Travel
Applause, an app analytics company, recently released a study of the top-rated travel smartphone apps.
The company analyzed almost 400,000 app store reviews and then created a quality score, out of 100. While the average app received 47 points, each of the following ones scored at least 67 points, making them the the top 8 travel apps out there.
Download them now for a better, simpler vacation.
1. Booking.com
As straightforward as the name implies, this app makes booking easy. Its 44 million guest reviews will help your decision-making along, which comes in handy considering it features over 640,000 hotels and apartments to choose from. Even better, the app lets you search accommodation by landmark or by your current location, lets you filter by preference (price, location, amenities, etc.), lets you book straight from your phone, and will sync with your computer should you have started your search on a desktop.
iTunes/Alaska Airlines
3. Kayak
Kayak is a must-have app for swiftly sifting through hundreds of travel sites to get you the cheapest deals on flights, hotel rooms and rental cars.
4. TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor has long been a favorite resource for travelers, thanks to its 225 million+ reviews encompassing everything from tours to tasting menus, but its mobile app has become as popular as its website for conveniently letting you browse reviews, find and book hotels, make restaurant reservations, compare airfare, look up maps, or discover notable sights nearby.
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"You handle the booking. We take care of the rest," the app claims, and indeed, it'll go through your email to find any and all confirmation numbers, handily organizing those to create one master itinerary with all of your hotel, flight, car rental and restaurant reservation details, which you can access anytime, anywhere - even when offline.
6. Hotels.com
Big, clear pictures make booking a hotel a piece of cake. Save and compare your favorites with a few simple swipes, read reviews and get the inside scoop, and then book straight from the app. Even better, the app gives you access to "Secret Prices" and special discounts, as well as exclusive deals for hotels in your area tonight, and has tons of filtering options to find just the right hotel.
7. Zipcar
The famous car sharing service has an excellent, super streamlined app that lets you find cars in your vicinity, and lets you filter by time available or car type, then reserve, change, extend or cancel reservations with a few simple taps. But the best part? Unlocking your rented car's door - and honk its horn - straight from your phone.
8. Orbitz
The app can do pretty much everything the website can (search and book flights, hotels, and rental cars; scour reviews), but has won awards left and right for its simple interface and speed and ease of use. Plus, downloading it saves users an extra $25 on the first hotel booking, and gets Orbitz Rewards members an 5% on hotels and 2% on flights.