Best travel apps for free

Discover the best free travel apps for your trip.

Any savvy traveller will tell you – one of your most powerful tools when making travel plans is a mobile phone. You can check in for a flight on your evening commute, or navigate your way around a new city with only a few clicks. And to make sure you’ve got the greatest of what the App Store has to offer, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best travel apps for iOS and Android users. Just make sure you’ve downloaded them before you go. And once you’re ready to test your new apps out, check out our best deals. We’ve even got some tech-orientated breaks on offer.

XE CURRENCY

This handy app has every currency in the world loaded onto it, so whether you’re in Greece or Mexico, you’ll know how much you’re spending thanks to the live rates. There are lots of business features included in the design, but you only need to input the figure you want to convert into the calculator and you’ll be shown the local rate in your chosen currencies. XE Currency also saves the latest rates – so if you’re travelling in a spot without Wi-Fi, you’ll still be able to use it to help keep track of spending on your credit cards.

TUI APP

If you’ve booked a holiday with us, make sure you download the TUI app. Load your booking details into the app to access your mobile boarding pass, plus Your Holiday Countdown. You’ll know how many days it is until you fly, and what the local weather’s like before you even arrive. And when you’re ready to start planning your next trip, you can get travel inspiration, see our latest offers and deals, and even make a booking. Got one of our Multi-Currency Travel Money Cards? We’ve got an app for that, too.

COOL COUSIN

Cool Cousin is the travel guide for the digital generation. Communicating via the app, you can chat to people local to the city you’re visiting – your digital ‘cousins’ – for advice and recommendations on what to see while you’re there. You can even choose who you connect with depending on age, career, and interests. There are cousins all over the world, from New York to Turkey, so chances are you’ll always be able to get the inside scoop.

CITYMAPPER

When using navigation apps, lots of us turn to Google Maps – but it’s definitely not the only option. Citymapper is available in 30 cities around the world, including Rome, and has access to real-time departures, cycle routes, and journey times via local public transportation. Booked a flight and want to know how long it will take you to get to the airport? Citymapper has you covered.

PACKPOINT

You’ll never forget to include your toothbrush again with PackPoint. Tell the app where you’re going and when, and the activities you plan to do while you’re there. It’ll then generate a packing list for you – and it’s not just your standard fly-and-flop holiday list. PackPoint gathers local weather forecasts, including for cold destinations like Iceland, and it goes beyond just clothes for activities like camping. It’s a handy way to keep your list in your pocket - but if you’re a fan of the paper method, check out our holiday checklist, which has a downloadable PDF for your next trip.

APP IN THE AIR

If you need to check your flight status, App in the Air is one of the best flight tracking apps out there. Add your flight number and the app will break down your journey time into stages – check in, boarding, takeoff, and landing time – so you’re always in the know. Plus, it even communicates with you when you don’t have any internet access.

BLUE APP

If you’re a tech-whizz and are booked in at one of our TUI BLUE For All hotels, make sure to download the BLUE App to really enhance your holiday. It’s all about tech and tradition at these hotels, so use the handy app to book hotel activities, reserve a table for dinner, or even order an extra pillow at reception. And our BLUE Guides are experts on the local area, so you’ll have advice in your palm wherever you are in the world.

Time to test out your new downloads?

Browse our TUI BLUE For All deals if you want to try out the BLUE App, and find out more about what’s on offer at our TUI BLUE For All hotels.

Fancy a closer look at our TUI-designed hotels? Explore our virtual resort.

Pssst. Head to the Discover homepage for our latest articles.

*Please note: apps were free to download when this article was published on 9th May 2018.

Please check your app provider for the latest update. Some apps also offer in-app purchases.

Author: Lizzie Butler

Last updated: 09.05.2018