Apps

Airline Apps

Install the apps from the airlines you are flying with. That is it. Uninstall them once you are back home.

Most airline apps are really bad. Some of the worst apps out there are airline apps. But you cannot get around them. You need them for mobile boarding passes, real-time flight status updates, gate changes, and rebooking options when things go wrong. Doing any of that through a mobile browser is usually even worse.

Booking Platform Apps

Install the apps for the platforms you booked with for your upcoming trip, or platforms you are very likely to book with once you are there. Booking.com, Agoda, Airbnb, Hostelworld, whatever you use.

Having the app means faster access to confirmation details, check-in instructions, and direct messaging with hosts or properties. It also means you can rebook or extend on the spot if your plans change.

Rideshare Apps

Besides the ones you already have and use at home, install the rideshare apps that provide services at your destination.

• Uber works in many countries but not everywhere, and where it works, it is not always the cheapest or most popular option.
• Bolt covers large parts of Europe and Africa.
• Grab is the dominant app in Southeast Asia.
• DiDi is what you need in China and parts of Latin America.
• InDrive, Yandex Go, and others serve specific regions.

Check what is commonly used at your destination before you leave. Having the right app already set up with your payment method saves you from standing on a curb trying to register while your battery drains.

Payment Apps

This depends heavily on your destination.

In China, you will not get around Alipay. Cash and cards are accepted in fewer and fewer places, and Alipay is the default for everything from restaurants to street vendors to subway tickets. WeChat Pay adds an additional backup layer and is worth setting up as well.

Other countries have their own ecosystems. Research what is standard at your destination and set it up before you arrive. Linking your payment method in advance means one less thing to figure out on the ground.

Maps and Navigation

Google Maps works well in most countries. It does not work in South Korea and is extremely unreliable in China.

• In South Korea, use Naver Map or KakaoMap.
• In China, use Amap (Gaode Maps) or Baidu Maps. Apple Maps also pulls from local data there and works better than Google.
• Bing Maps can be a decent fallback in some regions.

Download offline maps for your destination before you leave, regardless of which app you use. A compass app is also worth having for quick orientation in unfamiliar cities.

Tickets and Tours

• GetYourGuide and Klook are the two biggest platforms for booking tours, attraction tickets, and day trips.
• Trip.com is strong for Asia and also handles flights and hotels.
• Viator is another major option, especially strong for North America and Europe.

Pre-booking tickets through these apps often lets you skip queues and sometimes gets you lower prices than buying at the door. Prices for the same tour or ticket can vary between platforms, so it is worth checking more than one before you book.

Public Transport Apps

This varies wildly by destination. Sometimes there is one convenient app for the whole country. Sometimes every city has its own app. Sometimes there is no app at all.

When a good app exists, it is usually much better than buying tickets at the counter or fumbling with a vending machine in a language you do not speak. You get route planning, real-time departures, and contactless payment in one place.

Research this before your trip. A quick search for "[city name] public transport app" usually gives you the answer.

Rental Car Apps

Install the apps for the rental car companies you booked with. Most major companies (Hertz, Sixt, Europcar, etc.) let you manage your reservation, check in early, and sometimes even unlock the car directly from the app.

Having the app ready beats standing in line at the counter after a long flight.

Travel Planning Apps

There are many travel planning apps, and none of them are great.

TripIt is reliable for organizing itineraries. It pulls confirmation emails and builds a timeline of your trip automatically. But the UI feels like it is 20 years old, and the whole app feels abandoned. It works, but do not expect a polished experience.

Wanderlog is more modern and lets you plan trips collaboratively with maps, lists, and notes. But it is full of ads, annoyances, and upsells, and it is lacking some basic features you would expect from a planning tool.

Both are usable. Neither is satisfying. Pick whichever friction you prefer.