As the world slowly enters into our new normal, and the holidays approach, it’s time to grab those tickets and plan your 2022 vacations! [yes please!!] As we embark on this journey (i’m so punny), I compared booking a trip amongst the below travel apps. Here’s what I thought:
Let’s get there
Hopper
This is my pick if you’re planning to fly anywhere. You may have seen some of your favorite influencers talking about this one – and the hype is real. Hopper takes an approach of timing when you book to save money. If you’re like my sister and I, and wake up at 2am on a Tuesday to find cheap fares [and anyone who doesn’t believe this is the fool – and paying more than us] this really cuts out the leg work for you. Hopper will generate a color coded calendar to show you which dates flights are cheapest to your destination and then advises whether you should wait or buy now based on their expectation of price changes.
Expedia
Expedia is my personal go-to. Being in NYC now, I am constantly using Expedia for car rentals as well as flight bookings. The main draw are the points. They really do help offset the cost with discounts based on how much you book through Expedia (flights, cars, hotels, etc.) and most deals are pay later and free cancellation.
Let’s stay there
Airbnb
While I, personally, am a big hotel fan [me too, I like turndown service] – you can’t go without mentioning Airbnb for all things lodging. Compared to its competitors like VRBO, Airbnb has a very user friendly app and seems to have more options when it comes to hosts. Speaking of hosts, their hosts seem much more invested in your enjoyment and keeping their rating high which leads to a great vacation experience.
Booking.com
While I find Booking.com cumbersome for flight searches, it really has a great platform for hotel deals. With reviews, pictures, and more for each of their hotel recommendations in the area, I feel like I know exactly what I’m stepping into at check in – and for me (who is very picky about where I stay) – this is unbeatable.
Let’s do things there
TripAdvisor
The OG app for to-do recommendations is TripAdvisor. Through their extensive lists of activities for seemingly every city, to the comment section where you find real feedback on what’s worth the visit and what’s a rip off – TripAdvisor has it all. I have planned full itineraries with only their recommendations and it’s never led me astray [anyone else actually think this app seems dated? I can’t take it seriously…].
With Love From Kat Travel App
When it comes to finding chic and unknown spots from boutiques to restaurants, the WLFK Travel App is my go-to. Kat offers local favorites that your mainstream travel apps won’t have. To top it off, she offers discounts to some of her personal favorites. If you travel for the *aesthetic* – download ASAP. [also just follow her, so worth it]
What are some of your favorite tools when planning a trip? Let us know – don’t keep the secrets to yourself!
No Comments