quick layover and want to see where I need to get to next in the airport to make my connection.

MOBILE PASSPORT

For those of you who are US citizens and international travelers, this one’s for you! Mobile Passport was created by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to help you breeze through customs. By entering your passport information, answer the inspection questions and submit your form, it will allow you to skip to the designated Mobile Passport lane with your digital receipt. (You can also start the process for TSA PreCheck on the app, too – if you travel a lot, it’s definitely worth it!).

RESTAURANTS

OPENTABLE

A great way to find restaurants near you. You can find a place by cuisine or distance. And, once you build up a history, it will make suggestions for you, too. After you’ve chosen a restaurant, you can also make a reservation on the spot right in the app.

HOTELS

AIRBNB

Even if you haven’t stayed in one, I’m sure you have heard of Airbnb. If you’ve been living under a rock (no offence, but it’s been around for awhile), it is an alternative to a hotel where you can stay in a shared room, private room, or an entire place. It’s a great option for short or long-term stays. I personally like it because it allows you to have an entire place to yourself (that’s the option I always choose) and then you can do laundry or make meals when you’re visiting somewhere longer than a few days. A more recent addition to Airbnb (in certain locations) is the Experience feature. Hosts on Airbnb can now offer Experiences which could be anything from a boat tour of the San Francisco bay to a cooking class on how to make traditional paella in Spain. I think it is a great way to meet locals and get an actual feel for a place and the people that live there.