To enhance a trip that started off looking good with the purchase of cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, or cheap vacation packages, travelers should look into travel applications for smartphones that can help deal with most problems travelers may face at or on the way to the airport.
Being ready to deal with the unexpected when you travel is wise particularly when traveling over the holidays. Almost 44 million passengers are expected to fly on American airlines over the holidays, 3 percent more than last year.
The following are some airport travel apps that can help passengers navigate the holiday rush:
Avoid traffic jams on the way to the airport using the free Google Maps app. Driving directions are provided as well as at-a-glance displays of road conditions to help travelers find the best route through traffic.
The free Take Me to My Car app works on iPhones. Android users should consider the Car Locator App which costs $3.99. A free trial version is good for several uses.
The FlightTrack $4.99 app allows travelers to plug in a flight number or route to find out flight status, gate, and aircraft type. It includes a delay forecast which provides the flights on time percentage.
The FlightCaster $1.99 app predicts the likelihood of a flight delay up to six hours prior to airlines notifying passengers.
The Next Flight $2.99 app helps travelers whose original flight has been cancelled. This app enables travelers to plug in their origin, destination and departure date into this iPhone app for a list of available nonstop flights for more 24 major airlines for the current and following day.
The GateGuru is a free iPhone app that helps travelers find their way around over 100 airports in the U.S., Canada, and London. It provides user ratings to help avoid eating at unappealing restaurants.
The free MyTSA app informs users which airport checkpoints are backed up and provides travelers with answers to the most commonly asked security questions on their mobile phones.
The free TripIt app is an automatic travel organizer allowing travelers to forward travel email confirmations from over 3,000 sites to a single place and create a master itinerary that can be accessed from Android, Blackberry, or iPhone cell phones. TripIt Pro costs $49 per year but is free for a 30 day trial. It alerts travelers to delays or cancellations and generates a list of flight options, detailing the status and available seats for each flight.
The Old MacDonald $1.99 app helps keeps toddlers occupied with colorful, interactive illustrations and songs.
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