Don’t travel this summer without these essential apps

We’re all about roaming this week on MobileSyrup, because many of you likely have at least some vacation plans for the summer. Keeping that in mind, here are some of the apps you should definitely have on your phone if you’re going to be taking a trip.

Kayak (iOS / Android / Windows)

Kayak is a travel service that combines flight information with hotel search and car rental, bringing you a simple travelling experience all in one place. The app is also able to keep track of all the information about your trip, including managing your itinerary and tracking the status of your flights up to the minute.

TripIt (iOS / Android)

TripIt is another great travel companion that offers a nice, simple free tier for their service, as well as a pro version for the frequent flier. The free app will keep track of your itinerary, and let you access all your travel plans on your phone or tablet. You are also able to add and edit those plans, add dates and times to your calendar, and share travel details with anybody who might be trying meet you when you arrive at your destination.

WestJet (iOS / Android)

WestJet is an extremely popular airline known for having employees that work hard because they are all part owners. True to form, their mobile apps are very powerful and extremely useful. WestJet have connected their WestJet Rewards sign-in to their mobile apps, keeping all your flight information in sync everywhere. You can book and view flights, check-in on your phone, and keep your boarding pass information on your phone or on your Apple Watch. The app also connects you to real-time flight information, keeping you in the now about any delays you might face.

Air Canada (iOS / Android / BlackBerry)

Air Canada is Canada’s largest airline, and as you’d expect, their app allows you to keep track of all your Air Canada flight information. You can find just the right flight for you, and shop by date, price and flight times, to help you easily find the cheapest flight dates around the time you are travelling. You can check-in and choose your seats right in the app, and you can also sign in to Air Canada mobile+ to view all your saved itineraries across the web and your mobile devices. The app will also let you keep your boarding passes on your phone, and that will also work in tandem with the Apple Watch.

Flight Tracker (iOS / Android / Windows)

Flight Tracker by FlightAware is a great cross platform app for keeping track of anything you could ever want to know about flights and airports in general. The app can track flight status, gate changes, and can even let you find connections you might not otherwise be aware of. You can view any flights overhead at a given time with GPS and click directly on a flight to view information about it. Probably the most powerful feature in this app is the powerful search that works by airline name and flight number, by route, and even by aircraft registration number. If you need to know where your plane or any other plane is at any given time, this is the app for you.

Airbnb (iOS / Android)

Airbnb is a very popular service that connects travelers looking for a place to stay with people with space to rent. Using this app will let you book rooms or spaces for the duration of your trip, but that isn’t the most useful part about the application. The most powerful use for Airbnb comes from the ability to search available rooms from within the app when you are actually travelling. Whether you just need to check where you’re supposed to be going, or whether you find your plans changing and needing to book a room on the go, the app has you covered. The app will keep all your travel details in one place, and it’s just as easy to use for Airbnb hosts as it is for tenants. Any service the website offers is also available on the mobile app.

Citymapper (iOS / Android)

Citymapper is an incredibly versatile app that provides travellers transit directions in easy to understand routes. The app supports GPS-based “Nearby” searches – closest subway, streetcar or bus stops – or planned routes. The company has worked very hard to make each app feel native on its respective platform, and supports Apple Watch and Android Wear for quick scanning on the go.

The London-based startup is constantly rolling out support for other cities, but is pretty well represented in the largest tourist attractions around the world.

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If you’re looking forward to leaving home for any fun destinations this summer, do consider adding the following apps to your phone. As our mobile devices become more and more powerful, there is no reason to not keep all your travel information right at your fingertips.