Essential Travel Apps for Stress-Free Travel

The Ultimate Guide to Travel Apps

Simplify Your Journey

Travelling as a couple over 50 is an exciting way to explore new destinations and create unforgettable memories. However, the planning and logistics of travel can sometimes feel overwhelming. That’s where technology comes in! With the right travel apps and tools, you can simplify every journey aspect – from research and booking to navigating new cities and managing finances.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the essential travel apps and tools we use to make our travel experiences smoother, less stressful, and more enjoyable. These apps are our go-to resources; we believe they can help you have the same positive experience on your travels!

We’ve compiled all our top travel apps into one easy cheat sheet.
Download it here and keep it handy for your next trip!

Links with a * denote affiliate links could earn us a small commission if you purchase through them; we are truly grateful to those who use our links.

Part 1: Travel Apps for Researching, Planning & Booking Your Trip

Travel Apps for Trip Research and Budgeting

Viator

What It Does:

Viator specialises in tours and activities, providing a one-stop shop for booking and exploring experiences at your destination.

Why We Love It:

Even if we don’t book through Viator*, we use it as a source of inspiration for must-see sights and unique experiences. It’s perfect for discovering hidden gems before we even arrive.

How It Simplifies Travel:

Viator’s detailed activity descriptions, reviews, and convenient booking options help us decide on the best experiences for our trips. It’s a time-saver for both research and reservations.

TripAdvisor

What It Does:

TripAdvisor compiles reviews, photos, and ratings for accommodations, attractions, and restaurants worldwide, offering a wealth of traveller insights.

Why We Love It:

We trust TripAdvisor to help us choose the best travel options. Its vast database of reviews ensures we have all the information we need to make informed decisions.

How It Simplifies Travel:

Evaluating reviews and ratings can quickly help us determine what’s worth our time and money. It’s our go-to resource for avoiding tourist traps and finding truly enjoyable experiences.

Google Flights

What It Does:
Google Flights is a powerful tool for comparing flight prices, finding the best routes, and tracking travel times.
Why We Love It:
It saves us time by showing us all available flights across different airlines, helping us choose the best deal for our trip. It also offers flexible date options, so we can adjust our schedule to save on costs. Using the multi-city function
How It Simplifies Travel:
Google Flights is easy to navigate and helps us quickly identify the most cost-effective flights, saving both time and money.

Skyscanner

What It Does:
Skyscanner is another flight comparison tool that offers more flexibility and broader flight options across multiple booking platforms.
Why We Love It:
It often shows us flight options that Google Flights might miss, and we can filter results by airlines, price, and flight duration.
How It Simplifies Travel:
Skyscanner allows us to find great deals and is especially helpful when we need to make last-minute changes to our plans or search for flights during busy travel seasons.

Booking.com

What It Does:
Booking.com* is a trusted platform for finding hotels, apartments, and other accommodations. It includes guest reviews and detailed information to help you choose the best place to stay.
Why We Love It:
The variety of accommodations and honest reviews make it easy for us to find the best places that suit our budget and preferences. I love that you can look at different accommodation types and facilities offered. I like using the map layout to help get an idea of location and compare.
How It Simplifies Travel:
The booking process is straightforward, and we can book everything from boutique hotels to apartment rentals in just a few clicks. I usually book with free cancellation, so I can change our plans until a few days out.

Rick Steves Europe App

What It Does:
The Rick Steves’ Europe app is a must-have for anyone planning a European adventure. It offers walking tours, expert interviews, and in-depth historical overviews of destinations.
Why We Love It:
Before we arrive at a destination, we use the app to familiarize ourselves with the culture, history, and must-see landmarks. This helps us plan our trip with a deeper understanding of the place, making the experience much more prosperous.
How It Simplifies Travel:
By using the app, we can hit the ground running when we arrive. We already know what’s worth seeing and have expert insights into the destinations’ history, making the trip more enjoyable and memorable.

Budgeting Apps

Budget Your Trip

What It Does:

Budget Your Trip provides a comprehensive breakdown of travel costs in local and destination currencies, from accommodation and food to transportation.

Why We Love It:

This app gives us a realistic idea of how much we’ll spend at our destination, allowing us to plan our budget in advance and avoid financial surprises while on the road.

How It Simplifies Travel:

Budget Your Trip takes the guesswork out of trip planning by offering an easy-to-use interface and detailed cost insights. With this tool, we confidently set daily budgets, knowing we’re financially prepared.

What It Does:
XE Currency helps us track exchange rates, while Wise Money provides a low-cost way to manage travel funds with minimal fees.
Why We Love It:
XE Currency keeps us updated with the latest exchange rates, and Wise Money allows us to avoid hefty international transaction fees.
How It Simplifies Travel:
Using both tools, we keep our budget in check, save money on currency conversions, and avoid the stress of fluctuating exchange rates.

Smarttraveller

What It Does:

The Australian government’s Smarttraveller app provides travel advisories, safety updates, and essential information for international travel.

Why We Love It:

It’s our trusted source for accurate and timely safety information. Knowing about potential risks and travel restrictions helps us prepare and stay informed.

How It Simplifies Travel:

With Smarttraveller, we get updates on real-time health and safety conditions, making it easier to adjust plans and avoid unnecessary risks. For non-Australians, be sure to check your own government’s equivalent advisory service.

Part 2: Navigating and Getting Around

Apps to Help You Navigate and Travel Seamlessly

Waze

What It Does:
Waze is our preferred map and navigation app when we’re driving in unfamiliar places. It provides real-time traffic updates, route recommendations, and road closures or accident warnings. there is also a website to check out, and we have given you the link to the webpage, but we use the app on our iPhone.
Why We Love It:
Waze keeps us on track by finding the quickest routes, saving us from unexpected traffic delays. Plus, the app updates in real-time, which makes it super reliable.
How It Simplifies Travel:
It helps us get to our destinations faster and with less stress, no matter where we are in the world.

Google Maps

What It Does:
Google Maps is perfect for both driving and walking directions. It also offers real-time traffic data, walking routes, and location information.
Why We Love It:
Google Maps is our go-to app for navigating new cities, whether on foot or behind the wheel. It also has an excellent “restaurants near me” feature that Phil loves using to discover local dining spots.
How It Simplifies Travel:
Google Maps helps us explore destinations by providing walking routes in the city and driving directions, so we always know where we’re going.

Rome2Rio

What It Does:
Rome2Rio provides transport options between destinations. It shows multiple modes of transport, including trains, buses, flights, and ferries.
Why We Love It:
This app gives us all the available transport routes and options between two cities, so we can choose the most efficient and cost-effective option for our journey.
How It Simplifies Travel:
Rome2Rio simplifies intercity travel planning so we can find the best routes without spending time hunting for different modes of transport.

Trainline

What It Does:
Trainline is the easiest way to book train tickets across Europe. It provides real-time schedules, prices, and the option to purchase tickets directly.
Why We Love It:
It saves us time by helping us skip lines at the station and book tickets on the go. Plus, the app supports various languages, making it easy to use in different countries.
How It Simplifies Travel:
We can book trains quickly and easily, ensuring we never miss a connection or waste time at the station.

Local Transport Apps

What It Does:
Many cities have their own transport apps for booking tickets, checking bus/tram schedules, and finding routes.
Why We Love It:
Local apps are indispensable when navigating public transport in foreign cities. They often provide real-time information on delays and help us get from point A to B without confusion. In more and more cities, travel cards or apps are being introduced where you can purchase tickets or top-up cards; this option can be more convenient and easy to use.
How It Simplifies Travel:
Using these apps helps us save time and avoid stress while navigating unfamiliar public transport systems.

Part 3: Managing Money, Documents & Staying Safe

Staying prepared and organised can help you keep calm and in control when things are easily accessed and sorted.

Money Management and Important Travel Tips

Wise Money Card

What It Does:
The *Wise Money card allows us to load multiple currencies and withdraw cash abroad at low exchange rates.

Wise Card Benefits: One card, 40+ currencies, Save up to 85% when you spend internationally, and Spend instantly with Google Wallet and Apple Pay.

Currencies you can hold are the Australian dollar, Bangladeshi taka, British pound, Bulgarian lev, Canadian dollar, Chilean peso, Chinese yuan, Costa Rican colón, Czech koruna, Danish krone, Egyptian pound, Euro, Georgian lari, Hong Kong dollar, Hungarian forint, Indonesian rupiah, Israeli shekel, Indian rupee, Japanese yen, Kenyan shilling, Malaysian Ringgit, Mexican peso, Morrocan dirham, Nigerian Naira, Nepalese rupee, New Zealand dollar, Norwegian krone, Pakistani rupee, Philippine peso, Polish złoty, Romanian leu, South African rand, South Korean won, Sri Lankan rupee, Swedish krona, Singapore dollar, Tanzanian shilling, Thai baht, Turkish lira, Ukrainian hryvnia, Ugandan shilling, United Arab Emirates Dirham, United States dollar, Uruguayan peso, Vietnamese dong, West African CFA franc and Swiss franc.
Why We Love It:
It’s simple to use, there are no hidden fees, and we can avoid expensive international banking fees. With the app, web-based access to the account, digital card, and physical card using Wise is easy to use and top up.
How It Simplifies Travel:
With this card, we don’t worry about exchange rates at foreign banks. It’s our go-to option for handling money abroad.

Local Currency & Exchange Tips

What It Does:
We always carry some local currency with us before arriving at our destination. I never leave Australia without some cash for each currency we need on a trip.
Why We Love It:
Having local cash on hand prevents issues when arriving in places that don’t accept cards or have limited ATM options. Some places or services only take cash, so it is better to be prepared than to be charged an exorbitant exchange rate.
How It Simplifies Travel:
It helps us avoid getting stuck in situations where we don’t have the necessary currency and save money by avoiding unfavourable exchange rates.

Document Safety & Backup

What It Does:
Always keep both digital and physical copies of important documents, such as passports, travel insurance, and emergency contacts.

I have been using Notion for a couple of years for all my administrative organisation, including building a trip planner/organisational planner. As I am old school, I still carry paper copies of everything. I also leave copies of relevant documents at home if our kids need access.
Why We Love It:
Losing documents can be a nightmare, so having backups gives us peace of mind in case of theft or loss. We learnt this lesson the hard way when making copies of our new passports slipped my mind, and then I lost said passports in Vienna, one of the most stressful travel experiences we have had. To read all about our experience, check out this post.
How It Simplifies Travel:
With backup copies stored securely, we can quickly resolve any issues with lost documents.

Airalo (eSIM)

What It Does:
Airalo provides a convenient eSIM for mobile data, allowing us to stay connected without swapping SIM cards or paying expensive roaming fees.
Why We Love It:
Airalo makes it easier to stay connected, especially when travelling to multiple countries or remote areas.
How It Simplifies Travel:
It ensures we always have internet access for maps, translations, and staying in touch with loved ones while on the go. We have made trips in the past without a SIM card and found we had to rely on the free hotspot. Since 2018, we have brought local SIM cards to our first destination, but we trailed an Airalo Esim last December. This gave us more freedom than we thought it would as we travelled through 7 countries. Having access to the net made lots easier, and help is always in our hands.

Surfshark VPN

What It Does:

Surfshark VPN secures your data while using public Wi-Fi by encrypting your internet connection. Whether you’re at an airport, hotel, or café, it keeps your personal and financial information safe from potential hackers.

Why We Love It:

As seasoned travellers, we know how easy it is to connect to unsecured networks on the go. Surfshark VPN gives us peace of mind, ensuring our sensitive data is protected no matter where we are.

How It Simplifies Travel:

Surfshark VPN allows us to securely access our bank accounts, email, and social media accounts. It’s like carrying an invisible shield for your digital life, making it an essential part of our travel insurance.

Fog Of World App – A fun Travel App

What It Does:

If you are looking for a fun way to document your trip, why not try Fog Of World? The app’s object is to defog the world as you travel. GPS coverage documents your journey, and a destination is made clear as you travel around.

Why We Love It:

This is a fun way to document how much of a destination you explore.

How It Simplifies Travel:

I’m not sure this travel app simplifies our travels, but it is a unique and fun glimpse into the adventure.

Conclusion on Travel Apps:

These travel apps and tools simplify our travel experience and make our holidays more enjoyable. Whether it’s booking flights, navigating foreign cities, managing money, or keeping our documents safe, these apps have been game-changers for us.

More from Sapphire Blue Travel.

We are releasing a video series on YouTube that will accompany this blog post; here is the link for the First video, which looks at Travel Apps for Planning and Budgeting.

In this video, I share 32 Travel Essentials

Blogs that Could Be Helpful

Do you have any favourite travel apps that make your trips easier? We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

Links with a * denote affiliate links could earn us a small commission if you purchase through them; we are truly grateful to those who use our links.