What could be more glamorous than traveling the world? But you know the truth. Friends and family might envy your jet-setter lifestyle, but your Instagram doesn’t show them the exhausting, stressful reality of international travel.
Sometimes, it seems like it’s just you, your suitcase and your phone against the world. But here’s the good news: these days, there’s an app to solve almost every problem travelers face. And we are excited to announce RushMyPassport recently partnered with Mobile Passport app, the best travel app to get you through US customs quickly.
Here are 31 business travel apps to download for your next international business trip!
Travel Apps for Booking Business Trips
Most travelers book their own flights and hotels. Here are some resources to make the booking process easier and cheaper.
AwardWallet: Track points and miles on all your loyalty programs from one app. Available for Android and iOs.
Farescout: Is today a good day to book that flight, or not? Farescout analyzes historical data to see if flight prices are likely to rise or fall. Available for iOS and Android.
Hipmunk: A relative newcomer to the travel booking scene, Hipmunk’s “agony index” makes it well suited to business travelers. The Agony Index analyzes itineraries price, flight duration and the number of stops and layovers. So, it’s easy to find the most reasonably-priced itineraries with the least potential for missed connections. Available online and as an app for iOs and Android.
SeatGuru: Book comfortably with SeatGuru. Flights are rated based on amenities and cabin maps allow you to maximize your leg room. Available online, and as an app for iOS or Android.
TripIt: Keep all your travel plans in one place, organized automatically. TripIt connects with your email to automatically create itineraries and give you useful advice and reminders.
Passports and Visa Documents for International Travel
Are you planning a trip overseas? If you don’t have a passport and the appropriate visas, you’re not going anywhere. Different countries have different entry requirements. Fortunately, the Department of State has an app to help you research your destinations:
The SmartTraveler App (for iOs and Android): The State Department’s official app puts essential information on passport and visa requirements in the palm of your hand. It will also keep you up-to-date on the latest travel warnings and hook you up with embassy contact information for every country in the world.
And what if you need a new passport or a visa at the last minute? Unfortunately, there’s not an app that allows you to apply over the phone, but passport and visa expediters like RushMyPassport.com and RushMyTravelVisa.com can cut through the red tape, making the process easy and quick.
Travel Apps to Help You Pack
Properly packing for a trip will save you stress while traveling. But packing can be a bit of a headache.
Perhaps you’re an over-packer who struggles to avoid those punishing overweight bag charges. Perhaps you’re an under-packer, but you always forget something important. Or, perhaps you’re a little bit of both, forgetting vital items despite your bulging suitcase.
What if the airlines lose your bags?
Use these apps to make sure you have what you need for your next trip.
PackPoint: PackPoint integrates with TripIt to generate custom packing lists for your trips, so you don’t forget anything important. Available for iOs and Android.
Packing Pro: Packing Pro lets you choose from and customize pre-made sample lists, then save those lists for future trips. There are sample lists specifically for business trips. You can also set alarms for those last-minute items (like a phone charger) that you can’t pack ahead of time but don’t want to leave without. Sorry Android users, this one is for iOs only.
DUFL: With this baggage packing service, you never have to worry about losing your bags again. That’s because DUFL packs them and ships them for you. First, DUFL stores some of your business clothes in its warehouse. Then, every time you travel you can select the items you want to bring, and DUFL handles the rest.
The downside? It’s not cheap. But, if you consider that you’re already paying to check bags and to have your clothes dry cleaned, the price becomes a lot more reasonable. You might even save money! The app is available for iOs and Android.
ShipSticks: Golfing with a client? With ShipSticks, you can bring your own clubs. There’s no app, but there is a mobile site so you can still use your phone to make arrangements from anywhere. You can also use ShipSticks to ship luggage, so you don’t have to worry about the airlines losing it.
Travel Apps to Help You Survive the Airport
According to The Global Business Travel Association, in the last year, 75% of travelers have encountered a major or minor disaster of some sort on the way to their destinations.
And let’s face it, airports can be miserable places even at the best of times. Improve your airport experience with the travel apps below:
MyTSA App (iOs and Android): Want to know how much the next security checkpoint is going to slow you down? Check crowdsourced wait times, security guidelines and more with this handy app from the TSA.
App in the Air (iOs and Android): Check into flights automatically and track flight changes and delays. The app also includes airport tips and maps so you can find your way around.
GateGuru: This is like App in the Air. However, it includes a few additional features like the ability to rent a car and personalized food and drink recommendations. It’s backed by TripIt. You don’t have to use TripIt to use GateGuru. However, TripIt users can connect their TripIt account to GateGuru for a seamless, personalized airport experience. Available for iOs, Android and Windows phones.
Loungebuddy: Does your next itinerary include a lot of unwanted airport downtime? Rejuvenate yourself at an airport lounge! Check amenities and pay for lounge passes with the Loungebuddy app, available for iOs, Android, and Amazon.
Mobile Passport Control: Breeze through Customs with this handy app made in partnership with US Customs and Border Protection and the Airports Council International.
Travel Apps for Tracking Expenses
Now, let’s look at another perennial business travel headache: Expenses. Here are some apps that make them easier to track.
Concur: Manage itineraries, capture receipts, and car mileage and submit expense reports, all on your smartphone.
Shoeboxed: Use your phone’s camera to scan and organize receipts and the GPS to track mileage.
Certify: Certify offers mobile receipt capture, travel booking, and automated report creation. In addition, it is aimed at companies, not individual travelers.
XECurrency: Live currency conversion, available offline for iOs and Android.
Travel Apps to Help You Communicate Across Cultures
Different countries do things differently. And that makes it all too easy to unintentionally offend the people you’re doing business with. Break through language and cultural barriers with the apps below:
TripLingo: Translation help, culture guides, Wi-Fi calling and more, designed for business travelers. Available for iOs and Android.
Naver Papago Translate: Essential for traveling in Asian countries, Papago offers specialized translation support for Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified/Traditional), Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian. Available for iOs and Android.
Google Translate for iOS and Android: Google Translate isn’t perfect. Don’t rely on it to translate a business meeting. But the Google Translate mobile apps are still the best resource for getting around, reading menus and translating casual conversations.
Travel Apps to Help You Stay Productive
Work doesn’t stop piling up, even when you’re on a business trip. These apps will help you stay productive.
Circa: Traveling across time zones makes it even more difficult to coordinate with family, friends, and coworkers in other parts of the world. Cut through the confusion with Circa. Available for iOs and Android.
Accompany: Get effortless, on-the-go meeting prep with executive briefings on the people and businesses you need to know about, delivered right to your phone. Online or for iOS.
PandaDoc: Close deals from your phone wherever with proposals, contracts, e-signatures and more.
Travel Apps to Keep You Healthy and Safe Overseas
Frequent business travelers face a number of unpleasant health risks. As a result, wellness and safety are major concerns. These apps will help you stay healthy and safe:
Entrain (for iOs and Android): Helps you reduce jet lag recovery time with a custom-made light and sleep schedule. Worth a try, but real-world reviews have been mixed.
CDC Apps: TravWell, Can I Eat This? and the Yellow Book App– Find out what preventative healthcare is recommended for your destination, and see how to avoid travel borne diseases while you’re there.
Sworkit: Schedule your own custom workouts, based on the time you have and the exercises you like to do.
HappyCow: Whether a committed vegan or vegetarian or just looking for some healthier travel fare, HappyCow can help you find the nearest vegetarian restaurant in almost 10,500 cities worldwide. Available online, for iOs and Android.
Safe Travel Resources for Travelers
Tunnel Bear: If you’re traveling abroad on business, you need connectivity. Use Tunnel Bear to keep your information secure if the local internet cafe seems shady – or even if it doesn’t. Better safe than sorry! Available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, and PC.
!Emergency! Not every country uses 911 for emergencies. Find and connect with emergency personnel wherever you are with this iOS app.
Geosure- How safe are you walking down the street from your hotel? Find out with Geosure, which gives you up-to-date information on health and safety risks, plus thefts and assaults. Available for iOs and Android.
International travel is never going to be easy. But with these apps, you have the power to solve the most common travel problems. So, the next time you have an international trip, you can travel with confidence!
Need a passport or a visa for an upcoming trip? At RushMyPassport, we specialize in helpingbusine travelers get the documents they need to get where they need to go when they need to be there. See how we can get your passport application processed in as little as 24 hours, and visit our sister site RushMyTravelVisa for visa help!
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