7 Travel Apps For Thanksgiving And Holiday Travel

The Only 7 Travel Apps You Need

The travel industry is hard at work building more travel apps than can fit on even the most high-capacity device. But the truth is that there are only a few that really deserve a spot on your phone and a sliver of your precious battery life.

These seven apps are the cream of the crop and ready for battle this holiday travel season. Don't forget to pack your phone charger.

Kayak Pro
This travel management tool from the newly acquired travel search company does way more than help you flip through flight and hotel options. It collates all your travel plans, tracks flight statuses and even has airline contact numbers and airport info. Is it worth 99 cents to unlock this ad-free version? I think so -- and the pro edition also comes with 100+ airport terminal maps.

FlightTrack
If you need more flight tracking juice than Kayak can dish out, this authoritative fire hose of flight updates has you covered. Real-time status updates on delays and cancellations as well as live weather updates will keep you one step ahead of other passengers -- and maybe even the gate agents working your flight.

HotelTonight
Built from the ground up for mobile, HotelTonight is handy for finding a hotel at the very last minute, whether that's because your flight was canceled or you decided to make it an impromptu night out. While it's not yet available in all cities, the app is adding new destinations frequently, including overseas. If HotelTonight's not yet available in your destination, the Hotels.com app does a great job with last-minute booking, too.

Amtrak
Taking the train? Take the official Amtrak app too, for easy access to everything rail-related, including booking tickets, schedule updates, mobile eTickets and station info.

RoadNinja
Ever been on a road trip, wondering how far ahead the next gas station, hotel or coffee shop might be? RoadNinja knows -- and presents the info in a much more user-friendly way than the typical pre-Obama-administration GPS unit. Real-time gas price info and integrated Foursquare tips are additional upsides to this does-almost-everything app.

Foursquare
The mobile social network has tweaked its design, making this check in app more about what's cool (and what's nearby) than simply tracking your check ins -- though it still does that too. What else could be better for finding a drink during holiday travel snafus?

MyCityWay
If you're headed to New York City for the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, this exclusive app is a must-have. An exclusive partnership gives MyCityWay unprecedented access to parade info, including route updates, balloon info, even live traffic cam info for scouting the best viewing angles.

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE