Who doesn’t love the opportunity to travel and take a vacation?
Whether you’re heading somewhere in the U.S. like Pigeon Forge to enjoy the family fun, or you’re going abroad, you probably also want to save money.
Any kind of travel can be expensive, particularly when it involves a family.
Luckily there are some great travel apps that can help you save money, including the following:
HotelTonight
HotelTonight is a good travel app if you’re able to travel last minute, although they do offer deals outside of last-minute bookings as well. With HotelTonight, you can use the app to take advantage of last-minute price drops for rooms that wouldn’t otherwise be booked.
The hotels featured on the app change constantly, and if you wait until the same day to book, you’re likely to maximize your savings.
You can book for more than one night, and you can also book multiple rooms in one booking.
There are two features that are part of the app called Geo Rate and Same Day Deal, and these are special limited-time offers that even lower than the already-discounted HotelTonight rates.
The hotels are broken into different categories so you get an idea of the amenities and level of service you can expect.
Service
The Service app claims to save the average traveler more than $300 a year.
When you install the app and link it to your email inbox, it can automatically detect opportunities to save on hotels and ways to get money back from flight disruptions.
If you book a hotel, for example, and the Service app detects there is a price drop, they automatically rebook you at the lower rate.
If your flight is delayed or canceled, the Service app will automatically pursue compensation on your behalf from the airline.
Gas Buddy
If you’re traveling bar car, consider using the Gas Buddy app. This app helps you find the best gas prices no matter where you’re at.
The Gas Price Map shows real-time pricing for gas stations wherever you are, but the app has more than that.
One feature is the Trip Cost Calculator. With this, you can determine how much you’ll pay in gas by entering your starting location and destination.
The Fuel insights tool lets you see trends across the country in terms of average gas prices, so you’ll know more expensive areas and states to fill up in.
Skiplagged
Skiplagged is an app built around finding the cheapest available airfare. According to the creators of the search engine, they find prices so low that United Airlines sued them over it, but they won.
The airfare search engine says it exposes loopholes in airline pricing that airlines don’t want you to see and some of their exclusive rates can save you quite a bit. Skiplagged also offers hotel deals, so you can save up to 60% on accommodations using the app.
BestParking
When you’re traveling, especially in big cities, the cost of parking can add up very quickly.
The BestParking app helps you find the least expensive available parking options near you, wherever you are.
You can find parking for where you are currently, or you could search for a parking option for later.
When you use the app, it can save you up to 50% off standard rates, and you can book a space in advance with a few clicks.
When you arrive at your parking destination, you use a mobile parking pass, and your space is waiting for you.
Roomer
Finally, Roomer is another app that can help you find discounted deals on lodging and accommodations when you’re traveling.
With Roomer, you can actually sell your nonrefundable rooms on the site when you can’t make your trip, and then other people can buy them from you, saving money.
If you’re selling a reservation you can no longer use, you submit details about it and then the app deals with adding images and other details of your reservation.
When someone books the room you list, the Roomer system will contact the hotel or the booking agency you used to transfer the name on the reservation for you. Guests pay for the room through the app, and there is a Payment Guarantee to ensure if you’re selling you get a direct payment.
If you’re buying a room, it’s the same as booking anywhere else, except you can save money.
You choose where you want to book, and once Roomer receives the booking details, they automatically transfer the reservation into your name.
