Whether traveling for business or for pleasure, it can be both a fun and frustrating experience. And no matter whether your travels take you to another city or across the world, it’s important to be as organized as possible. Luckily, there are travel apps to make this easier than ever before.

Staying organized while traveling isn’t just a stress-saver, it can also be a time- and money-saver, too. You can utilize some of today’s best travel apps to organize receipts from business trips, compare fares, and keep you on schedule.

Here are six travel apps to help you stay organized on your next adventure.

PlanChat

What started as a messaging app for planning travel has quickly turned into so much more. Now with PlanChat, you can track flight and hotel prices for the perfect deal, browse experiences near your destination, and plan your itinerary with everyone in your party.

Traveling with a group of friends? Use the app’s poll feature to quickly get a show of hands on whether everyone prefers a fancy dinner or a bite at the pub. Get opinions regarding where to stay, how to get there, and even split expenses with everyone else in the group. It makes the frustrating process of planning for an entire group easier than ever before.

You can also create a visual itinerary through PlanChat, setting up a travel map that includes sightseeing, restaurant, overnight hotel, and even activity plans. PlanChat will auto-populate these plans with reviews, details, and even photos from some of your other fave apps (like Yelp) to give you a comprehensive view of each plan… all in one place.

PlanChat is free to download from the App Store.

TripIt

This popular travel app can help you organize, and share, your next trip’s itinerary easily, even automatically syncing with your calendar as needed.

After downloading the app, you’ll be able to establish master itineraries for all of your upcoming travels. Then, as you make reservations (for flights, hotels, car rentals, shuttles, and even restaurants or salons), you can simply forward those emails to plans@tripit.com. They will automatically add all of this information into your master itinerary, keeping your plans up-to-date and perfectly organized.

TripIt will also auto-sync with your favorite calendar if you’d like. The app supports syncing with calendar apps like Apple iCal, Outlook, Google Calendar, and more. If you make changes in one calendar, you’ll see it reflected in your travel itinerary through TripIt… without having to copy the information over.

Want to keep a secure copy of your most important travel information, in a place you can always access? TripIt can help. The app offers a Traveler Profile section that will store all of your important documents’ information and even relevant contacts, so you have access at your fingertips. It’s safe, too; the app allows you to set up a 4-digit PIN and the information is encrypted.

You can also share your itinerary through TripIt with the other members of your party, your spouse back home, colleagues at the office, or anyone else you want to keep in the loop. Want to let the rest of your group know that your flight has been delayed? Simply send a text through the app with the single touch of a button. Want your kids to know what’s on the travel agenda? Link your apps to share all of the travel plans with them.

The app is available in the App Store and for Android devices. TripIt is completely free, or you can upgrade to TripIt Pro for extra features (like seat tracking) for $49 a year.

TravelBank

If you travel for business, you know what a pain it can be to not only keep track of your itinerary, but also your receipts. Lose one or forget to track it, for instance, and you’ll have a reimbursement nightmare.

That’s where TravelBank comes in.

This handy app (which is now available on desktop, too) will help you organize all of your business travel needs. You can book flights through the app, earn and track travel rewards, automate your work-related expenses, track mileage, estimate the cost of your trip based on local data, and even submit documents for reimbursement. Want to book your itinerary to match your coworkers’, even allowing you to you’re your social seating on flights? TravelBank can do that.

There’s no more tracking paper receipts with TravelBank, either. You can simply snap a mobile picture to scan in your latest hotel or meal ticket. You can track your trip’s budget, too, ensuring that you stay within your limits or the area’s per diem rate.

Not only can you track and earn rewards points through hotel, car rental, and airline programs, but TravelBank also offers its own rewards program. If you manage to come in under budget for your trip, for instance, you can earn Amazon.com gift cards and more.

TravelBank is free to download from the App Store or Google Play.

Trip Republic

Trip Republic is a site that gives you access to thousands of experiences in your city of choice, allowing you to quickly browse your options, compare prices, and even book tickets. However, they also have an itinerary planning platform, which can help keep your next trip organized as well as fun.

With Trip Republic’s planning platform, you can search and book all aspects of your trip, including flights, hotels, restaurants, and other local activities. You will also receive personalized travel recommendations, opening your eyes to new and exciting experiences or must-see features.

You can also collaborate with your travel companions, even sharing trip ideas through the app. Your tripboard will allow you to keep notes, add important links, find popular suggestions, track booked plans, and even plan out meals.

To view the planner boards or create your own, visit planner.triprepublic.com

TripCase

If you want an app that makes planning your trip just as easy as tracking plans once you arrive, TripCase might be the answer. This handy app will help you establish an itinerary – including flights, hotel reservations, rental cars, driving directions, and even dinner plans – as well as track your expenses.

Whether your next adventure is for business or pleasure, you can keep all of your information (and receipts) in one place. Forward your confirmation emails to TripCase, and they’ll even update your itinerary automatically. No more searching through your inbox for info.

You can also keep others in the loop with TripCase. Whether you want your loved ones to know where you are whilst jetsetting through Europe or need your colleagues up-to-date on a business trip, TripCase will keep anyone you want in on your plans.

TripCase is available in the App Store or on Google Play.

Syngic Travel

If seeing your trip laid out on a map is your idea of perfect, then Syngic Travel has the feature for you.  This app will allow you to plan your travel itinerary in a user-friendly, easy-to-view way. You can plot out sightseeing, book a hotel based on proximity to certain landmarks, and even route your walking or driving directions.

The app will give you endless info on tourist areas, exciting nightlife options, shows and events, or even tours you may want to take. Then, after reading Syngic’s thorough info on each, you can choose to add it to your travel plans. From there, you can schedule each day’s itinerary, plot out how you’ll get there (driving and walking routes in addition to subway schedules make this incredibly simple!), track expenses, and share your map with others.

To learn more, visit travel.syngic.com.

The next time you're looking to book travel – whether a romantic weekend getaway, a family vacation, or even your next business trip – give one of these travel apps a shot. You'll streamline your journey, stay on budget, and maybe even learn about some exciting new experiences along the way.

Source: https://www.forbes.com

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