With the start of Spring Break, Saffire wanted to share our tips and tricks of travel! There are many travel apps out there to help you plan your next business trip or dream vacation. Check out Saffire’s favorite travel apps to make the going get easy!
1. TripIt
TripIt is a free travel app that manages your travel through automatically generated (but still editable) itineraries. This app is perfect for keeping different confirmation numbers and departure/reservation times in one place! You can forward your emails to TripIt or even sync your email account with the app, which will then search your emails and automatically build an itinerary of your flight, event, dinner and hotel reservations. You can also access your itinerary from anywhere, on any device – even when you’re offline.
We consider this a must have when planning your own business or leisure trips. If you are planning trips for others, we would recommend TripIt Pro at the low cost of $4.09 per month.
2. Uber / Lyft
Both Uber and Lyft are a response to technological advances of geolocating and the frustrations of trying to hail a cab. With one click, a personal driver heads towards your exact location and takes you to your destination, in their personal vehicles. It may seem odd getting in a stranger’s car, but drivers are thoroughly screened and these companies conduct ongoing reviews of drivers’ motor vehicle records. These apps require each user to create a profile and enter their credit card information, creating a completely cashless system between drivers and riders.
With differing City regulations we couldn’t just recommend one app as many cities and airports only allow one app or the other to operate. For example, although the City of Austin, Texas allows and regulates Uber and Lyft, the Austin – Bergstom International Airport and the City of Austin have banned Uber from operating at the Airport, only allowing Lyft drivers to drop off and pick up riders. With differing regulations, it is essential to have both apps handy.
3. Airbnb / HomeAway
Airbnb and HomeAway are short-term rental search engines that let you book condos, homes, or even an Airstream trailer! Many times these listings are much less expensive than a hotel in a hotel district and are in areas that allow you to truly experience a destination like a local!
On all Airbnb and on many HomeAway properties, you pay through the website and the booking process is very similar to booking a hotel. You communicate with the home owner and they have to approve your reservation.
4. Hipmunk
There are many flight and hotel search apps out there to choose from, but Hipmunk has become the office favorite for our many travels due to one amazing feature: the Agony feature. How many times has a normally 3-hour flight taken 7 hours due to multiple stops and layovers? With Hipmunk, you can “Sort by Agony” and pick the fastest and least complicated flights.
Another amazing feature is the HomeAway and Airbnb search integration with a normal hotel search. With Hipmunk, you can always find the cheapest accommodations, whether in a large hotel or a short term rental!
5. Pinterest
Pinterest’s Place Pins and Boards are great places to plan your trip! We recommend creating boards for your trip like:
- Where to Eat in Austin
- Live Music in Austin
- Craft Breweries in Austin
The best way to find this travel suggestions is by searching simple terms like “Food Austin”, “Travel Austin”, etc. We also recommend following official Destination Marketing Organizations (i.e. Visit Austin Texas).
6. Tripadvisor
What travel app list is complete without Tripadvisor? Tripadvisor is the premier travel review site with over 200 million reviews and opinions covering more than 4.5 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions.
Planning and paying for a trip can be stressful and everyone wants to ensure they have an enjoyable trip. By using Tripadvisor, you can make informed travel decisions and then reserve your flight, hotel and dinner right there on the site.
