Business Travel: Apps You Should Load to Your Smart Phone

Sure, you’ll remember to pack clothes, toiletries and important documents when getting ready for a business trip. But have you stocked your smartphone with apps that will help things go smoothly when you’re on the road for work?

Here are some suggestions.

One app that’s useful even before you begin your trip is SeatGuru. You’ll find a list of U.S. and foreign airlines with information on the types of planes used by each carrier, including details like the width of seats and availability of power outlets. Another good app for frequent fliers is LoungeBuddy. There are photos, descriptions, reviews and maps guiding you to lounges at the world’s busiest airports. If you’ve signed up for lots of loyalty programs AwardWallet can help you keep track of them, whether it’s frequent flier miles, hotel points or dining and shopping rewards. You’ll get an alert when your balances change and before your points expire.

If your business trip involves lots of driving, you’ll want to know ahead of time what to expect from gas prices as well as the best places to fill up. GasBuddy will find the closest and cheapest stations. An app that helps with driving directions is especially useful if you’re in a new place. Waze has real-time information on traffic conditions, calculating the fastest way to reach your destination and offering alternatives if there’s a tie-up. If you need parking, download Parkwhiz. The app will guide you to a lot or garage in 160 cities across the country.

A couple of apps will help you be productive while you’re on the road. If you’re having trouble getting online, WiFi Anywhere will find free wireless hotspots near your location, as well as give you information on security and connection speed. Evernote can help you stay organized. The app makes it easy to take notes anywhere, whether you’re at a meeting or away from your desk, and share information with your colleagues. Plus, you can sync it across all your devices.

If you’ll be traveling to a foreign country on business, make sure you have a currency converter like XE or OANDA that will help you keep track of exchange rates around the world. It’s also handy to have a language app like Google Translate on your phone. Just type a sentence in English and it’ll be automatically translated into any one of dozens of languages. There’s also a feature that will turn whatever you type into audio.

After a long day, Yelp can make it easy to find a great restaurant for a relaxing meal. The reviews are also useful if you’re looking for a place to bring potential clients. Skype will keep you connected to family and friends with free video calls. To help you stick to your workout while you’re on the road, a ClassPass membership will get you into fitness studios and gyms around the world.

For help planning your business travel, contact our corporate team.