Travel Apps that Help with Vacation Planning

Chicago-based merger and acquisition advisor Matthew Brunstrum joined the business consulting firm Sun Acquisitions in 2017. When not overseeing transactions involving lower-middle market companies, Matthew Brunstrum enjoys travelling to new destinations. 

Technology has simplified many of the more time-consuming aspects of travel. Some of the most useful apps can help with the following aspects of trip planning:

Itinerary: There are several apps that help travelers keep track of their itinerary by congregating all of their reservations, flights, and bookings onto one dashboard. The Google Trips app gathers this information directly from an account holder's email address, while TripIt asks users to forward their confirmation emails to the app. 

Transportation: Nearly every public transit system in major cities offers an app that provides timetables, prices, and ticket purchasing locations. Similarly, rideshare apps such as Uber or Lyft have a presence in thousands of cities across the world. 

Guides: Well-known travel guide publishers such as Lonely Planet and Rick Steves have free companion applications that travelers can access to learn more about historical landmarks and cultural traditions. Apps like Cool Cousin and Like a Local are populated with local recommendations for food, shopping, and nightlife.