The 6 travel apps every traveler should have on their phone

Travel stress can wreck even the best-laid plans. Whether you travel often or just once in a while, the right apps can make things a whole lot easier. These travel apps help with everything from itinerary management to unlocking the doors of the world’s most exclusive airport lounges.

Best travel apps for stress-free trips

Person on phone — cottonbro studio / Pexels

PackPoint

PackPoint is a travel packing app that takes the stress out of packing by creating customized packing lists based on your destination, travel dates, and planned activities. It considers the weather at your destination and the type of trip you’re taking — whether it’s for business, leisure, or adventure — and suggests items accordingly.

Roadtrippers

The is the perfect travel companion for anyone heading out on a road trip. This app helps you map out your journey in detail — it highlights the must-see attractions, scenic routes, hidden gems, and unique stops along the way. Plus, you can collaborate with friends on trip planning, which can make it a whole lot easier for everyone joining the trip.

What’s great about Roadtrippers is that it provides insights into distances, estimated travel times, and recommendations for food, accommodations, and points of interest. It’s perfect for planning both short getaways and extended road trips. The app offers a free version with limited functionality, as well as a basic, pro, and premium subscription plan for those looking for more features.

Pros	Cons
Helps plan detailed road trip routes with must-see stops. Collaborate with friends on trip planning. Insights into distances, travel times, and recommended stops. Available in free and paid versions for various features.	The free version has limited functionality. Can drain your battery if running continuously on long trips.

Skyscanner

Skyscanner is a free travel app that simplifies your trip planning. With Skyscanner, you can easily search and compare flights, hotels, and car rentals from countless providers. Its unique “Everywhere” feature suggests the best destinations based on your budget and travel dates — all you have to do is input your dates and let it do the rest! Plus, the app offers insights on optimal booking times and sends price alerts, which helps ensure you get the most out of your travel experience.

Pros	Cons
Easily compares flights, hotels, and car rentals. “Everywhere” feature suggests destinations within your budget. Provides price alerts and optimal booking time recommendations. Free to use with a comprehensive search interface.	May show price fluctuations even after booking. Limited control over booking policies when purchasing via third parties.

TripIt

Instead of digging through your inbox to pull up details of your next flight or hotel stay, use the TripIt app to organize everything in one spot. The app automatically compiles a comprehensive itinerary for you when you forward trip reservations for your flight, hotel, car rental, or other travel details to plans@tripit.com. TripIt’s offline accessibility ensures you can access your travel details without an internet connection, and Siri shortcuts enable hands-free access.

Beyond basic itinerary management, TripIt offers advanced features like uploading PDFs, photos, boarding passes, and digital passport QR codes to consolidate all your travel-related materials in one convenient place. The app’s map-related tools are particularly convenient on road trips, allowing you to plot your entire journey on Google Maps or Apple Maps, find transportation options, and access driving directions. You can also use the app to locate nearby restaurants, parking areas, ATMs, and more.

For added benefits, you can upgrade to the TripIt Pro subscription service for $49 annually. Stay up-to-date with real-time flight status alerts, check-in reminders, and potential fare refunds if prices drop after booking. The pro subscription also allows travelers to manage reward programs, a perk that can help you use your points before they expire, and even includes interactive airport maps.

Pros	Cons
Automatically compiles itineraries by forwarding reservation emails. Offline access to travel details. Map tools for locating amenities like restaurants, parking, and ATMs. Pro version offers real-time alerts, fare monitoring, and reward management.	Pro subscription is an additional cost ($49/year). Requires forwarding emails, which may be inconvenient for some users.

Flighty

For travelers who seek to alleviate the stress of unexpected flight delays and cancellations, the Flighty app is a top choice. With a commitment to clear, unfiltered notifications, Flighty delivers push alerts on your flights directly to your phone as you travel, ensuring you receive instant updates. The free version of the app offers a comprehensive range of features, including unlimited flight tracking, live data, weather updates, historical flight lookup, and more. Traveling with a group? The Flighty Friends feature lets you share live flight statuses with family and friends to simplify communication while traveling.

Upgrading to Flighty Pro gives travelers access to features like live inbound plane tracking, delay predictions, TripIt and calendar synchronization, taxi times, and FAA integration. The app’s “Where’s my plane?” function anticipates potential delays caused by late inbound aircraft. Direct access to FAA data provides pilot-grade alerts for airspace mandates and delays before they affect your plans. The app’s pro version is automatically included with your first flight and is available for purchase after that with paid options for weekly, monthly, or lifetime plans.

Pros	Cons
Real-time flight tracking and updates on delays/cancellations. Inbound plane tracking and delay predictions with the Pro version. FAA integration for advanced flight delay alerts. Free trial of the pro version on the first flight.	Paid subscription required for Pro features after the trial. Limited utility if you’re not traveling frequently by air.

HotelTonight

With this travel app, you can book a future stay, but the best deals are typically last-minute bookings — hence the app’s name, HotelTonight. Simply pick your destination and see available hotel deals nearby. This app is ideal for road trip travel and spontaneous getaways.

The hotel selects the room type, so you can’t pick and choose from options like how many beds are in your room or what floor you’re on. However, you may wind up with an unexpectedly awesome beach view or corner suite. Using this app is a bit of a gamble, but the savings can be worth it.

When browsing available hotel rooms, prices shown in the app don’t include any taxes or fees until you’re on the booking page. However, once there, you can pay with a single click via PayPal or Apple Pay or manually add your credit card info.

Pros	Cons
Ideal for last-minute hotel deals and spontaneous travel plans. Easy booking with options for PayPal or Apple Pay. Potential for premium upgrades like unexpected views or room types.	Limited control over room selection (e.g., bed type, floor level). Prices don’t show taxes or fees until booking page, which can affect budgeting.

Before you head out on your next trip, downloading a few helpful travel apps can really improve your experience. To make your travels easier and more enjoyable, be sure to have these eight must-have apps on your phone.

Pros	Cons
Customized packing lists based on destination, dates, and activities. Considers weather and trip type (business, leisure, adventure). Allows sharing of lists with travel companions. Reusable packing templates from past trips.	Some features require in-app purchases. Limited functionality in the free version.