A year and a half ago I wrote about 6 of my all-time favorite travel apps, so I figure it’s about time I revisit the topic!

Despite the growing number of people who travel on the reg, studies report that when it comes to customer satisfaction, travel industry apps… well, kinda suck. The worst offenders? Big brand airline, hotel, and car rental apps.

As someone whose personal and professional lives revolve around travel, I use a ton of different apps to plan my trips and make life easier while I’m abroad (how the heck did people manage before GPS and Google Translate came along?? 🤯). I fully understand the frustration of dealing with a crappy app, which is why I’m here to cut through the noise and give you the lowdown on some of the best travel apps around.

Check ‘em out!

Blacklane

Uber not cutting it for you anymore? Class up your next airport transfer with this top-notch car service app.

Blacklane connects you with a network of licensed and insured professional chauffeurs in 60 different countries and allows you to schedule pickups in advance. Complimentary wait times (1 hour for airport pickups and 15 minutes for all other rides), all-inclusive rates, great drivers, and easy cancellations make Blacklane the perfect service for all your international transfer needs—no more waiting around for an Uber that never shows up or battling for a spot in the taxi queue at the arrivals gate.

Blacklane was my go-to car service during my birthday trip to Amsterdam! When I’m feeling like a true VIP, this is the route I go.

Hopper

This handy app is like carrying a vacay-specific crystal ball around in your pocket—it uses data to predict airfare and hotel prices with 95% accuracy up to a whole YEAR in advance! With just a few taps, you can input your destination and preferred dates, then sit back and let Hopper notify you when prices change.

I’ve booked tons of flights using Hopper and have scored some truly awesome deals thanks to their recommendations. Definitely a must-have app for any frequent flyer!

Kayak

Kayak has been around for over a decade now, but there’s a reason it’s still going strong (like, 2,000,000,000-searches-a-year strong 💪): it’s one of the most comprehensive trip-planning apps in the biz.

When you input your trip info, Kayak bundles results from hundreds of different travel sites to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible on your airfare, hotel, or rental car. It can even pull up incredible vacation packages to your destination of choice, so you can save some time and $$$ when booking your next all-inclusive.

If you’re a minimalist who hates to clutter up their phone with too many apps or someone who dreads the thought of using multiple sites to organize their trip, then Kayak is the answer to all your prayers!

LoungeBuddy

Some people are put off by the slightly stuffy vibe of VIP airport lounges, but in actuality, these little havens of tranquility are the only good thing about layovers. I LOVE spending time in airport lounges! No crowds or noise, free food, free drinks (yes, including alcohol!), premium WiFi, super comfortable seating, and showers (not always, but often)... these lounges are pure bliss during a long haul flight.

LoungeBuddy makes access easy by allowing you to buy one-time lounge passes on demand—no memberships, first class tickets, or special status required. Just search for an airport, select a lounge, and boom, you’re in! Grab a snack, kick back, and relax till takeoff time.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp isn’t specifically a travel app, but it is an absolute essential when it comes to communicating while abroad. Text, call, or video chat from anywhere in the world for free using WhatsApp’s simple messaging  platform—all you need is a working internet connection. And with end-to-end encryption, you can rest assured that your private convos will stay that way.

WhatsApp is especially useful when planning a group trip (we do an annual one every year and this is how we communicate!). Keep your trip organized with group chats, bookmark messages for later by starring them, and share photos and videos with your travel friends all in the same chatroom. Wave bye to those roming charges!

Mobile Passport

Hate waiting forever to go through customs? Same.

Luckily, Mobile Passport is a thing! This gem of an app allows U.S. citizens and Canadian visitors to submit their passport and declaration info to U.S. Customs and Border Protection via their smartphone rather than a traditional paper form. Doing so gives you access to separate, expedited Mobile Passport lanes in the inspection area, meaning you’ll be in and out of customs in no time flat.

Combine Mobile Passport with the Global Entry, Nexus, or Sentri program to breeze through inspection faster than ever and truly earn your “travel hacking guru” badge.

Courtnie is the founder & CEO of TravelBash. After years as an ambitious fundraiser, she took her passion for travel full-time. She has lived all over the U.S. and abroad and after planning her own destination wedding, she decided to help other couples plan their big day abroad too. She has written “Passport to Paradise: The Complete Destination Wedding Guide,” a top seller on Amazon. She has also been featured in Travel + Leisure, Destination I Do and The Washington Post. As a certified travel advisor, expert event planner and natural connector, she uses her powers to create VIP travel experiences.