The Best Travel Apps and Websites for 2024
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Do you love traveling but hate travel planning? Me too. You need to find transportation and lodging, figure out how to use your cell phone in foreign countries, plan for emergencies, decide what to pack, make plans for pet care, and more.
Fortunately, there are many apps and websites that make travel easier. Many of them also help you get more bang for your buck.
I will share our favorite travel apps and websites in this post.
All money is in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.
Accommodations
1. Airbnb
Airbnb has its critics, but nothing else comes close to providing the space, amenities, and choices it gives you. That being said, short-term rentals with Airbnb are often not cheaper than hotel rooms, but many hosts give substantial discounts for long-term stays (28 days or more).
During the past two years, we’ve had twelve long-term stays in Airbnbs. The average nightly cost of these was $57. Each was an apartment with at least one separate bedroom, a full kitchen, a clothes washer, wifi, and heating and air conditioning as appropriate.
We got off to a rough start with Airbnb when we began our travels in 2018 and were about to give up on it. Instead, we learned to make it work for us. Read about what we learned from our experiences in “How to Find the Best Airbnb Rentals 2024.”
Also, check out “The Truth About Staying in Airbnbs.”
Find your perfect place with Airbnb.
2. Booking.com
We prefer hotels for short stays since we only need a place to sleep. For this, we often use Booking.com.
In addition to hotels, Booking.com offers apartment options similar to those offered by Airbnb. Conversely, Airbnb has some hotel listings, but most of their listings are for apartments.
Booking.com has a loyalty program called Genius. It kicks in automatically after you have booked five reservations. The program gives you discounts, free upgrades, and complimentary breakfast on select stays. Learn more and sign up here.
Book a great accommodation at Booking.com and be the genius you always knew you were.
3. Expedia.com
Recently, we started comparing prices on Booking.com, Expedia.com, and hotel websites to find the best deal. We have booked several hotel stays through Expedia.com and have been pleased.
Expedia’s reward program is called OneKey. After you join, you will earn OneKeyCash on every booking, not just lodging. Your OneKeyCash can be applied to future stays booked through Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo.
As you book more through Expedia, you will move up in tiers. Higher tiers come with greater savings and more perks.
Here is more information about the OneKey program.
Make your travel plans with Expedia.com.
4. TrustedHousesitters
Would you like free accommodations when you travel? Pet sitting might be the answer.
There are several pet-sitting services, but we recommend TrustedHousesitters. It matches pet owners with pet sitters. The sitter sits for free but gets a place to live at no cost. Win/win.
The annual fee for sitters starts at $129. To get started, fill out your profile (include a lot of photos of you with pets) and add some references. TrustedHousesitters will run a background check on you. After the sit, both parties review each other. The concept is similar to Airbnb.
In early 2024, Steve and I did six pet sits with TrustedHousesitters. We decided it wasn’t for us at this time, but we believe it is an excellent company. You can read about our pet-sitting experiences in “Everything You Need to Know About Pet Sitting While Traveling.”
Check out TrustedHousesitters.
Transportation
5. Skyscanner
Finding the best flight can be overwhelming, but Skyscanner makes it easier. It searches hundreds of airlines to find the best flights at the cheapest prices.
Choose a flight, and you will be presented with a list of vendors through whom you can book.
Learn “How to Use Skyscanner to Find Cheap Flights.”
6. Uber
Uber is our favorite transportation app when public transportation isn’t feasible. With Uber, we get door-to-door service, all done electronically. There’s no fumbling for money and no worries about being ripped off.
With hundreds of Uber trips under our belt, we’ve only had one billing problem. It was an overcharge due to a technical issue with the browser. By using the app’s help option, we were able to get a refund quickly.
In case you didn’t know, Uber will let you schedule a ride for a later time. You can also order food and store deliveries on the app.
Unfortunately, Uber isn’t available in Southeast Asia and a few other places. Here is a list of cities where Uber is available.
7. Grab
I’ve heard that when visiting Southeast Asia, your best option is Grab. We have not used it yet since we haven’t been to Asia, but we plan to be there beginning in August 2024. I’ll let you know how it works.
Not only will Grab get you where you want to go, but it will also bring you food and grocery deliveries.
Find out where Grab is available.
8. Rome2Rio
If you’re unsure how to get from one city to another, Rome2Rio can help. It’s a good place to see the available transportation options and how long each will take. It also shows the costs of various options, but these seem to be ballpark estimates.
You can link to the transportation providers’ sites, but I prefer to use it as a starting point and log in directly on the transportation providers’ websites to get more information.
Explore your transportation options with Rome2Rio.
Communication
9. Hushed
In 2022, we ditched our AT&T plans for Hushed. This has saved us over $1,000 a year.
Hushed can be used with phone numbers with area codes in the U.S., Canada, or the U.K. You can port your existing number if it is from one of these countries or get a new number.
The international plan is $6.99 for 30 days and includes $1.00 in credits for making calls. It’s easy to add more credits, and they go really far.
Please note that Hushed numbers cannot be used for 911 calls. Some 3rd party verification services may not work with it either, but they have always worked for us.
Start saving on your phone plan with Hushed.
10. Airalo
Airalo is an eSIM. We started using it recently, and it has been a game-changer. We no longer have to go to a cell phone provider’s store and get a physical SIM card.
With Airalo, you can get a local (for one country), regional, or global eSIM. There’s even a global eSIM that’s good for 365 days!
Activating your eSIMs can be challenging as there are several steps, but if you take it slow, it all works out.
When topping up, if the new purchase doesn’t activate automatically, turn your phone off and back on. If that doesn’t work, turn airplane mode on and then turn it off.
11. WhatsApp
For personal calls to the U.S., we use WhatsApp. It’s a free service owned by Meta that lets you send text messages and make voice and video calls.
12. ExpressVPN
I first signed up for a VPN (virtual private network) when I couldn’t access my U.S.-based health insurance account. Being able to access geo-restricted sites is just one of the benefits of using a VPN while traveling. VPNs also keep your data safe by encrypting it. We use ExpressVPN whenever we access our financial accounts.
Learn more about the benefits of a VPN.
Get the security you need with ExpressVPN.
Mail Service
13. Traveling Mailbox
We’ve used Traveling Mailbox since we began our travels. Without it, the best option would be to use our daughter’s address. She would have to open the mail, scan it, forward items we need hard copies of, and deposit any checks we receive. Traveling Mailbox does all of this. Plans start at $15 per month.
Traveling Mailbox notifies us via email when we receive mail. We log in to see our mail and tell them what we want them to do with it. They will forward mail anywhere in the world and deposit checks for you. Both of these have small fees attached.
Signing up for a virtual mailbox requires you to fill out USPS Form 1583 and have it notarized, so this is a service that should be set up well before you travel.
Let Traveling Mailbox make your life easier.
Insurance
14. SafetyWing
Steve and I are now on Medicare, but it doesn’t cover travel outside the U.S. (some Medicare Advantage plans allow a short window for international coverage, but none cover long-term or full-time travel outside the U.S.). Since medical costs in most countries are much lower than in the U.S., Steve and I usually self-insure for medical care. When coverage is required (like when we had residence permits in Hungary during the pandemic), we rely on SafetyWing Nomad Insurance.
Here, I am referring to SafetyWing Nomad Insurance, not their Nomad Health Insurance. The SafetyWing Nomad Insurance is medical insurance for traveling outside your home country. It’s billed every four weeks, and you can stop and start it as needed.
As of this writing, if you are under 40 years old, SafetyWing Nomad Insurance costs $56 every four weeks. The price increases with age. Four weeks of coverage for a person aged 65-69 is currently $197.
I can’t comment on the coverage or customer service since we haven’t had to file a claim with them, but this detailed review of SafetyWing Nomad Insurance by Be My Travel Muse has good information.
Because we usually self-insure, we always have a medical transport policy with Medjet (below). With this, we will be transported back to the U.S. in case of serious illness or injury.
Get yourself covered with SafetyWing.
15. Medjet
Medjet is an air medical transport and travel security membership program with two tiers of coverage:
MedjetAssist will transport you to a hospital of your choice in your home country if you have a medical emergency while traveling. The insurance also covers the transfer of mortal remains.
MedjetHorizon covers the above situations and adds guidance and evacuation services in cases of terrorism, natural disasters, political threats, pandemics, and violent crime. They also provide crisis response services if you are a victim of a crime such as kidnapping or extortion or if you disappear. You can purchase coverage for one trip or a full year.
Medjet offers a discount for AARP members. After the AARP discount, our cost for a full year of coverage with Medjet Horizon is $1,069 for both of us.
See what Medjet is all about in this article by Nerd Wallet.
Explore your Medjet options here.
On-The-Go Apps
16. My Currency Converter
We use the free My Currency Converter & Rates app by jRustonApps B.V., but a quick look at the App Store shows that there are many options.
A currency converter is indispensable when grocery shopping and eating out. You can quickly see that your 80,000 pesos meal in Colombia will only cost you $20
17. Google Translate
Steve and I have been awed by how many people around the world speak English. It has made travel easier for us, but it also means that we don’t work as hard to learn other languages.
We always learn some basic phrases in the local language but sometimes resort to an online translator. As with the currency converter, there are many apps from which to choose.
We like that Google Translate allows you to type, speak, or take a photo to get a translation.
Read about our experiences with foreign languages in “Too Many Languages.”
18. Google Maps
When traveling in a new city, you need a map. Our favorite is Google Maps. It’s worked well with a few exceptions, such as when we are surrounded by tall buildings.
Activities
19. GetYourGuide
Steve and I don’t take a lot of tours. We prefer to explore at our own pace. However, some places, such as Machu Picchu, require you to visit with a guide, and sometimes we want the benefit of a guide’s knowledge.
We’ve booked through several platforms, but GetYourGuide is our favorite. The main reason is their app. Both the website and the app are visually appealing and easy to use.
Find tours with GetYourGuide.
20. Viator
If you can’t find the activity you’re looking for on GetYourGuide, check out Viator. We’ve used them occasionally and have been pleased.
Get out there with Viator.
21. Tripadvisor
There are many ways Tripadvisor helps travelers. I use it to get restaurant recommendations. On the site, you will find a comprehensive list of restaurants in your location listed by ranking. There is an interactive map and filters. Be aware that the first restaurant on the list is usually sponsored, so the top-rated one is the second one on the list.
As the primary activity planner, I also use Tripadvisor to see how attractions rate before we visit them.
Steve uses Tripadvisor to search for hotels. He narrows down the choices and then compares the prices to what the hotels offer directly and what is offered on our favorite accommodation booking sites, Booking.com and Expedia.com, where we can benefit from our rewards programs.
Start researching with Tripadvisor.
Planning
22. Price of Travel
The Price of Travel website is indispensable for comparing prices of travel in cities around the world. Its Backpacker Index quantifies the daily cost for one person to travel in a given location. But you don’t have to be a backpacker to benefit from it.
You can use the Backpacker Index to rank the average cost of locations. When you dig into specific locations, you will find prices for all classes of lodging, as well as costs for popular attractions, public transportation, and food and drinks.
My favorites are the posts that suggest the best places to visit for the coming months based on good weather and low prices. Their article on the best places to travel in June 2024 led us to the Canary Islands. The islands did indeed have fantastic weather and great prices.
If you sign up for their newsletter, you will get this information every month.
23. TripIt
We’ve been using TripIt to keep our plans straight for two years. This free app imports reservations from your email. You simply set up the trip name and dates and let the app do the work.
The app allows you to modify plans and add notes. Occasionally, you need to upload plans if the app can’t import them because of their format.
You can upgrade to TripIt Pro for $49 per year. With this, you will get many features related to your flights, including tracking your rewards and navigating you through the airport.
Summary
There are countless apps and websites that will help you travel more efficiently and confidently. With the exception of Grab, all the apps and websites in this post are ones that Steve and I use and recommend.
Some of the apps and websites I’ve listed above provide multiple services. I have focused on the primary ones we use them for.
Until Next Time
I hope this post has provided you with useful information. Please let Steve and I know about your experiences with these products and which travel apps and websites you recommend.
Happy traveling,
Linda
