Travel apps are indispensable allies when booking a flight, finding a last-minute hotel, discovering the best local attractions or services nearby, or helping you plan your trip. They can simplify your life and save you a lot of hassle.
Get your smartphone ready, and let’s discover them together!
Here are links to the Apple Store and Google Play websites and stores, which allow you to download the apps to your iPhone or smartphone.
There are so many applications that restricting ourselves to one would be a shame. Many complement each other. This will depend on your needs, travel profile, passions, and country. Interface navigation is also essential. Some applications will be more intuitive, regularly updated, easy to use, and depend on your Internet access. These are essential criteria when choosing an application.
To optimize your Apple Store and Google Play purchases, choose a credit card that offers specific benefits for online purchases, recurring payments and streaming services. The following credit cards are recommended:
The RBC ION Visa credit card offers 1.5 times Avion points on streaming, digital games, digital subscriptions, eligible digital downloads and in-game purchases. With the AchatsExtra Avion Rewards browser extension, you can save with cash back when you store online at over 1,900 retailers.
Finally, if you’re a Mastercard World or World Elite cardholder, learn more about the benefits, as you could benefit from on-demand services and applications.
Please note that it is not possible to pay for Apple Store applications from the Aeroplan eStore, so you cannot earn additional points with your Aeroplan card.
In our digital age, travel has become more accessible and enjoyable thanks to many applications. These travel apps are regularly updated and have become indispensable “companions,” making travel more accessible, less stressful and safer.
You can do it all: learn a language with Duolingo, get directions with Google Maps, find the cheapest gas station with GasBuddy or split your expenses with your friends with Tricount!
Whether you’re a solo adventurer, a family looking for a memorable vacation, or a luxury globetrotter, today’s companies offer an application to suit every need. You’ll be able to track a flight, book accommodation, compare prices, find your way around a city and more easily meet travellers like you on the other side of the world.
By 2024, these travel apps are no longer just simplifying our travels; they’re transforming our experiences, enriching our adventures and connecting us in deeper ways to the destinations we explore, with built-in artificial intelligence to boot.
When you’re travelling in Canada, there are a number of apps that can make you’re stay a whole lot easier and enrich your experience: imagine planning a hike or a toboggan run, and the weather turns nasty, for example. Here are the ones we recommend:
Many travellers are concerned about travelling on a budget, and fortunately, several apps are designed to help you save money on your travels. Here are a few we recommend:
You’ve almost chosen your destination? So before thinking about your accommodation, check flight availability and costs. A host of applications and websites are available for this purpose. Some even offer all-inclusive packages.
Are you into points? Even enthusiasts need help. Various tools are available to help you find what you’re looking for. In the past, we used the Award.Flights tool to check flights for awards and loyalty points. The tool is no longer available, but we advise you to use these tools:
Booking award flights require more knowledge of the points and tools involved. You will have to search for the availability of an award to book the seat with your miles. And despite your good research, things are sometimes uncertain, as some airlines (Air Canada, for example) have decided to restrict access to their air award inventory. But here’s a list of sites to check out:
Here are the leading flight booking apps to help you compare and find the best flights at the best prices. Remember to book early, be flexible and use your loyalty points to save even more on your ticket price.
Travel planning inevitably involves finding accommodation – unless you’re staying with family or friends. Researching, comparing and booking accommodation can often be time-consuming and stressful. Remember to take out cancellation or change insurance. This can sometimes save you from certain situations.
To rent a car or even use a scooter, here are the apps you can use on your travels:
Suppose you’re one of those who regularly travel by plane. In that case, it’s always friendly and reassuring to be able to follow your flight at all times so that you know, for example, about any gate changes or delays and can anticipate stopovers. So why not take a break in an airport lounge to relax before your flight? If you’re a fan of Milesopedia, you’ll know that it’s one of the favourite perks of our traveling community!
Here are the applications we suggest you download:
We’re all hungry for reports, reviews and comments from other travellers when it comes to choosing between two or more restaurants, hotels or activities. Before you buy, check out our reports or the following applications:
When travelling, one of the essential tools to have on your smartphone is a reliable mapping application. Whether you’re venturing through the busy streets of a big city or exploring hiking trails, these apps will guide you every step of the way. They make getting around easier, arriving at your destination on time or discovering hidden corners. It’s always best to have access to the Internet, but if there’s no network, remember to download your maps offline.
With applications such as Google Maps, you benefit from precise, real-time navigation – essential for finding your way around unfamiliar places, whether you’re driving, walking, cycling or taking public transport. Features such as step-by-step directions, estimated journey times and even augmented reality views make navigation intuitive and efficient.
For areas without an Internet connection, apps like Maps.me offer offline maps, allowing you to stay oriented even in the most remote locations.
Transit gives you easy access to public transport timetables, which is essential in major cities.
When travelling, staying connected is essential; communication apps are your allies in keeping in touch. Whether you want to send photos, call your family, share moments with friends, or contact local services, these applications simplify communication. Buy an eSIMS to travel. Airalo offers data plans in over 190 countries so travelers can access the internet without high roaming charges.
With options like WhatsApp, Skype, or. Messenger, you can send messages, make calls or set up video conferences easily, and often for free. Download a communication application to stay connected with ease, wherever you are in the world. Beware, however, as not all of them work everywhere. Restrictions exist, for example, with Facetime in Asia and the Middle East.
Google Translate is a key application for overcoming travel communication challenges. It offers translations in over 100 languages and boasts many practical features. It’s one of our favorite applications. It offers:
WiFi Free Finder is a very useful application for all travellers who want to stay connected while on the move. This application uses your geolocation to show you all nearby WiFi networks. It tells you which networks are closest to you, and which are free and which are not.
Finally, travelling alone doesn’t necessarily mean being alone all the time. Finding travel companions can enrich your experience and enable you to share memorable moments. Several applications and websites connect travellers with similar interests or overlapping itineraries: Travello and Worldpackers join travellers around the world, promoting cultural exchanges and volunteering.
Don’t forget to consider a few criteria before choosing your travel companion: shared interests, travel pace, budget, etc.
The accumulation of points can sometimes be complicated to keep track of. The tool Awardwallet tool. Many have also set up an excel file that they update every week. This is an exercise we recommend you carry out at the same time as you do your accounts so that you can easily see the benefits of reward points and not let them lie dormant on the table.
Every airline has its smartphone application. This can be useful for tracking your flight if you have purchased a ticket from one of them or wish to track your reward points from a particular program.
Family trips often require extra planning and organization to ensure that all members, from the youngest to the oldest, have a good time. To make the most of your family trip, take the time to visit the website of our partner BB Jetlag. A ton of information is available. Founder Sophie Reis has published her book Le Guide des Parents Voyageurs to support parents with children aged 0 to 12.
AroundMe is a powerful application that lets you quickly locate anything in the vicinity of your current location. Whether you’re looking for a restaurant for dinner, a cinema for entertainment, an ATM for cash withdrawals, or even a gas station or hospital, this app provides you with the information you need in real-time. Moreover, AroundMe also provides you with the distance and travel time required to get there.
Here’s a selection of particularly useful apps for traveling families, including those my kids love:
Are your accommodations, flights and activities booked? Have you thought about everything – your itineraries, what to pack in your luggage? Here are the best apps to help you plan before, during and after your departure:
Hiking apps offer many features that can greatly enhance your hiking experience, whether you’re a novice or an experienced hiker.
A fan of roadtrips? The Roadtrippers application is specially designed for planning this type of trip. With it, you can create an itinerary adapted to the stops you plan to make. The application also lets you discover destinations of interest close to your itinerary.
With applications like AllTrails, you can access a vast database of hiking trails worldwide. You can filter routes according to:
These apps provide you with detailed maps, trail descriptions, reviews from other hikers, and often photos to give you an idea of what to expect.
For those who like to get off the beaten track, apps like Gaia GPS offer detailed topographical maps and offline GPS functionality, essential for wilderness navigation. You can score points, record your routes and even share your adventures with the community.
Racing and cycling enthusiasts can record their performances, share them with their network and follow pre-designed routes with the Strava app, even when travelling.
When you download a hiking app, you’ll be sure to find trails that suit your mood and level, as well as hiking in complete safety, thanks to tracking and position-sharing features. Here are the tools you need to plan your outdoor adventures and enjoy nature to the full:
To preserve your travel memories, several apps can help you capture and organize your experiences creatively and efficiently.
Although Google Photos is the most widely used for storing photos and videos, or Instagram for social networking, several other applications might interest you for keeping track of your memories.
The 1 Second Everyday application is like a video diary that captures your daily moments to create a movie.
For example, FindPenguins is an application that lets users create a digital travel diary. It records your itinerary, lets you share photos and stories, and even creates a trip book.
After installation, you can activate the Travel Tracker, which automatically records your itinerary. So you can track your movements on a world map, even offline.
To begin, create a new trip via the “Create a first trip” button on your profile. Enter the trip name, start date and privacy level. The application records your position every 5 minutes, or every 5 seconds for greater accuracy. Location data is updated as soon as you are online. You can then add photos, comments and stories to your itinerary to enrich your travel journal.
FindPenguins also lets you share your itinerary with friends and family, or keep it private. You can even order a photo book of your trip directly from the app.
Finally, what could be more important than keeping track of your travel expenses and setting goals for your portfolio? Managing your finances is essential to avoid unpleasant surprises and enjoy your trip to the full.
Wealthsimple is an online wealth management and investment platform. It offers simplified services accessible to all. Why is it of interest to travellers? Simply because Wealthsimple offers a prepaid card with no foreign exchange fees, and its intuitive mobile application makes it easy to manage your finances, even on the move. It’s a practical tool for budgeting and tracking your travel expenses while continuing to invest.
Educfinance is an application launched in 2022 by a renowned finance professor at Collège Montmorency in Laval, Youcef Ghellache, and his team. We recommend you look at their website if you’d like to learn more about managing your finances, saving or investing. Youcef offers training cohorts to help you define and reach your objectives easily thanks to its tools and methodology.
Of course, before you leave, remember to take stock of your credit cards with the help of our carefully compiled rankings, updated daily, and choose the best card for your needs to maximize your points accumulation and travel savings.
Sharing your trip with loved ones through apps is a simple and effective way to stay connected. Instagram is a popular app for sharing photos and videos of your trip. By the way, be sure to follow our instagram account for inspiration and to learn more and more about stitches!
For more interactive sharing, LiveTrekker lets you share your routes live. If you prefer to keep your sharing private, you can create a private travel space with apps like Sunday.
These applications offer a variety of ways to share your trip, whether you prefer public or private sharing. Which is your favourite?
Digital technology has revolutionized the tourism sector, particularly with the rise of travel apps. By 2023, according to Data.ai, the global market for travel apps was estimated at $500 billion and is set to continue growing steadily over the next few years.
This growth is due to a number of factors, including :
The success of travel applications hinges on the ability to meet several challenges, including:
The future of travel apps looks bright, with innovations that go beyond simply booking flights or hotels. New technologies, such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality and blockchain, offer unprecedented opportunities to make the travel experience more interactive, personalized and secure.
AI dramatically improves the travel experience, making it more personalized, efficient and enjoyable. AI-integrated travel apps offer more intuitive and responsive services, helping travelers make the most of their adventures, while reducing logistical hassles. By adopting these advanced technologies, we can anticipate a future where travel is more connected and intelligent than ever.
Travel apps use AI to analyze user preferences and behaviors, enabling them to offer personalized recommendations. Whether for hotels, flights, restaurants or activities, AI can suggest options that precisely match individual tastes and needs.
AI is capable of analyzing millions of pieces of data to predict fluctuations in flight and hotel prices. Applications such as Hopper use these algorithms to advise users on the best time to book, guaranteeing the most advantageous rates.
Travel apps use AI to analyze thousands of online reviews and identify common trends and sentiments. This provides users with clear, concise summaries of the strengths and weaknesses of a destination or service, without having to wade through pages and pages of reviews.
Image recognition tools integrated into the applications enable travelers to instantly translate signs, menus or any other text in a foreign language simply by taking a photo. In addition, image recognition can help identify monuments and provide contextual information on site.
Finally, AI helps to automatically organize travel itineraries by aggregating information from various bookings and structuring it in an easy-to-follow format. Apps like TripIt use AI to combine flight details, hotel bookings and activities in one place, offering a clear, well-organized overview.
All these travel apps are designed to help you find the best deals, compare prices and manage your travel budget efficiently. Integrating these outlis into your travel planning will make your overall experience more enriched. You’ll be able to enjoy yourself, find nearby services, manage your money and leave feeling less stressed.
As you can see, the best travel app will depend on your specific needs. You’ll need to consider their accessibility, ergonomics and cost, and check whether Internet access is required to operate them.
With so many applications on the market, we hope this list will help you make the right choice. Then it’s up to you to try them out and find the ones that best suit your travel profile! Don’t forget to check out our ultimate list for travellers too!
Are you a fan of apps and want to save money every day? Check out our list of the best apps for cash back!
Savings are here:
