10 Indispensable Apps for Last-Minute Travel

Hotel Tonight

Perennial favorite HotelTonight has been finding travelers deep hotel discounts since 2010. The app allows travelers to book same-day accommodations all across the globe at discounts of up to 70 percent. (An added bonus for night owls: Users can book hotel deals until 2 a.m. the night of their visit.) The well-designed booking engine offers clever recommendations and insider info—plus those remarkable markdowns. A recent search for Boston hotels uncovered rates at the ritzy four-star Copley Square Hotel for just $149 (normally $259 and up).

Available on Apple and Android; Free

Hotel Deals by LastMinute.com

Similar to HotelTonight, this iPhone app from Travelocity's sister site LastMinute.com gives users instant access to three- to five-star hotels for up to half off, plus opaque deals on ultra-luxe properties. But you won't have to wait until the day of to book; unlike HotelTonight, Hotel Deals allows users to check prices for rates up to 48 hours in advance. It also offers a nifty payment agent: Simply scan a copy of your credit card with your iPhone camera to book your stay.

Available on Apple; Free

Blink Hotels

Found dirt-cheap last-minute flights to Europe but haven't got a place to rest your head? Blink specializes in exclusive prices on boutique hotels in 147 European cities. The app makes it easy to search by destination and book inexpensive same-day stays. Rather than displaying an exhaustive list of properties (and overwhelming the bleary-eyed, jet-lagged traveler), Blink chooses a few top-rated hotels per destination and offers reduced-price stays at these posh, typically four-star properties.

Available on Apple and Android; Free

Priceline

Priceline's smartphone app offers all of the convenience of the full website when it comes to economical hotel, flight, and rental-car booking, including its Name Your Own Price tool. But the recently updated version comes with a nifty feature: Tonight-Only Deals, which offers same-day booking for up to four-night stays at an exclusive inventory of three- and four-star-only hotels. Express Deal coupon codes pile on further savings. (Note: Flights and rental cars can be booked via iPhone only.)

Available on Apple and Android; Free

LMT Mobile

The LMT Mobile app offers the one-two punch of last-minute hotel and flight bookings. Save big on hotel stays with smartphone-exclusive deals, and search flights on 500-some airlines, including low-cost carriers; the app allows you to book accommodations and airfare simultaneously. You can also use the map functionality to find properties nearby.

Available on Apple and Android; Free

Next Flight

This nifty Next Flight app won't allow you to book airfare directly, but it will show you a list of all available flights on 1,200-some carriers for the same day and the following two days. Whether you're trying to find a flight for tomorrow or your flight has been canceled and you need to quickly rebook another, the app allows you to compare nonstop flights across multiple carriers and find a timetable that works best for your tight schedule. Plus, Next Flight helps you search for hotels, cabs, car rentals, and parking lots near your destination, eliminating another layer of minutiae to wade through.

Available on Apple for $2.99 and Android for $3.99

Jetsetter Hotels and Last Minute Travel Deals

We love flash-sale sites for their cache of price-slashed luxury properties, but sometimes, you're not at your computer to monitor these limited-time offers. Jetsetter takes it on the road with their Hotels and Last Minute Travel Deals app. Find properties, from tropical all-inclusives to Vegas casino packages, and apply promo codes on the go (including special introductory promotions for your first iPhone order). Because the travel window for flash sales is so soon after the purchase date, you can often find an eleventh-hour getaway for up to 60 percent off.

Available on Apple; Free

Amtrak Mobile

Unfortunately, Megabus, BoltBus, and Greyhound have yet to release mobile apps with booking agents, which is a shame because buses are the bees' knees for last-minute travel. Luckily, Amtrak has a helpful (and free) smartphone app. Plan, book, and modify travel from your iPhone or Android, upgrade your seat, track arrival and departure times, and even book open-ended one-way travel as you move about the country. You can also use your device as an e-ticket, which means you have one less thing to print as you run out the door.

Available on Apple and Android; Free

Zipcar

Reached your spur-of-the-moment destination, only to realize you need wheels to get around? Zipcar members can download the Zipcar app to book a rental on the road, 24/7. View available vehicles via the map function, estimate the total cost of your rental, and reserve your ride. Then simply scan your Zipcard over the card reader on the windshield to unlock the doors before speeding off into the sunset.

Available on Apple and Android; Free

TripAdvisor Offline City Guides

Booking an impromptu vacation can be wonderful, but it can also limit the amount of research you can do beforehand. Don't fly by the seat of your pants; download TripAdvisor Offline City Guides for help. With expert-generated guides for cities from Austin to Vienna, you can follow customizable tours, keep a trip journal, and snap photos. Plus, these offline guides function even when you're not connected to your phone's network, so you won't have to worry about roaming charges. We love it when the details are taken care of for us.

Available on Apple and Android; Free

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