Top Five Travel Apps for the Business Traveler

1. TripIt – If you really want to maximize your time and money while traveling, then you have to be organized. Before finding TripIt, I used to print out all of my various confirmation emails and staple them inside a manila folder. I know, so 1998, right? A reader recommended TripIt, and without exaggeration it has transformed my travel experience and probably saved thousands of trees in the process. Simply said, TripIt organizes all of your travel information for you and generates complete itineraries easily accessed through your mobile device. You can input the information manually if you want, but it’s so much easier (and cooler) to have them do it for you. All you do is forward your emails to them and within seconds a complete itinerary will be generated for you, instantly available in your TripIt account. I am endlessly fascinated by technology and this app really amazes me

Cost – Basic – Free; No Ads – $3.99 (you can upgrade to TripIt Pro that monitors flight status and tracks your frequent flier miles for $49 a year)

2. Genius Scan+ – Receipts and expense reports are the nemesis of most business travelers. It’s an extra hassle that we all have to deal with, or risk the ire of accountants. I’m notorious for losing or misplacing receipts, causing headaches for me and support staff. Genius Scan+ helps alleviate this problem by allowing the user to take photos of receipts for backup, email to others in the office or for easy categorization of expenses. Not just limited to receipts, the app allows you to take pictures of anything to file away: documents, lists, presentation materials can all be saved and exported to your email or another management system like Evernote or DropBox. This app won’t solve all your accounting headaches, but it will help you stay organized and on top of things.

Cost – $2.99

 

3. Around Me – A friend recently recommended this app to me, and I’m glad they did. It’s a common problem, you’re in a new city or part of town and you need to find something. It could be a restaurant, a pharmacy, whatever, and you have no idea where the closest one might be. Around Me is the solution to this annoying problem. The app lists multiple categories allowing the user to find everything in the nearby neighborhood, detailing how far away it is and how to get there.

Cost – Free

4. Open Table – The top online restaurant reservation web site has a useful app to match. I use Open Table all the time not just to make reservations, but to find new restaurants wherever I may go. It’s perfect for putting together a quick business lunch or an impromptu dinner. I’ve used it successfully to find reservations for large groups at the last minute. Many restaurants have incorporated Open Table into their online reservations system, making this is a must-have app for any business traveler.

Cost – Free

5. GateGuru – Gate Guru is an all in one app that makes navigating through airports a breeze. Users can search through hundreds of airports around the world to find the closest amenities to them. Maps and category lists make it easy to find restaurants, shops and lounges instead of wandering around the airport aimlessly. There’s also a section that in theory updates the user regarding estimated security wait times. The problem with this feature though is that it’s dependent on other users, so the information may not be up to date. One of the best features though is that you can connect to other networks, including your TripIt account. I love that this one app can tell me everything I need to know about my flights and what I can find in the airport around me.

Cost – Free

What are some apps you depend on for business travel?