8 Travel Apps We Never Leave Home Without

TripIt

TripIt is like your favorite travel companion: organized, smart, and efficient. Ingeniously importing your flight, accommodations, and rental-car info with directions, maps, weather reports, photos, and even seat-selection guides, this handy, all-inclusive app keeps you on track for the duration of your trip. TripIt also allows you to share your schedule with others and sync your Google or Outlook calendars with your itinerary.

Available for free on Android, Apple, BlackBerry, and Windows.

Hotel Tonight

The perennial procrastinator can't live without this booking app. Part hotel marketplace and part flash-sale app, Hotel Tonight allows users to book deeply discounted hotel rooms for the very same day. The markdowns can be up to 70 percent off, and the properties are all vetted by Hotel Tonight reviewers. Simply log onto the app in the morning to see available deals for that night and book a stay as late as 2 a.m. Perfect for when plans go awry (or if you've simply forgotten to make them).

Available for free on Android and Apple.

Google Maps

Most smartphones' standard map functionality may get you by, but Google's map application is one of the most comprehensive and easy to navigate, with some 100 million destinations at your fingertips. Guided voice directions can assist when you're confronted with confusing street signs in a foreign language, while 360-degree panoramic street views can help you get your bearings in an unfamiliar destination. The up-to-the-minute public-transportation navigation is also well worth it.

Available for free on Android and Apple.

Instagram

Now that your smartphone is likely your GPS, your boarding pass, your book, and even your mirror (OK, we're guilty of this), it may as well be a travel camera, too. Snap pretty photos with your phone and use the Instagram app to edit, crop, and apply cool filters to your travel snaps. You can tag your friends, caption your photos with hashtags, and share your photos on Facebook and Twitter, so all the world knows where you are.

Available for free on Android and Apple.

Psst … you can find us on Instagram as @SmarterTravel. We post pretty pictures of the places we've been and the places we want to go.

GateGuru

This much-lauded app is equal parts airport guide and flight tracker. Get detailed terminal maps, current weather conditions, departure info, estimated TSA wait times, and airport-amenities info without having to download multiple applications. A newly added Flight Board tool lists all arriving and departing flights and gate assignments. And, if you've landed only to realize you have no wheels, book GateGuru-exclusive discounted rates on airport car rentals.

Available for free on Android, Apple, and Windows.

Skype

Whether we're traveling internationally or don't want to pay outrageous long-distance rates, Skype is our go-to app for video calling, instant messaging, and file sharing. Make Skype-to-landline or Skype-to-mobile calls for U.S. rates starting at $2.99 per month, or make free Skype-to-Skype mobile and video calls to stay in touch, even from abroad. Skype works across a wide range of devices, including smartphones, computers, tablets, and even TVs.

Available for free on a number of devices.

Passbook

Go fully digital and let your iPhone double as your boarding pass with Apple's e-wallet tool Passbook. When checking in for your flight, select the option to download your boarding pass to the app; no more printed passes to lose! (Most major airlines now support Passbook functionality; check with yours when booking.) The app also stores movie tickets, gift cards, and coupons, and supports in-app purchasing for retailers, including Starbucks.

This iOS app comes standard on new iPhones, but several Droid apps that read the same files are available, including Passbook for Android.

Weatherbug

Access the world’s largest network of forecasts and alerts with WeatherBug, our favorite free mobile weather app for its customizable home screen and multiple saved locations (great for travel). Live weather cams and an up-to-date hurricane center keep travelers in the know, while exclusive feature Spark, a lightning detector, provides strike alerts for location-enabled devices.

Available for free on Android, Apple, BlackBerry, and Windows.

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