Tablets are a traveler’s best friend. Bigger than a smartphone, more mobile than a laptop – the result: Amazon’s Kindle Fire is being touted around by millions. With its $200 price tag, many have overlooked the lack of broadband connectivity and simply hopped on a WiFi network to browse the web and download apps.
Each one of the free travel apps listed below requires an internet connection to use – so whether you’re making plans from the airport, or sipping your morning coffee at Starbucks, link up to a network and be sure to have these top five apps as you go about your travels:
FlightView (Free)
If your trip involves the sky, FlightView is the flight tracking app to have with you on the ground. Search flights by either flight number or route and be sure to save each to your ‘My Trips’ folder – with this feature, users can build multi-flight trips or save and track individual routes. The two-panel layout is especially intuitive on the Kindle Fire and allows for easy navigation throughout the app’s four tabs. The best feature: flight status notifications. Receive updates to departure and arrival times, gate changes, and in-air status. FlightView’s information comes from the FAA and individual airports and airlines – making it the most accurate on the market.
FlightView Free
TripIT (Free)
The TripIT app for the Kindle Fire truly makes trip management a breeze. Enter your email address, the location and duration of your trip, and start adding reservations, activities, directions, notes, and more. The best feature: the share option. Here you can send the trip details out via email to any number of recipients. To do this, simply select type in the recipient’s email address, select whether or not the person is a traveler on the trip or a connection, and lastly, decide whether the recipient can edit the trip details themselves. Don’t you feel more organized already?
YP (Free)
One of the best parts of traveling is getting to explore – but if winding up lost, or eating at a one star restaurant isn’t in the plans, the YP app from Yellow Pages is one of the best guides to have on hand. Simply enter a city or zip code to start and then dive into one of over 20 categories. In addition to browsing based on location – users can search for establishments by name or specific distance. The restaurant category is the most robust – which allows for filtering by price ($, $$, $$$, $$$$) and includes the full menu. The best feature: the “Deals” section – which lists discounts and coupons for nearby businesses ranging from restaurants, to shopping, to medical, and more.
Hotel Tonight (Free)
No traveler likes getting stranded – but when it does happen, finding a hotel is imperative! Hotel Tonight works with hotels across the country to secure last-minute for its users. Search in over 50 major cities – primarily in the U.S. but also choice locations in Canada and England. All offers are populated at 12pm (in the time zone the city is located). Create an account and book deals right from the app. The best feature: gain free credits, worth $25 each. Simply share the app with friends and score the credits after their first booking.
HotelTonight – Last Minute Deals on Hotels
Pulse (Free)
Some travelers want to disconnect from everything while on the road – but for those looking to stay up on news or other media outlets – Pulse for the Kindle Fire is a great app to organize all of your favorite websites. Whether it’s the Wall Street Journal or Instagram’s Top Photos, or ESPN – Pulse brings it all into one place. Pulse also has social sharing for any article that catches your fancy. The best feature: websites that support the Kindle’s e-reader capabilities. Sources such as The Associated Press will default each article to appear as if it’s a page from an e-book for simple and easy reading.
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