Becoming a frequent traveler, I’ve found a few apps and websites that have made trip planning so much easier for me. I wanted to share my Top 5 apps and websites for trip planning with you.
1. Hopper- Hopper is an app that allows you to price match flights from multiple airlines in one place. Hopper gives you an option to “price freeze” flights. Price freezing meaning it will hold the flight at the current price for 5 days. In order to price freeze a flight, you would be required to put down a deposit of $40. That deposit would hold the flight price at the current rate presented on the app. you would have to purchase your flight through the app for the freeze to apply. I also love this app's “flight watch” feature. There is no deposit to watch a flight. You simply select the flight of your choice, and Hopper will tell you if the flight is projected to decrease in the future. You can then select “watch flight”, and the app will notify you each time there is a price decrease for that flight.
2. Airbnb- Another favorite App of mine. I love Airbnb specifically for group/family travel. Airbnb has vacation rental properties anywhere in the world. I love airbnb for group travel, because there is always an accommodation for small to large group sizes. The option to filter allows you to be as specific as necessary for your travel group’s needs. Unlike hotels, Airbnb also gives you the option to communicate right through the app with the host of the home. In my experience, if I had any questions before or after making a booking, I could speak directly to the host regarding any questions or concerns. This cut out any need to speak with a customer service rep. There are additional options to search activities in the area you're traveling to as well. Aside from flight reservations, Airbnb can be a one stop shop.
3. Bookit.com - Bookit.com is my favorite site for international travel. I have a separate blog all about how I plan my island vacations through bookit. Bookit is one of my favorite sites for trip planning specifically for it’s pay delay option. Pay delay is the option to book your stay, and pay in installments. It’s not always easy for everyone to pay $1500 + for a trip at one time. Pay delay gives the option to break your payments into more affordable monthly payments. Bookit will give you the payment dates, along with the amounts before you commit to the plan. You can decide if that is the best plan of action for you. If not, there are always additional options to explore on the site until you find the one most fitting. Bookit has several other functions on the site that makes this one of favorite trip planning sites. Check out my “ Just Book It” blog to find out more.
4. Expedia- Expedia is one of my favorite apps for instate vacations. Sometimes it is a little difficult to find an airbnb for a weekend stay that is available or reasonable in some areas of Michigan. Expedia always has hotel options in the areas of my choosing for quick weekend getaways. It’s great when weighing stay options. Expedia also offers a book now, pay later, which is an option to too reserve your room in advance and pay at the hotel when you arrive. They will give you a deadline date to cancel to avoid any chargers. If I find a hotel I love, I will reserve it while it has availability. This way I have a confirmed reservation if I’m unable to find an airbnb in the area. Which is what usually happens. If I find something more suitable, I can always cancel prior to the deadline without being charged.
Last but not least...
5. Google- I know this may seem like it goes without saying, but let me explain. Google is my starting point for all trip planning. When searching for flights, I start with google before I use hopper. Google will price match every flight available for your travel dates. You can book the flight right through google, or you can book it directly through the airline. When putting an itinerary together, I like to have an idea of restaurants, activities, and shopping centers in the area I’m traveling to. I use google to find restaurants and read their reviews. I also use google to find excursions and attractions like water sports, tours, wine tasting, etc. I use google to compare activities and price match for the best deals. Google is also my go to for selecting places to try based on location. When my friends and I traveled to Niagara falls, I googled the distance from our Airbnb to every attraction we planned to visit; making it a breeze to construct my itinerary. I’m sure everyone knows the ins and outs of google. So my suggestion is use it to your advantage when trip planning.
These are my Top 5 apps/sites to make trip planning easier for me. If you have any apps or sites you use aside from these, leave them in the comments for me.