Travel apps: your technology in your pocket

Flight and itinerary app

Your airline's app remains the first tool to install: it manages check-in, digital boarding pass and push notifications on delays or gate changes, almost always faster than the physical board. For those who book flights, hotels and car rentals separately, TripIt automatically aggregates everything: just forward it your confirmation emails and it builds a single travel timeline on its own, updated when an airline changes time or gate, consultable even offline.

The interactive terminal maps help calculate the walking time to the assigned gate, useful especially in mega-hubs with multiple terminals connected by shuttles.

Orientation and communication on arrival

Google Translate's camera translation, which also works with language packs downloaded offline, allows you to read a sign or menu without data connection. A currency converter downloaded in advance avoids instead approximate calculations on first purchases in a different currency.

Baggage and contingencies

An AirTag attached to your suitcase, or a Tile tracker, allows you to follow its position using the Bluetooth network of Apple or Android devices nearby: useful to know for sure if your baggage was actually loaded on the same flight. A local weather app finally helps decide clothing before even leaving the arrival terminal.

Before you leave, forward your flight and hotel confirmations to an app like TripIt and insert an AirTag or Tile into your checked luggage: in case of delay or lost baggage you'll already have every piece of information ready, even without connection.