Ahh, holiday travel. The crowded airports. The weather delays. The optimistic and satisfied travelers? It’s true, at least for those with smartphones! Priceline’s 2013 Holiday Travel Survey, just released this week, found that travelers with smartphones are more likely to see “clear sailing ahead” for their holiday travel. The survey also found that the more apps you have, the better—those with six or more travel apps were more optimistic than those with five or fewer.
So, to help you leave your worry behind and get ready to enjoy your upcoming trips, here are our top seven must-have apps for holiday travel.
Weather Channel
According to the Priceline survey, the number one thing travelers will use their smartphones for this year is to check the weather at their destination. With the Weather Channel app, you will never be caught unprepared. This app features hourly and daily forecasts, weather bulletins, videos, and even a Travel layer where you can save your route.
Platforms: Android, Blackberry, iPhone, Windows, and tablet devices.
Price: Free.
Yelp
After checking the weather, finding local restaurants is the second most common thing travelers will do on their phones this holiday season. Whether you are looking for the best burger in town or a fine dining establishment where you can ring in the New Year in style, Yelp has you covered.
Platforms: Android, Blackberry, iPhone, Windows, and tablet devices.
Price: Free.
OpenTable
Once you’ve found that perfect restaurant, you’ll need a reservation (at least if you don’t want to stand out in the cold!). OpenTable is a free, easy way to make reservations at thousands of restaurants across the country. Best of all, you can earn points for dining out that you can later redeem for money off your next meal.
Platforms: Android, Blackberry, iPhone, Windows, and tablet devices.
Price: Free.
Skyscanner
With flight prices changing daily, booking holiday travel can be a pain. But with a database over more than 1000 airlines, Skyscanner makes finding cheap flights a breeze. Users love the speed and the fact that the app really does return the lowest airfares available.
Platforms: Android, Blackberry, iPhone, iPad, and Windows.
Price: Free.
FlightView
Delays are part and parcel of holiday travel, but with FlightView you can at least stay maximally informed. Track flights, receive notifications, see airport delays across the U.S. and Canada, and even aggregate all of your reservations into one itinerary that you can share with family and friends.
Platforms: Android and iPhone.
Price: Free.
IzziRent Car Rental
Most car rental apps are poor performers, but not IzziRent. This app has a database of more than 850 car rental suppliers in over 30,000 locations, so you are almost guaranteed to find the best price out there. The app features discounts not available to the general public, and booking and payment are a snap.
Platforms: Android, iPhone, and Windows.
Price: Free.
Waze
Need directions? Waze is a social GPS app where users can provide up-to-the-minute information about traffic, police actions, accidents, and more. The app can also help you find the cheapest gas and notify your relatives when they can expect you for dinner.
Platforms: Android, iPhone, and Windows.
Price: Free.
If all it takes is six apps for you to be optimistic about your holiday travel plans this year, then these seven ought to make you positively ecstatic! So, use these apps to search, book, and plan your holiday travel. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip.
–
And don’t forget to get the best room rate and the best rewards by booking with Hotel Engine.
Featured image by V Smoothe [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons