Five Must-Have Travel Apps That Keep You Moving While On The Road

Traveling can be an ordeal and keeping organized away from your home or office can be a nightmare. Luckily, there are plenty of travel apps for your smartphone that have you covered. One trip to the App Store can make your life a little less complicated!

1. TripIt or TripCase (Both on iOS and Android)

You used to carry around printed reservations, but with these apps, you just forward your travel confirmation emails to them and they automatically parse the details to create your itinerary. What separates TripCase from TripIt are the free flight alerts: starting 48 hours before you depart, if your gate changes, or there’s a delay or a cancellation, TripCase lets you know. “No other free app provides anything close to this level of functionality,” says TripCase spokesman, Dave Hochman.

2. mTrip (iOS and Android)

If you’re going to one of the major cities that mTrip has made a travel guide for, it’s a no brainer download. You get maps and loads of information on points of interest, including restaurants, museums, hotels and more. And because all that is contained in the app, you save yourself roaming charges when you need directions or want to know more about the area.

Each city costs $5.99.

3. Uber (iOS and Android)

Uber says they’re everyone’s private driver. If you’re in one of the cities serviced by Uber, you can request a pickup from anywhere at any time. The nearest driver comes for you in a “sleek black car.” When it’s time to pay, Uber charges the credit card you have on file with them. No cash needed.

4. DocuSign Ink (iOS and Android)

A contract needs your signature right away and you’re on the other side of the world with just a phone. That was a problem, but now it isn’t. DocuSign Ink lets you grab documents from your email, Dropbox or elsewhere, and sign them with your finger. It’s got enterprise-grade security and it’s legally binding. More on electronic signatures in our archives.

5. Expensify (iOS and Android)

The easy way to do your expense reports. This app syncs with your credit cards and bank accounts, and allows you to scan receipts using your phone’s camera. Mileage expenses are tracked with GPS or odometer entry. At the end of it all, you’ve got a PDF expense report you can email anywhere it needs to go.

These five apps are perfect for avoiding some of the roadblocks you’re likely to encounter on your travels, and should help you get from home to away and back again. Let us know if this list helps you out! And tell us about any really great app we might have missed. Which travel apps do you swear by