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It’s a cruel blow. Borders are finally open, airlines are flying again, but travel is the most expensive it’s been in years. Normal service will eventually be resumed but, in the meantime, it’s worth having some budget travel hacks up your sleeve.
The good news is that there’s an army of free apps out there dedicated to saving you money at every stage of the travel experience. Here are some of the best.
Working out your favourite travel apps may take a while, but when you’re lying on a tropical beach somewhere, it will be worth it.Credit: iStock
Planning
You’ve probably heard of flight-search apps Kayak and Skyscanner but did you know they can be used to compare hotel and car hire prices too? Hopper offers similar flight search functionality but also has a nifty price predictor which it claims is 95 per cent accurate up to a year in advance. If you’re not sure of the most economical way to get from A to B, Rome2Rio has your back and your wallet – simply enter your destination and it will display all the different options together with estimated prices.
Booking
Once you’re ready to book, it’s worth sticking with one of the big players such as Booking.com or Expedia in case there are any issues down the track. Travelling at short notice? HotelTonight has last-minute bargains on everything from five-star resorts to budget motels.
Navigating
Don’t waste money on mobile roaming charges to get around, instead use an app that allows you to save maps offline. Google Maps is the best-known but Maps.me and Citymapper also offer turn-by-turn directions in major cities for driving, cycling and walking. If you’re on the road, Waze will keep you moving thanks to its innovative crowd-sourced traffic alerts. And if you need to hire a car, check out Turo, the world’s largest peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace (think Airbnb for vehicles).
Spending
You’ve landed in Europe, the sun is shining, ahhh … you’re on holiday. But let’s not get carried away. Keep tabs on your expenditure with TravelSpend, an app that allows you to track expenses in multiple currencies and split costs between fellow travellers. Of course, how you pay for things matters too – many credit cards charge hefty international transaction fees. Banking apps Wise and Revolut allow you to hold, spend and withdraw money in multiple currencies as well as convert between them at favourable rates.
Exploring
When it comes to researching and booking tours and activities, it’s hard to beat Tripadvisor, which now has more than a billion reviews. GetYourGuide also features thousands of popular attractions and has a handy offline ticket storage facility.
In summary, it’s hard to think of an aspect of the travel experience that hasn’t been app’ed. Which is kind of amazing, given Apple only launched its App Store in 2008. Clearly, figuring out your favourites is going to take some time and effort, but when you’re cruising down the Danube, snorkelling in the Maldives or flying over the Grand Canyon, it’ll be worth it. After all, money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy epic travel memories.
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