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The Best Road Trip Apps That Help You Find Cheap Gas, Avoid Traffic, and More

Download these before you hit the highway.

Elizabeth Rhodes is a special projects editor at Travel + Leisure , covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to New York City from London, where she started her career as a travel blogger and writer.

Carmen Martínez Torrón/Getty Images

Technology has revolutionized the way we travel in countless ways. Paper maps and GPS navigation systems have been replaced by Google and Apple Maps, old-school CDs by music streaming services, and guidebooks by apps that can notify road-trippers of roadside attractions in real time. One thing is certain: the smartphone has made road trips infinitely easier and, arguably, cheaper.

Whether you need a digital road trip planner to map out your next journey or something to help you avoid traffic jams, here are 11 of the best road trip apps to download ahead of your next adventure.

Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers is one of the most practical and popular road trip planning apps out there. Maybe you want to see national parks or the quirkiest roadside attractions. Perhaps you want to stop for the night at an iconic or underrated hotel. You can plan your stops right in the app, adding up to three waypoints for free or 150 with a Roadtrippers Premium account. There are also Basic and Pro memberships that allot you 20 and 50 waypoints per trip, respectively. The higher-tier memberships allow you to collaborate with friends and family and use navigation. The app features lodging, sights, outdoorsy destinations, restaurants, activities, shopping, fuel, and more all around the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The app is free, but you have to upgrade to a membership plan to enjoy all the bells and whistles. The Basic plan costs $40 a year, the Pro plan $50 a year, and the Premium $60 a year. It's available on iOS and Android .

Google Maps

Every road-tripper needs a trusty navigation app in their arsenal, and Google Maps is consistently one of the most — if not the most — downloaded in the U.S. every year. Its dominance can be attributed to how comprehensive its data is, which allows it to generate the very best directions based on distance, road conditions, and traffic patterns.

Google Maps gives you route options and provides accurate estimates of how long it takes to get from A to B. Plus, you can plot several waypoints along your route — be it a mid-morning coffee stop or a hotel for overnighting (you can see reviews right in the app).

Google Maps is free and available on iOS and Android .

Waze is another one of the top navigation apps. With real-time updates that help you avoid traffic jams, construction, and more, it will have you navigating new cities and unfamiliar streets like a seasoned local. It's perhaps a little more proactive than Google Maps in changing up a route when problems arise, and that means Waze users should prepare for their drive to be a little unpredictable.

No one wants to spend hours sitting in traffic instead of exploring, so the fact that Waze collects data from other drivers to streamline the driving experience is a huge help. The app is free and available on iOS and Android .

Paying for fuel can eat up a good chunk of your road trip budget, but GasBuddy can save you a few bucks. The app crowdsources up-to-date fuel prices for more than 150,000 gas stations around the U.S. and Canada. The app also tells you how recent the submission is so you know whether it's outdated.

GasBuddy is not just helpful for finding cheap gas but also for finding gas stations in general (and parking), which can be difficult in foreign territory. The app is free and can be downloaded on iOS and Android . While using it, be a good road-tripper and submit gas prices you see as you travel.

Roadside America

Barry Winiker/Getty Images

The offbeat and kitschy roadside attractions you can find throughout the U.S. are often some of the most delightful parts of a road trip. The Roadside America app helps you find the most unique attractions worth stopping for, like the large sculpture of a cartoon mouse holding a cheese platter in Plain, Wisconsin — where else? — or the decidedly odd larger-than-life-sized three-way electrical plug that rests on a lawn in Philadelphia. The app features museums, murals, tours, quirky restaurants, and photo ops.

Roadside America costs $3 to download, which gets you access to one region in the app. You can purchase more regions for $2 or get access to all of the U.S. and Canada for an extra $7. The app is available only on iOS .

iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Knowing where to stop for road trip snacks, a drive-through latte, or a public restroom can be challenging with all the exit signs whizzing by at 70 mph, but iExit Interstate Exit Guide takes the guesswork out of it. The app will list which exits are coming up on your route, what's there, and what they offer — including food, lodging, fuel, and even hospitals. It pulls fuel prices from OPIS (the Oil Price Information Service) and displays Yelp reviews for businesses.

The app is free to download. Find it on both iOS and Android .

HotelTonight

Even if you've planned out all your stops ahead of time, you might find that you need to pull over for a night unexpectedly. Driving is tiring, and unplanned naps can be life-saving. HotelTonight can help you find accommodations in a pinch. The app offers day-of deals on unsold rooms, and the user-friendly interface means you can book a discounted room in minutes. There are well over 1,000 properties to choose from in cities all over the world, from Mexico City to Jakarta (in case you happen to take your road-tripping global).

It's free to download and available on iOS and Android .

If staying in a tucked-away A-frame cabin, a yurt, or a private guest house in someone's garden is more your travel style than bouncing between hotels, then Airbnb is the ticket. On the Airbnb app, you can search properties (millions in the U.S. alone) on a map and read reviews before you book, which you can do in advance or at the last minute.

The app features not just vacation homes but also activities, so if you're keen to experience a city like a local you can do so via a pottery class or a guided walking tour, for example.

The Airbnb app is free. You can download it on iOS or Android .

Patchareeporn Sakoolchai/Getty Images

Travelers who dream of camping out under the stars should download The Dyrt , a free app that helps you find tent, RV, and cabin sites across the U.S. One of the top camping apps on iOS and Android , it has more than a million registered users who submit reviews, pictures, and tips. On The Dyrt, you get real intel on campsites and a built-in community that makes camping on a road trip especially fun and safe. You can even book some of the campsites right on app.

The app is free, but there's a premium version for $36 a year that allows you to plan trips and search campsites while offline — convenient for remote regions.

What is a road trip without a perfect playlist? Whether you're keen to create a soundtrack of nostalgic singalongs, modern pop songs, or music inspired by your destination, you'll find even the most obscure tunes on Spotify , a catalog of more than 100 million tracks. When you tire of Taylor Swift, you can turn to podcasts or an audiobook to keep you company. Road trips are a great opportunity to delve into a docuseries like "Serial," an all-time favorite.

Spotify is free to download and listen to, but the ad breaks are annoying and streaming can chew through your phone data. A better option is to purchase a premium membership for $11 a month. It's ad-free and you can download music to listen to offline. The Spotify app is available on iOS and Android .

Electric vehicles are increasingly commonplace and great for more environmentally friendly road-tripping. The problem is often finding charging stations, as most EVs can go 100 to 300 miles before they need to be plugged in. PlugShare lists 700,000 charging stations across North America, Europe, and beyond. Users share their reviews of the stations, helping to guide EV drivers to the best, fastest, and most reliable charging spots.

PlugShare is free and available to download on iOS and Android .

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We love road trips! Planning them can be fun but, let's be honest, also stressful. The right road trip planner apps can take some of that stress away by helping you plan, organize, and manage travel before and during your trip. We've researched and tested these apps to help give you peace of mind so that you can spend more time enjoying your trip.

The Ultimate Map App for Planning Your Route: Roadtrippers

Access to free and convenient travel guides.

Share-ability so friends can join in on the planning process and suggest places to visit.

The app can use up the battery life of your device quickly. Take a car USB charger with you.

Built for travelers, Roadtrippers helps you create your route while allowing you to discover great places as you plan it out. Add a new place to your itinerary to work it into your trip.

The app features an easy-to-use interface. In addition to covering the U.S., it also covers Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Download For:

Automate Your Trip Planning and Organization: Google Travel

Automatic trip organization via Gmail integration. 

Offline access so you can see your trip information even when you don't have an internet connection.

Limitations with customizing some day trips exactly the way you want.

You can count on Google to make your trip planning a breeze. Pre-constructed day plans are available for hundreds of the world's most popular destinations, which you can customize to your liking.

It's one of the most versatile travel planner apps out there, giving you one convenient place to see your hotel, rental car, and restaurant bookings.

Find and Book a Last-Minute Place to Stay: Hotels.com

A fast, easy-to-use booking feature.

For every 10 nights you book through Hotels.com, you get one night free, provided it's the average daily rate of those 10 nights.

No option to easily cancel if you change your mind.

Whether your road trip itinerary changed, or you haven't decided on a place to stay yet, Hotels.com can help you find a place and book it when you're on the go, even when it's super last-minute. You can sort and filter hotels, see the amenities they have to offer, compare prices, and catch a glimpse of how many rooms are available.

This is the app you'll want to have handy if you want to see in-depth hotel details at a glance and need to find a place to crash ASAP without breaking the bank.

Find Local Restaurants, Read Reviews, and Make Reservations: OpenTable

Lots of great filter options and suggestions.

Access to gorgeous, high-quality images of menu items and informative reviews from other users.

Reported problems and inconveniences with their built-in reward system.

Searching for specific restaurants is more difficult than simply looking at what's around in the area.

Deciding on a place to eat in a new area is quick and hassle-free with OpenTable. See what's nearby, filter restaurants by cuisine, see photos of what's on the menu, make reservations, and get personalized recommendations based on your preferences.

OpenTable is known to be one of the top  location-based food apps  available, so you know you can trust its information when you're dying for something to eat.

Navigate Like a Local: Waze

Hands-free navigation with voice commands.

Alerts-only mode for road hazards and police.

Share up-to-date ETA with friends.

Spotify and Apple Music widgets get in the way.

Cluttered maps can be confusing.

Higher battery usage than Google Maps.

Waze  is a community-driven travel app that shows you the shortest possible route to your destination. Like Google Maps, Waze makes real-time adjustments for traffic jams and other obstacles—but Waze is often more accurate since it caters specifically to drivers.

The app syncs with your Google Calendar and can tell you when you should leave for appointments based on traffic. There's also a cool option to record your own voice and use it for directions .

Know Exactly When and Where to Make a Pit Stop: iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Access to detailed summaries of what's at the next exit (including gas prices at nearby gas stations).

Search for the next 100 exits from your location.

The app can only be used on major U.S. exit-based highways.

No offline access, so you'll use your data plan while you're on the road.

Making a pit stop for food, gas, or a bathroom break is easy when you have the iExit app. Using your device's GPS, the app offers helpful suggestions for when and where to stop based on your location along the highway.

Whether you're looking for well-known franchises like Starbucks and Walmart to convenient amenities like free Wi-Fi and truck or trailer parking, this app has you covered.

Find the Cheapest Fuel Nearby: GasBuddy

An in-app gas payment feature.

Opportunity to save 10 cents per gallon on your first fill-up and five cents per gallon on every fill-up after.

The app can take up a lot of data and battery life as it runs in the background.

GasBuddy is an app specifically designed to find nearby gas stations and save money on gas. Use it to find the cheapest gas in your area and filter gas stations by amenities like car washes, restaurants, and bathrooms.

It's the app you want to have if you're serious about finding the cheapest gas around. Information comes from users like you, so you have the most up-to-date prices.

Download For :

Never Forget an Item: PackPoint Premium Packing List

Access to a built-in library of items to pack with the ability to add or remove items as needed. 

An elegant, intuitive app interface.

Can't input multiple destinations for a single trip.

Not a free app.

PackPoint helps you make sure you have everything you need based on where you're going and what you're doing. In addition, the app takes into consideration the length of your trip and the expected weather conditions. Perhaps best of all, this app turns a mundane chore into something that's actually quite fun.

Find Out Where to Park and How Much It Will Cost: Inrix ParkMe

ParkMe is the only app that also includes street parking and parking meter rates where available, in addition to parking lots.

Real-time updates on available parking spots.

Rates and hours may be inaccurate in some areas.

ParkMe claims to be the world's largest and most accurate parking database. It allows you to purchase your parking spot through the app and compare prices across parking providers to help you save more money.

If you're road tripping around major cities in the U.S., Canada, or Europe, this app can be a huge help. You can even compare parking options and prices so that you always get the best deal.

Automate Your Itinerary: TripIt

Automatically creates itineraries from your inbox.

Widget displays trip details on your home screen.

Annoying amount of alerts by default.

If you're planning a trip, you'll likely have a lot of confirmation emails for hotels, appointments, restaurants, and attractions. TripIt syncs with your inbox and uses that information to compile an itinerary so that you don't have to scramble for it.

The free version is fine for road trips, but if you ever fly, the premium version gives you the option to upgrade seats and track reward miles.

In addition to your phone, laptop, and tablet, other travel tech essentials include chargers, headphones, travel adapters, cameras, luggage trackers, and off-grid communications

Yes. You can use Google Maps as a trip planner through the “Places” and “My Maps” features. Both the Google Maps website and app let you save locations to lists and get directions.

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Best road trip planner apps: 5 apps to map out your adventure

How to plan your roadtrip with apps in the driver's seat

Regardless of your destination, planning your trip is an integral part of the adventure. Otherwise, you’ll spend way more than you need to and, chances are, you won’t get to see everything on your wishlist. 

We live in a golden age of technology that we often take for granted. But, in all the time we spend playing our ‘Spin Addicts’ and our ‘Cat Quests’, very rarely do we think about the utility that our smart devices can provide on the open road. 

As such, we’ve gone out of our way to do the thinking for you.

That’s right, to help you out with your next big outing we’ve assimilated five of the best road trip planner apps for your lengthy expedition below. Above all else, we imagine you’ll be enticed by the fact that they’re all free to download, even if you may or may not be tempted later on to shell out some cash for a monthly subscription fee. (You’ll know what we mean when you see it.)

1. Roadtrippers 

As its name and slogan suggests, this is the only map built for travelers. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of hyperbole, but this app will help you find virtually everything you could ever need along the way. 

Open Roadtrippers and you’ll find millions of locations, including local diners and roadside attractions that, admittedly, Google Maps is prone to miss. Then, once you’ve outlined your road trip plan, you can share it with your travel buddies so that they can make suggestions. 

Download it now on iOS | Download it now on Android

2. Waze 

Like Roadtrippers, Waze hones in on social interaction, but it does so by letting the community decide which routes are the best to take. Users can report nearby collisions, police radar and traffic jams so that you can safely avoid those routes in favor of arriving on time. What’s more, you’ll find the cheapest gas prices around, as gathered by the community. Regardless of whether you set out to save time or money, Waze is the best way to do both.

3. GasBuddy 

Unlike our previous mentions which can potentially save time or money, GasBuddy promises a specific amount of money you’ll save by using it.

Similar to Waze, GasBuddy is a community-driven platform that helps you locate the most affordable gas prices around so that you never have to pay full price for fossil fuels again. The difference is that, with this app, you can subscribe to GasBuddy Pay for additional savings of 15 cents per gallon on your first fill-up and 5 cents per gallon on every fill-up after that. 

Download it now on iOS | Download it now on Android  

4. Hotel Tonight 

We’ve all been in that position. The one where we get too tired to continue driving and we need to find a hotel quickly and cheaply, else suffer the wrath of sleepy driving with the windows rolled down and the music turned all the way up. (Pro tip: don't do that, ever. It's super dangerous.) 

But if that sounds like a horror story that you’ve experienced before, Hotel Tonight is the app for you. Specializing in last-minute hotel deals, Hotel Tonight makes it possible to book a room in three easy taps and one seamless swipe. 

5. Spotify  

Close your eyes. Now imagine you can listen to any song you want, including but not limited to “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers. Now open them. 

Though it seems jokingly obvious now, Spotify would have been a dream come true in the days when top 40 radio hits triumphed over all else. Finally, you don’t have to listen to the same handful of songs on repeat. 

Instead, you can hand-pick your own playlists, choosing between over 30 million songs in the Spotify catalog. Of course, if Spotify isn't your music scene, both Apple Music and Google's own Play Music streaming service are also good travel companions.

  TechRadar’s The Road to the Show 2018 sees our intrepid writers braving a cross-country trip across the US, using the best gadgets to bring you their daily travel blog and offering the best tips for a tech-based roadtrip. The journey is brought to you in association with ZTE and the ZTE Axon M, with car transportation provided by Genesis.  

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Best road trip planner apps

Have a blast and save on gas with our favorite road trip apps.

The weather’s getting warmer, you’ve stocked up on PTO, and your playlist of summer songs  is about at capacity which means one thing: It’s road trip season. In other words, it’s time to load up the car, grab your friends, and hit the open road.

Roadtrippers

Google trips, iheartradio, blink roadside assistance.

Whether you’re planning to camp in the woods or stay in swanky hotels, there are unique aspects to road tripping that require special planning. Unlike vacations, where you’re flying to a single destination, road trips involve preparation such as determining the best route, mapping out your stopover points, finding nearby attractions, and ensuring you’re close enough to gas and roadside services.

Fortunately, there are plenty of mobile apps to help you during the planning phase and once you’re on the road. Here are the best road trip planners, for both iOS and Android-compatible smartphones.

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Roadtrippers is perhaps the best all-around road trip app, working as a comprehensive planning assistant that offers everything from creating your route to selecting activities and finding lodging. You can book accommodations instantly via the app, which looks similar to a more full0-featured version of Google Maps . Better yet, it’s completely free for anyone to make use of.

To plan a trip, simply enter your final destination and then click on nearby cities and destinations. From here, the app lets you play around with different routes and activity options until you find your favorite. We recommend using the desktop version for the planning portion, as it’s easier to zoom in and out on a bigger map.

Once the route is locked in, you can then search for various types of accommodations including hotels, campsites, vacation rentals, RV spots, and other places to sleep for the night. Additionally, you can scroll for activities to do including Attractions and Culture, Points of Interest, Entertainment and Nightlife, Scenic Drives, and dozens of other sub-categories. Once you’re on the road, switch to the mobile version to search for food, find nearby gas, locate rest areas, find auto shops, or track down other amenities.

GasBuddy is by far the easiest and most straightforward gas-finding app available. By simply entering your current location, the app shows you up-to-date gas prices within a pre-set local radius. You can sort the resulting stations by price, distance, or price and distance together. There’s also an option to filter stations by whether or not they have certain amenities such as car washes, air pumps, propane fills, restrooms, pay-at-pump features, and 24/7 service hours.

Whether you plan to fill up with regular, mid-grade, premium, diesel, or even ethanol/E85 fuels, GasBuddy clearly lays out which station offers what grade of fuel and at what price. There’s even a map view you can use to zoom out and jump around, viewing gas stations in various parts of the state or country.

Serious savers can join GasBuddy as a member by simply linking their checking account. Once linked, the company then sends a card in the mail which can be used to receive 10 cents off per gallon for the first fill and five cents off per gallon at all future stops. If you’re going to be giving your odometer a workout this summer, GasBuddy is an excellent way to cut down on fuel costs.

Google Trips is a general vacation planner app, however, if you’re going to be hopping from one town to the next, it has plenty of useful features to make the most of each destination.

For instance, searching in the mobile-only app for “things to do” populates a list broken down into tabs such as live music, art galleries, outdoor pursuits, kids activities, and many more. The categories are all location-specific so if you’re in Portland, Oregon, for example, you’ll see options like vintage shopping, indie movies, or made in Portland, whereas if you’re in New York you’ll see tabs like Brooklyn standouts, literary NYC, or Madison Avenue chic.

The app has a similar feature for food and drink choices as well, which includes a summary of what genres of food the city or town is known for and where you can find each type of cuisine. You can save attractions you want to visit in the handy Saved Places tab and there’s a feature called Day Plans that offers suggested itineraries in one, two, and three-day formats.

If you have any reservations, you can forward the emails to your Gmail account and the app automatically syncs them into a reservations tab which allows easy access to confirmation numbers and other info. There’s also a comprehensive Getting Around section that explains what types of public transportation and ride-shares are available, should you choose to park the car for the day, as well as walking and biking paths.

When you get tired of looping through the same playlists on Spotify or Pandora , iHeartRadio offers an awesome way to integrate musical playlists with podcasts, news, and local radio stations. The app is connected to over 1,000 different stations throughout the United States which you can live stream anywhere. If you want to search by region, just enter a zip code otherwise you can surf by genre, selecting from music stations (pop, hip-hop, country, jazz, etc), comedy shows, sports stations, political talk radio, and others.

Under the podcasts tab , you can browse for new shows or save a list of your favorites. There’s an extensive selection of choices including popular series like This American Life, Fresh Air, Serial, Pod Save America, Radiolab, and others. The Playlists tab allows you to create your own playlists or surf for music based on mood, activity, decade, genre, and other categories similar to Spotify. You can also save songs and follow artists in your Library.

The basic app is free but in order to use all its features, you must choose a subscription of either $5 for iHeartRadio Plus or $10 for iHeartRadio All Access.

Blink is a wonderfully convenient app that allows you to access immediate roadside service without requiring a membership. If you run into car troubles, simply enter your location like you would with something like Uber or Lyft, and the app immediately sends someone to help you.

The tabs are broken down into Battery, Flat Tire, Tow, Lockout, and Other, where you can ask for things like fuel delivery if you run out of gas. It’s a 24/7 service with nationwide coverage offered in 99.4 percent of all US zip codes. That means you’re covered just about anywhere you go, at any time, be it day or night.

When you first request service, it doesn’t completely commit you to have to receive what you ordered. The app first shows you your options with a price quoted along with an estimated wait time. From there, you can decide if you want to proceed. If you prefer to talk to a human, there’s a telephone icon in the upper righthand corner of the app that connects you to a representative who can answer questions and book services.

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Using a bike computer is a great way to set goals and track cycling progress. However, if you've done any shopping around, you're aware of how expensive it can be. Mobile apps have even gotten so effective in recent years that we wouldn't blame you for wondering if you need a bike computer at all. Depending on your goals, it may make more sense to forgo the handlebar-mounted devices altogether and use your phone to record metrics.

Many cycling-focused apps measure data like speed, distance, and pace, and help with tasks such as route planning, goal setting, community building, coaching, or other bike-related objectives. Because there are so many available, the one you choose depends on what you want to use it for -- you may even want to use a few separate apps to accomplish different purposes. To help make the decision process easier, here are the best cycling apps for each type of function. The best metrics tracker: Strava

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There are plenty of other good choices on our list, which we chose after hundreds of hours evaluating key criteria like sound quality, portability, water and dust resistance, ruggedness, battery life, ease of use, and, of course, value. We also considered scenarios like permanent wired installations and times when a portable speaker would be preferable. Follow below to find the best outdoor speakers for any situation. Best outdoor speakers at a glance

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Remember the days of embarking on a road trip with a big fold-out map and maybe a Michelin Guide for a directory of places to stay and eat? Thanks to smartphones, road trippers today have an infinite number of resources to help plan the perfect road trip (or at least provide some guidance for those who prefer not to plan ahead). Several apps are designed specifically to assist travelers who go by car—many of them free—so you can focus on enjoying the journey without getting bogged down by the details.

Roadtrippers

One of the most essential apps for any road trip, Roadtrippers is the ultimate travel planning resource for anyone embarking on a driving vacation. It's especially useful for travelers who have a clear starting point and ending point, but aren't quite sure what routes to take, what cities to stop in, and what to see along the way. You just punch in point A and point B, and Roadtrippers will give you all of the best options for getting from one to the other along with recommendations of hotels, restaurants, bars, and can't-miss points of interest. It's completely free to download and use, although a premium version is available with even more features.

HotelTonight

Road trips mean you don't always know exactly where you'll be sleeping every night of the trip. You may have a general itinerary of where you're going and when, but spontaneous plans, last-minute changes, or car trouble can throw a wrench at that. When you suddenly need a place to crash, open up HotelTonight . This free app works best for same-day reservations by finding nearby deals for rooms that would otherwise be empty. The options range from luxury resorts to boutique bed and breakfasts, so after a long day behind the wheel, you can make a pitstop exactly where you want to.

If you want to score the best deals on your trip, Groupon is the place to see what's available at a discounted price. Groupon collects deals for all types of services and products that would be useful to road trippers, such as hotel rooms, car rentals, restaurants, excursions, oil changes, and much more. The app is totally free to use and you can organize your results based on category or the city you're traveling to. It's great not just for finding new activities you may not have known existed, but also for finding deals on something that was already a part of your plan.

Tripit is a free and easy-to-use travel planning and itinerary organizing app typically used more by frequent fliers. But road trippers can use the Tripit app or website to plan a trip complete with hotel, dining, and shopping stops. Whenever you book a hotel, dinner reservation, car rental, or some type of transit, just forward the confirmation email to Tripit and it will automatically be stored inside the app, so your entire itinerary is easily accessible in one location. Tripit even lets you share your travel agenda to social media or with other friends on Tripit. Plus, it's an easy way to go back later and remember all of the travel details of your trip.

Google Maps

A navigation app isn't a revolutionary idea for a road trip and there's a good chance you already have one downloaded on your phone. And even though Google Maps is by far the most popular one, it's worth calling out as a necessity for your journey. You can filter directions by the fastest route, traffic conditions, avoiding tolls, or intermediary stops. You can also download entire areas to be used offline, which is essential for stretches of road that are outside of coverage zones. If you want to plan out when you'll stop for food, gas, coffee, or a supermarket, Google Maps will find places along the route, each one accompanied by all of the reviews of other Google users.

A road trip across the U.S. sometimes involves countless hours of driving at night in the middle of nowhere. Or, it could mean a camping trip under the stars. Either way, you're going to need to make a night-time pit stop, so why not use the break to take in those twinkling stars? The free Star Walk app is an easy-to-use astronomy program that lets you point your phone at the sky and discover which stars, planets, and constellations are above you. Which of those dots is actually the North Star? Can I see my birth sign constellation? Is that glowing red orb Mars? With Star Walk, all of these answers and more are at your fingertips.

Roadside America

What's a road trip without stops at the quirky attractions along the way? Roadside America enhances your road trip by mapping out all of the kitsch, bizarre, and one-of-a-kind points of interest along the route. The app costs $2.99 for a designated region of the U.S. or Canada and additional regions have to be purchased within the app, but it includes full field reports of hundreds of attractions organized by city, state, province, or category so you can actually learn about what you're seeing. Don't miss out on a weird museum, famous gravesite, Muffler Man, or another peculiarity that could be just a short detour away.

If you've ever been on a road trip, you already know the story: You've been driving for hours, you're in an unfamiliar area miles away from a big city, and you suddenly realize the gas indicator is dangerously close to "E." Do you veer off to the first rest stop you see? Or wait it out and hope for something less expensive a few miles ahead? Thanks to Gas Buddy , you can make a decision without any internal dilemma. This free app searches all nearby gas stations for the best prices, so you can easily choose and not risk paying more than necessary—or worse, running out of gas in the middle of nowhere.

Some of the best road trip memories likely involve turning the music up and rocking out to your favorite music with the open road in front of you. Rather than getting stuck with what's playing on the radio, download the Spotify app to find your favorite artists or music genre and create playlists with the tap of your finger. The app is free to download and use if you don't mind the occasional ad, but you can also upgrade to a premium version for uninterrupted tunes.

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Android Auto

• Meet Android Auto.
• It's the best of your phone.
• On your car display.

Connect your phone. Now hit the road.

Connect your phone to your car display—your Android apps show up onscreen, just like that. Tap to get driving directions or talk to send a text. Even call your mom, hands-free. Android Auto is made to help you focus on the road. And have fun along the way. Just connect and go.

• Google Assistant
• Communicate

Get help from Google Assistant.

With Google Assistant on Android Auto, keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. Use your voice to get help finding routes and playing your favorite songs. You can even ask for the latest news or check the weather.

Navigation tools to find a better route.

Directions from here to wherever..

With Google Maps, Waze, or another map on your car's display, you can quickly see what's nearby and navigate there. You'll also get real-time alerts to help you avoid traffic. Even ask Google Assistant to find gas along the way, or quickly share your ETA with just a tap. Just say where to. And then go.

Call and chat features to stay connected.

Keep in touch with google assistant..

Google Assistant can read your messages out loud. And you can write back with just your voice, or select a smart reply with just one tap. From making calls to using chat apps, Android Auto makes driving less distracting.

Entertainment so you can enjoy the ride.

Say what to play next..

Take your media on the road. And control it all with your voice. Pause your road-trip playlist and pick up where you left off. Just talk to start a new audio book. Blast that one song for the hundredth time.

Connect your phone to your car for a better drive.

From highway to backroad and everything in between, Android Auto lets you do more while driving. That means a seamless connected experience. All powered by Android.

Unlock your car with your phone.

With digital car key, select phones can now unlock, lock and start compatible cars. And with Fast Pair, all it takes is one tap for your phone to pair with and remember your new car.

See more with split-screen functionality.

Get the big picture on any screen. Android Auto now scales perfectly to all displays, so whether your screen is wide or portrait, you can get more information as you drive.

Get more done with Google Assistant.

Google Assistant suggestions now remind you to return a missed call or share arrival times with a friend, and smart replies enhance your messaging experience. Reply with just a tap.

Keep up to date on the road.

With Android Auto, you can check on your personal calendar for all your events to stay up to date on your day.

How to use Android Auto.

Check your car..

Make sure your car or aftermarket stereo is compatible with Android Auto.

Check your phone.

If you have Android 9 or below, get the Android Auto app on your phone. With Android 10, Android Auto is built in—so you don’t need the app to get started.

Connect and go.

Connect your phone to your car with a USB cable and see Android Auto on your car display. Some phones and cars can connect wirelessly - check this compatible phone list , and check with your car manufacturer to see if your car has this capability.

Get more answers.

Have more questions? Get the answers you need and hit the road with Android Auto.

What are the requirements to run Android Auto on my car display?

• An Android phone running Android 8.0 and up with a data plan.
• A car or stereo that's compatible with Android Auto.
• A high-quality USB cable .
• For wireless connection: A compatible phone ( see list ) and a compatible car or a supported aftermarket car stereo from JVC, Kenwood, or Pioneer. Check with the manufacturer to see if wireless is supported.

Which apps can I use on Android Auto?

Android Auto makes it easy to access your favorite music, media, and messaging apps in the car. Check out all the Apps for Android Auto .

Is Android Auto available in my country?

Android Auto is currently available in the following countries:

• Dominican Republic
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Philippines
• Puerto Rico
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom
• United States

Which countries can I use Google Assistant for Android Auto?

Google Assistant for Android Auto is available in the following countries:

• Canada (English)
• India (English)

How do I download the Android Auto App?

Go to the Google Play Store, download the Android Auto app and run it anytime you’re on the road. Download it here . As a reminder, phones with Android 10 and above don't need the app to run Android Auto.

How do I get Android Auto to run on my car display?

For most compatible cars or aftermarket stereos, simply plug in your phone using a USB cable. If your car display supports wireless connection, you must pair your phone with your car’s bluetooth for set-up. After set-up, depending on your car, either the phone will automatically connect or the Android Auto app icon will appear on your car display.

Is my car or aftermarket stereo compatible with Android Auto?

See which models can run Android Auto. See compatible vehicles and stereos .

Which cars and phones support wireless connection with Android Auto?

An increasing number of makes and models of vehicles and phones support wireless connections to Android Auto. Availability is rapidly evolving and varies based on geography and trim level. Check here for phone compatibility , and inquire with car manufacturer to check if your car supports this capability.

How can I get more help with Android Auto?

Visit our Help Center and Community to learn more about Android Auto and get help.

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How-To Geek

The best car apps for your android device.

Use these apps for navigation, maintenance, entertainment, and more.

Android has many apps that can improve your daily commute or help prepare for a road trip. I'm not talking about Google Maps or Android Auto, either. Instead, we have a helpful collection of apps for better navigation, car maintenance tracking, ways to save on gasoline or charging, and much more.

Waze is a car app you've probably heard of before but maybe haven't tried yet. It's the best navigation app for Android that'll give you simple directions, help you avoid closures or traffic, warn you about road hazards, and even alert you about a speed trap or police ahead. Waze has saved me from countless speeding tickets and getting stuck in traffic jams. It's so good that I ditched Google Maps for Waze entirely.

Additionally, if you enjoy going off the beaten path or to remote locations, you'll also want to try the app onX Offroad .

Download: Waze (free)

Everything is more expensive these days, and that includes gasoline. If you want to take your paycheck further, the GasBuddy app uses online and crowdsourced user data to find the best gas prices . It'll show you a map of all the nearby gas stations so you can choose the retailer and price that you'd prefer. It's perfect for road trips or around town.

Better yet, GasBuddy gives you a little community to join where you can tell the app about price changes, earn rewards, and sign up for the GasBuddy card for discounts on each fill-up. You can even set what type of car you drive to find Premium or Diesel fuel, not to mention car recall alerts and more.

Download: GasBuddy (free)

A Better Routeplanner (EVs)

If you drive an electric car, there are several EV charging apps you'll want to download . And while apps like PlugShare and ChargeHub will show you nearby charging locations, the app A Better Routeplanner (ABRP) takes things up a notch. As the name suggests, it combines Google Maps, EV charging locations, and navigation info into one app.

With A Better Routeplanner, you can choose optimal or ideal routes for improved electric range, find a route to chargers along the way, and enjoy the drive instead of dealing with range anxiety.

Download: A Better Routeplanner (ABRP) (free)

Weather & Radar

I know we all have weather apps preinstalled on our phones, but having more information is always welcome when it comes to road trips. Last year, I tried an app called Weather & Radar, and it's now my go-to weather app for traveling. This goes for air travel, driving, and more.

Weather & Radar gives you up-to-date and accurate weather information, alerts, storm warnings, tracks rain and fog, and has an excellent radar view, so you can see if you're headed into a storm. It does a little of everything and even works with Android Auto. Give it a try, and you'll be glad you did.

Download: Weather & Radar (free, premium ad-free option with more features)

Maintenance is an essential part of car ownership that many people overlook or have difficulty keeping up with. If that sounds familiar, you'll absolutely love the Drivvo app. It's hands down one of the best car maintenance apps for Android. Better yet, besides helping you track or stay on top of maintenance, it's an excellent app for tracking expenses for gas, repairs, and more. You can input mileage, gas mileage, and set reminders for that pesky oil change and tire rotation.

If you want a management app for your car, truck, bus, or even an entire fleet of work trucks, consider Drivvo. A similar option with more focus on gas is available, too, called Fuelio .

Download: Drivvo (free, optional in-app purchases)

Want an easier and smarter way to find and pay for parking? The ParkMobile app will help you find parking lots, dedicated street parking, or garages with ease. Then, you can navigate to the location and park, reserve a spot ahead of time if necessary, and even pay for parking.

Once you park and pay, the app will even help track how long you're gone in case you exceed the allotted time, making it easier to extend parking and prevent getting a ticket. It's great for sporting events, concerts, or traveling out of town. It'll even show you where you parked.

For what it's worth, there are similar apps for parking (or finding your car after the big event) such as SpotHero or SpotAngels , and any of these are worth downloading on Android.

Download: ParkMobile (free, with paid parking options)

Car Insurance Apps for Android

Almost every major auto insurance company has a dedicated mobile app that you should download for a multitude of reasons. For starters, you'll always have proof of insurance, as that's a key feature for most car insurance apps. You can also make policy changes, pay your bill, get roadside assistance, or easily submit a claim if an unfortunate accident happens.

For example, the State Farm app gives accident safety tips, tells you not to admit fault (of course it does), and says to quickly take photos of the scene, situation, and vehicle damage. From there, you can contact a rep, file a claim, check the claim status, and more. I know we all have a paper insurance card in the glove box, but in these modern times, you'll want to download your car insurance company's app and be ready for anything.

Download: State Farm , AAA , Allstate , GEICO , Progressive (free, dependent on your insurance)

CARFAX Car Care

Speaking of accidents and insurance, another Android car app you'll want to consider is CARFAX Car Care. It's a car management app similar to Drivvo, only from a name many already know and trust. Instead of simply tracking maintenance and such, it'll let you know about any repairs before ownership or during, track progress, alert you about recalls or yearly registration renewal, and more.

The CARFAX Car Care app is also an easy way to check your vehicle's value and maintenance records before selling it, find reputable repair shops nearby, and track general maintenance and car care.

Download: CARFAX Car Care (free)

There's nothing better than jamming out to some tunes while cruising down the highway on a vacation road trip. I'm pretty sure most of you already have a music app or two, but if it's not installed on Android Auto, it should be. By downloading Spotify, YouTube Music, Tidal, or other music apps to Android Auto, you'll get a far better in-car experience.

Not only will you be able to easily see and control music from the infotainment center or steering wheel, but it'll help keep your eyes on the road instead of looking down at your phone. Spotify also has a growing selection of podcasts, free audiobooks , family plans, and more to get you the most value.

Download: Spotify (free, or $10.99 per month)

If you're mechanically inclined or enjoy doing things yourself, Torque Pro is an excellent Android app that every car owner needs to have. You'll need an OBD (on-board diagnostics) dongle, which makes any car smarter by accessing the OBD-2 port of the vehicle.

Once you connect the OBD-2 dongle over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, Torque Pro can communicate with your vehicle to scan for codes and issues and even tell you why you have a check engine light. You can read all sorts of data, get real-time stats from the gauges, check emissions, clear codes, and read any other sensors and systems inside a vehicle. I've used this app for more than five years and absolutely love it.

Download: Torque Pro (free, or $4.95)

Pocket Casts

These days, everyone seems to love listening to podcasts or tuning into the latest true-crime series. If that's you, you'll want a podcast app that pairs with your vehicle or works with Android Auto. Pocket Casts is one of the most popular apps because it has a slew of options, features, and endless content, so you can forget that you're on a long road trip.

The hand-curated podcast lists, recommendations, and discovery feeds make it an excellent choice. Additionally, check out an app called Libby (previously known as OverDrive), which has millions of free audiobooks from your local library to enjoy on your travels.

Download: Pocket Casts (free, in-app purchases, or $39.99 yearly plan)

Car Manufacturer Apps

Last but certainly not least, you'll want to take advantage of the powerful car apps that act as a companion for your new vehicle. Most manufacturers now offer their own car apps that are extremely useful.

Automobiles are smarter than ever, and if you have a relatively modern vehicle, the manufacturer's car app will let you remote start the engine, unlock doors from almost any distance, remote climate control, access diagnostics, accept and install over-the-air (OTA) software updates, schedule service or maintenance appointments, get notified about recalls, etc.

Download: myChevrolet , FordPass , OnStar Guardian , Kia Access , MyHyundai , Toyota (free; some features require yearly subscriptions)

As a reminder, practice the "safety first" rule. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. You can use these apps safely when you're parked or riding as a passenger. Alternatively, add them to Android Auto so you can access them from the driver's seat.

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10 best car apps for Android for drivers and owners

Published on April 3, 2024

Transport is a critical necessity nowadays. People who own vehicles—drivers, mechanics, and motorists—must know their car’s condition, ensure the fuel tank is complete, and learn many other maintenance stuff. However, with a busy life and a demanding schedule, sometimes these details are overlooked, and people often find themselves in difficult situations. But don’t worry; we’ve got you. Look at some of the best car apps for drivers and owners.

The best car apps for Android

Android auto.

• Car Maintenace by myCARFAX
• Drivvo or Fuelio
• Gas station reward apps
• Car part store apps
• Car manufacturer mobile apps

Price: Free

Android Auto is easily one of the best car apps around. It gives drivers quick access to Google Maps, messaging apps, music apps, and other utilities. It works two ways. The app can open on your device and work from a mount on your dashboard. Most modern cars have it built in, and you connect your device to the car to put it on its touch screen. In either case, it’s completely free and usually better than what car manufacturers offer. The only downside is that Android Auto isn’t available on older vehicles. You can also check out the best music players for Android Auto here .

CARFAX Car Care App

The CARFAX Car Care App is a car management app. That means you can keep an eye on a bunch of things. You can see all of your maintenance and repairs from the app. Additionally, the app alerts you when it’s time for additional maintenance or even to renew your registration. There is a mechanic search. It’s one of the best car apps for keeping everything organized.

Drivvo and Fuelio

Price for Drivvo: Free /In-app purchases ($2.00 – $400.00 per item)

Price for Fuelio: Free /In-app purchases ($1.69 – $9.99 per item)

Drivvo is one of the most potent car apps. You can keep track of basically everything. That includes repairs, maintenance, expenditures, miles driven, gas mileage, and more. It’s perfect for those who drive for a living. You can use this app to keep track of your expenses for tax season. It also has maintenance records with reminders when more maintenance is necessary. Fuelio is a very similar app and arguably Drivvo’s biggest rival in this space. They both do more or less the same thing in different ways. You can go with whatever one you feel is best for your needs.

GasBuddy is a money-saving app for motorists. It crowdsources gas prices in your area. You can then choose the gas station with the cheapest gas. It works best on road trips. However, it’s just as good if you’re cruising around your hometown. You can also contribute by changing prices as you become aware of them. Those who help contribute can win $100 in free gas. Crowdsourcing helps keep gas prices as up-to-date as possible, and it’s a fun little community to be a part of. The app is known for borrowing user location data. You may want to skip this one if that bothers you, or if you run a newer version of Android , set the location permission only to be active while you’re using the app.

Price: Free /In-app purchases ($2.99 – $49.99 per item)

SpotAngels is a bit of a wild card. It’s one of the newer car apps. However, it has a ton of potential. Its primary function is to help you avoid parking tickets. Currently, there are 20 supported cities where that works. It can also keep track of where you park. That way, you don’t get lost trying to find your car. That functionality is available to everybody, whether in a supported city or not. People can also send information and images of safe places to park anywhere. Over time, this could be a great app to help avoid parking tickets.

Price: $4.95

Torque Pro is an app for troubleshooting. It pairs with various OBD-2 devices via Bluetooth. It can then read the codes and let you know what your check engine light is. It’s one of the better car apps for mechanics and those who can do their car work. It can also keep track of a variety of statistics about your car. That includes a GPS speedometer, alarms, warnings, CO2 emissions, etc. There is a free version you can try first.

YouTube is a fantastic resource for car fans. There are a ton of mechanics, fans, and other car people on there. They make tons of videos about changing your oil, fixing brakes, and even cosmetic stuff like the proper method to wax your car. You can also find videos about fun cars, new cars, old cars, and highlights from various races. Of course, most people know that already. This one isn’t a fascinating pick. It’s still among the best car apps, though.

Gas station rewards apps

Most large chain gas stations have rewards programs. You use your card when you buy gas and other items. The rewards points stack up, and you use them to get gift cards, free stuff, and discounts on gas. Several grocery stores and gas station chains offer similar rewards. These may take a while to be effective. However, getting things like free gas and other things is possible over time. They’re car apps worth having. Everyone should have at least one of these apps. Some popular brands include Giant Eagle, Speedway, Kroger, and Circle K.

Car part mobile apps

There are tons of stores that sell car parts. AutoZone, Advanced Auto Parts, and NAPA are just a few. Most major car parts chains have dedicated apps. You can use them to order parts, buy things, and check inventory. In addition, online stores like eBay and Amazon (to a lesser extent) can be excellent sources for aftermarket parts and parts that are hard to find. We won’t recommend any one store because they all perform about as well. However, these are car apps that many should have.

Car manufacturer car apps

Many manufacturers have car apps now. They provide a variety of functions as well. Some features include remote starting your car, unlocking or locking the doors, OnStar access, diagnostics, and some bonus stuff. It would help if you usually had the right trim levels and newer cars to make these work, but they can be pretty handy. The range of features is reasonably extensive but varies dramatically between manufacturers.

Most of them are good enough, but they could all use stability improvements. Still, you own the car; you might as well look. Some manufacturers that lean heavily on their mobile app experience include Ford (linked), Hyundai, KIA, and Chevy, but most have official apps that do at least something. Some of those services have a yearly subscription, so be sure to ask your dealership for details.

If we missed any great car apps for Android, tell us about them in the comments. 

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The best trip planner apps to make your travels easier

Booking a trip can be an exciting yet daunting task. As if booking airfare, hotel, and transportation weren't enough, you also need to consider food, sights, and attractions. As a travel lover myself, I often dread planning and preparing for a trip. Not only do I never have the time, but I often get oversaturated by the vast amount of information found online and the fear of getting scammed. 

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Over the years, I've found the best websites and apps to help smooth out the planning process. These apps help me keep track of all my reservations, send me booking reminders, and guarantee I always find the best prices -- because there is nothing worse than falling for tourist traps or overpriced offerings. 

Whether you are a spontaneous or a nitty-gritty planner traveler, ZDNET has tested and reviewed the best trip planner apps on the market. Our top pick for the best trip planner site and app is Booking.com due to its easy-to-use user interface, extensive booking capabilities, and pricing. However, since not every trip or traveler is the same, we've included several options to help you plan and stay organized during your travels. 

Keep reading to learn more about ZDNET's expert-tested and reviewed trip planner apps. 

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The best trip planner apps of 2023

Booking.com, best overall trip planner.

• Multiple bookings
• Great deals
• Can earn points from bookings and reservations
• Easy to use
• No group planning
• Can't organize bookings per trip

Booking.com features:   Platform: App and website |  Compatibility:  iOS and Android |  Pricing:  Free |  Booking:  Yes |  Group planning:  No

When planning my trips, I always make a stop at the Booking.com app, especially when reserving hotels. I find their user interface visually appealing and easy to use, and that it provides just the right amount of information I need when scrolling through hotel suggestions. Personally, I enjoy that I can add my top picks to my favorites with a quick tap of a heart, glance through reviews, look at cancellation policies, and even find out how far away hotels are from key spots. Through Booking.com, you can also book flights, car rentals, taxis, and city attractions, making it a great all-in-one place to plan and book upcoming weekend getaways or longer vacations. While I have personally never used the car rentals, taxis, or city attractions components of the app, I enjoy knowing that if I ever needed to, I can quickly hop on my phone and glance at the latest offerings. 

My favorite feature when using Booking.com to plan trips is the offers and promotions it displays for users. In the app, when you click your profile, you can see your "Genius" loyalty program status as well as discover the best deals around the world for your specific chosen dates. My only critique of Booking.com is that it does not enable group trip planning or let you organize your bookings per trip. This means if you are planning a trip with a friend, only one person can book and have access to reservations. 

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Best trip planner for organization

• Synced with e-mail inbox
• Organizes reservations no matter where you book
• Works offline
• Can't make any bookings
• Need to pay for advanced features
• UI could use an upgrade

TripIt features:   Platform:  App and website |  Compatibility: iOS and Android | Pricing: Free or $49 per year | Booking: No | Group planning: Yes

In terms of planning a trip, creating an itinerary, and keeping all your information in one place, TripIt is one of the best travel apps to keep yourself organized. When you first create an account, TripIt will sync with your inbox and automatically add all of your upcoming flights and reservations to your account. You can then modify each trip to include as little or as much information as you'd like. As someone who likes to be spontaneous when traveling, I usually only add the essentials: flight information, hotel reservations, and important documents. However, if you like to plan your trips down by the hour, you can also include activities, restaurant reservations, transportation, and more in your trip plan to share with fellow travelers.

As your trip approaches, TripIt will also send you packing reminders, give you COVID-19 travel guidance, and show transportation options. While you can get most of the essential features within the free version of the app (this is the one I use), you can also pay $49 a year to get advanced features such as check-in reminders, real-time flight alerts, point tracking, and even notifications for drops in airfare prices. 

Keep in mind that while TripIt gives you transportation options and finds places near your hotel, you cannot book or make any reservations directly from the app. The app is solely used to organize and keep track of all of your travel plans in one place, no matter where you book them. 

Best AI trip planner

• Personalized travel itinerary
• Hotel booking
• Can modify recommendations
• Group planning enabled
• Only available as a website
• No flight or restaurant booking

Guide features:   Platform: Website  Compatibility: all major browsers |  Pricing:  Free | Booking: Yes, but hotels only | Group Planning: Yes  Generative AI is everyone's favorite buzzword this year, and slowly but surely, it has been making its way across all industries -- including the travel industry. Guide is an innovative AI travel planning tool that creates personalized travel itineraries based on your preferences. (Full disclosure, it's also owned by ZDNET's sister company. It's currently in private beta, but you can join a wait list.) All you need to do is select your destination, the dates, whether you are traveling alone or in a group, your budget, and the types of activities you are looking for, and Guide will do the planning. 

After generating a trip itinerary for you based on your prompt, Guide then lets you modify and customize the itinerary to your liking. I recently used Guide to plan a six-day trip to Austin, Texas, and this was the feature I enjoyed the most, since I had specific restaurants and activities I wanted to incorporate into my trip, but I also needed some additional recommendations. While you can't book flights or restaurant reservations through Guide, you can book and find great hotel deals powered by Expedia on the platform. 

Guide will also give you an overall budget for your trip, a packing list, and a comprehensive list of things to know about your destination -- which may be helpful for some more than others. While my trip to Austin was a solo trip, Guide has a feature where you can invite other fellow travelers to collaborate in planning your trip through Guide's chatbot, GuideBot. This chatbot also works sort of like ChatGPT, where you can ask GuideBot questions about your trip, your destination, or recommendations. Keep in mind you can not ask GuideBot to directly modify your trip for you, and instead need to manually do it yourself -- believe me, I tried. 

Tripadvisor

Best trip planner app for reviews.

• Countless reviews
• Used by travelers worldwide
• Variety of information
• Booking capabilities
• Great for local spots
• Booking is not its strongest feature and you may not always find the best deals
• Doesn't vet reviews

Tripadvisor  features: Platform:  App and website |  Compatibility:  iOS and Android |  Pricing:  Free |  Booking:  Yes |  Group planning:  No

Reading customer reviews is one of the most important steps when planning a trip. While you shouldn't base all of your decisions on reviews, you should consider past customer experiences to get a feel for the brand and company you are about to trust, or the experience you are going to pay for.  When it comes to travel reviews, Tripadvisor is the best trip planner app to rely on. Since the platform has so many reviews for restaurants, activities, accommodations, and locations all over the world, it is always easy and convenient to log onto the app or website to help you make an educated decision. (However, remember that not all Tripadvisor reviews are legit, since the platform does not independently verify customer postings.) Beyond reviews, TripAdvisor also lets you book hotels, restaurants, things to do, and more while also providing detailed insights into their offerings -- including cancellation policies, ratings, and features. 

Tripadvisor's "Travelers' Choice" best-of list is also a popular part of its platform, allowing visitors to see top-rated destinations, hotels, restaurants, and things to do around the world. With Tripadvisor, you can plan a trip yourself from scratch, hire a trip designer, or get a custom itinerary built by AI. 

Best trip planner app for transportation

• Great multi-mode travel comparison
• convenient and seamless transportation booking
• Multiple currency and language availability
• Flight deals and suggestions are not the strongest
• Limited offers depending on the country or city of travel
• Not the most reliable customer service

Omio features:  Platform:  App and website |  Compatibility:  iOS and Android |  Pricing:  Free |  Booking:  Yes, transportation only |  Group planning:  No

I first discovered Omio when a friend recommended it to me while I was studying abroad in Spain, and ever since I downloaded it, it has become my go-to app for booking the best deals and fares on transportation within Europe. The concept behind Omio is simple: You plug in your departure and arrival location, including the number of people you are traveling with, and add whether you are looking for a one-way or round-trip journey. Omio will then show you the best deals by train, bus, or plane to and from your desired destination, including how much time each option will take you and the number of stops. 

The German-based travel booking site is great at aggregating travel information from multiple sites, allowing you to view all of your transportation options in one place. This is incredibly beneficial when planning trips within Europe since there are several ways you can cross each border and often various languages and regulations to keep in mind. Omio is set in English but has multiple additional languages available, as well as currency options. During my time abroad, I solely used Omio to book all of my transportation, including planning a 17-day trip across seven different European countries. Overall, using Omio was not only convenient and seamless but also helped me save hundreds of dollars by helping me maximize my travel time by switching between flights, trains, and buses. 

However, since returning from Europe, I have not used Omio as much as I thought I would -- maybe because I have a car and take most of my trips by plane. And Omio's flight deals and suggestions are not the strongest compared to Booking.com or Skyscanner's, which heavily focus on flight deals. I have also found they have some limitations depending on the country or city you are traveling in. Be mindful of the deals and tickets you buy through Omio since some tickets are non-refundable, and some customers complain their customer service is not the best -- although I have yet to have any issues with them. 

What is the best trip planner app?

Booking.com gets our vote for the best trip planner app due to its wide selection of accommodations, its points and promotions offerings, and its easy-to-use user interface. Not only does Booking.com help you find the best deals throughout your trip, but it will also help you stay organized throughout your trip by keeping all of your reservations in one place. To determine which trip planner app or combination of trip planners is best for you, check out this comparison chart below. 

Which is the right trip planner app for you?

The best trip planner app ultimately depends on your travel and planning style. If you like booking and planning everything in one place while also earning points and getting great deals, then Booking.com is your top app. However, if you are looking for a place to keep all of your accommodations, reservations, and activity details organized, then TripIt is a better app for you. Check out the following chart to help you find the best trip planner app or a combination of apps for you to plan your next adventure. 

How did we choose these trip planner apps?

To find the best trip planner apps, we drew upon real-life experiences and tested their performance and capabilities during our latest trips. Ultimately, we weighted the following factors when choosing which trip planners to include on our list: 

• Features: Each app can vary significantly with the features it offers, whether it is solely to book flights and hotels, help you plan your next trip using AI, or help you find the best deals and booking information, each app on this list can help you address several common inconveniences that present themselves while planning that next adventure.  
• Compatibility: An app is of little use if it does not work with your devices, so we look to see what compatibility each trip-planning app offers and which platforms you can access it from. Personally, I enjoy apps that combine an app and website component since this quickly helps me switch between my wide computer screen and my tiny yet portable iPhone screen. 
• Customer reviews: We study real customer reviews and ratings to evaluate customer satisfaction and service. This is incredibly important since most times when you travel, you visit an unknown city or country, and you should be mindful of past experiences others have had. 
• Cost : Most trip planner apps are free, but you may have to upgrade to receive special access to exclusive features or deals. If your app is already free, it means you only have to pay a small amount (often unnoticeable) when you book your accommodations. 

What is a trip planner app?

A trip planner app is an app that provides organizational features for your upcoming trip. It is often free and incorporates trip planning tools, whether you are traveling by ground, water or air.   

How does a trip planner app work?

A trip planner app can incorporate special features, like an itinerary, calendar, reservation and booking hub, and map assistance. Depending on the app you choose, there is even trip-sharing with friends and family to simplify the entire trip planning process.  

How much does a trip planner app cost?

Most trip planner apps are free, but some may offer in-app purchases to upgrade or enhance your experience. Within this list, only Tripit costs money, but only for their advanced features version, which costs $49 a year. However, you can get access to most if not all, trip-planning features, through their free version. 

Are there alternative trip planner apps worth considering?

As I mentioned earlier, trip planning heavily depends on your personal style of travel and preferences. However, whether you like to plan your trips down by the minute or prefer to just have the basics, there are several apps that can optimize your planning. Here are a few apps worth considering that almost made it onto our list: 

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Best Android Auto apps 2024

These are the apps you'll want to ride with.

Driving with your phone in hand is dangerous, which is why platforms like Android Auto are designed to be safe and accessible. It's important to know which apps work with it in order to keep ears open and eyes on the road without unnecessary technical distractions. The overall number continues to grow but these are the best apps to help you enjoy every ride in the driver's seat.

Google Maps

While Waze is an option, Google Maps is arguably the most widely used app in Android Auto. It handles turn-by-turn directions well when getting to a destination, but is also equally great at routing requests by voice via Google Assistant. You can also search and set up your route on your phone in advance before connecting in the car, where Android Auto then takes over.

Download from:  Google Play Store

Spotify has a massive library of songs, and is available to use free (with ads and restrictions) or as a Premium subscriber for unfettered access and offline playback. It works really well with Google Assistant, right down to the track or playlist you want, and offers a user-friendly interface to boot. It will also seamlessly pick up where you left off listening to when connecting to your car.

It's a little easier to keep up with any active chat on WhatsApp when speech-to-text actually works, which it does. You can respond to incoming messages and send them out as well. Group chats might be a little harder to initiate with a message, but at least you can respond when someone else chimes in. Use it to make calls to other users, which is great if you want to avoid long distance charges.

Where Google Maps can be good for longer trips, Waze excels at avoiding the worst of traffic and gridlock. The crowdsourced system essentially lets drivers help each other by reporting hazards or problems that pop up on the map. The map is also dynamic, allowing it to reroute you to get around with fewer obstacles. Plus, it also works with Google Assistant when you request a destination.

Pandora has been around for a long while now, and its original claim to fame remains its bread and butter. Personalized music radio means you can play music based on your tastes, making the app equally useful as a song and artist discovery tool. You could go the on-demand route if you become a paid subscriber, letting you stream tunes the same way you would with competing services.

You don't have to lose the chance to catch up with a good book when on the road. Audible has plenty of audiobooks available to listen to, giving you something to do that doesn't involve music or radio. Choose from any of the titles in your library, or buy new ones directly from the store. Once you've fired one up, switch playback speed or go straight to the chapter you want.

Pocket Casts

Who doesn't want to drive and take in a favorite podcast? Well, Pocket Casts has a whole trove of them ready to listen to an discover even before you get in the car. Set up a queue of episodes you want to get through before a long commute and they will play in sequence once you hit the road. Controls are simple and navigation isn't complicated, making this easy to appreciate.

If you're a self-respecting audiophile driving around with a nice car audio system, Tidal's lossless HiFi subscription service might be the option for you. Streaming it will take up considerably more cellular data, so you may want to offload some of your favorites to the phone, but the sonic boost should be evident with good speakers. The library is large, and you can try it for 30 days.

YouTube Music

If you want to tap into the vast reservoir of music YouTube has to offer, a Music subscription gives it all to you in the car, too. That means you can listen to millions of standard tracks, as well as all the live performances and remixes the platform has been home to for years. Create playlists that mix things up, or listen to a long DJ set on a road trip.

SMS messaging isn't for everyone, but cross-platform communication still needs it, and this is one of the best on Android Auto. That's on top of how it already works on various platforms, like iOS, MacOS, Windows, Wear OS, Android TV, Linux and more. Receiving and sending messages is straightforward, even by voice, letting you keep in touch with ease.

Still have a library of songs you downloaded years ago on a computer or hard drive? You can save some on your phone and listen to them through Plex, or set up a media server on your computer to stream from the entire library, no matter where you're driving. Plex also offers baked-in access to Tidal's library through a subscription, as well as a long list of free podcasts.

TuneIn is Internet radio covering the furthest reaches of the globe. If there's a radio station somewhere, you can probably find it here within the 100,000 available, letting you listen to a station in another city or country while cruising or commuting. Doing that won't cost a dime, whereas live sports, ad-free listening and commercial-free music stations will cost you.

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Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Android Auto has expanded a lot in the last few years with more apps supporting the platform . Not to mention dongles and adapters to help you go wireless with it. Google Maps stands out for how useful it is to use, no matter where you're driving. Waze is great, too, giving you some excellent redundancy when it comes to mapping.

 The same goes for music, where the options are so varied, the whole collection above could be made up of music apps. Spotify is great for both its library and excellent integration with Google Assistant. Do a search for Android Auto music apps, be it streaming or playing local files, and you will see several to browse through.

The same goes for messaging, podcasts and radio — the things you would want to do most in the car. No matter what collection of apps you go with, the odds are good you'll find something that works for you.

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Ted Kritsonis loves taking photos when the opportunity arises, be it on a camera or smartphone. Beyond sports and world history, you can find him tinkering with gadgets or enjoying a cigar. Often times, that will be with a pair of headphones or earbuds playing tunes. When he's not testing something, he's working on the next episode of his podcast, Tednologic.

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What is android auto.

Hey Google, how's the traffic to work?

Juggling tasks while driving is risky, but it's a common habit. Whether you're checking directions on Google Maps, playing your downloaded songs from Spotify , or sending a quick text, your eyes must remain on the road despite these distractions. The infotainment systems in modern cars, with their buggy and frustrating OSes, make this a tall order. This is where Android Auto steps in, offering features of the best Android phones while helping drivers focus on what matters most. Here's how it works.

What is Android Auto, and how does it work?

Android Auto transforms your car's dashboard into a smart mobile command center. Plug your Android smartphone into your car using a USB cable or connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi or mobile data, and your car's dashboard mirrors the familiar Android interface. You can then enjoy apps like Waze, WhatsApp, and Audible on a clutter-free, driver-focused interface.

Check out Google's list of compatible apps if you're curious if your favorite app works with Android Auto.

Android Auto brings Google Assistant to your dashboard for easy hands-free access. It also sits atop your car's infotainment setup, letting you switch between Android Auto and your vehicle's features.

15 best Android Auto apps in 2024

How can android auto use google assistant.

Google Assistant seamlessly integrates into Android Auto. Simple voice commands like "Hey Google" or tapping the microphone icon activate the assistant. This feature lets you easily set reminders, make calls, and navigate routes hands-free.

To get started, ask for directions to the nearest gas station or parking spot. Although it can't tackle vehicle-specific functions, like adjusting the seats, it handles tasks like playing music. It also controls smart home devices with an active data connection.

Best Google Assistant-compatible smart home devices in 2024

How to find out if your phone works with android auto.

If you prefer a wired connection, connect Android Auto to your car display using a high-quality USB cable if your Android phone runs version 8.0 or higher.

For a wireless connection, your device should support 5GHz Wi-Fi and run on Android 11.0 or higher. Google and Samsung smartphones using Android 10.0 meet this requirement. Google also says that Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+, and Note 8 with Android 9.0 are compatible.

If your phone runs Android 9.0 or below, download the Android Auto app. It's built into phones with Android 10 and above. Find out what software your phone runs by going to Settings > About > Android Version . Also, check Settings > System > System Update and see if a newer software version is available.

How to find out if your car works with Android Auto

It's rare to find a carmaker that doesn't include Android Auto in its latest models. The odds are in your favor, with more than 500 vehicles supporting Android Auto. Use our latest guide to check if your new car supports this feature.

Google provides a list of countries that support Android Auto, along with compatible vehicles and stereos if you have aftermarket upgrades.

How to set up Android Auto in your vehicle with a USB cable

Connecting your phone to your car with a USB cable is all it takes to use Android Auto. Your phone must have the Android Auto software installed, and your car must support the app. Here's how to do it:

• Make sure your phone and car meet the requirements.
• Turn on your mobile data.
• Put your car in park (P) and turn on the infotainment system.
• Connect a USB cable to your car's USB port and the other end to your Android phone.
• Select the Android Auto symbol on your car's display if Android Auto doesn't start automatically.

How to set up wireless Android Auto in your vehicle

Android Auto offers a wireless option for a cleaner setup without wires. Here's how to set it up:

• Ensure your phone and car meet the requirements.
• Park your car (P) and turn on the infotainment system.
• Navigate to your vehicle's infotainment settings and find the Bluetooth menu.
• Open the Settings on your smartphone and select Bluetooth .
• Go to Add another device and search for your car to begin pairing. You may need to confirm a PIN.
• Look for a Welcome to Android Auto screen on your smartphone. Check your car's display for confirmation prompts if it doesn't appear.

Does Android Auto take control of your car?

Android Auto does not allow control of built-in car systems, such as cruise control or air conditioning. However, it interacts minimally with the vehicle, such as muting music streams when a warning or alert sounds.

Google Maps for Android Auto will collect battery data from electric cars in future updates, as Google announced during CES 2024 . With this feature, the app tracks and displays real-time battery information and adjusts your driving route autonomously according to the car's battery needs.

Smarter and uniform dashboard across different cars

Android Auto's standardized dashboard adapts to your smartphone settings, making the experience of switching cars smoother. While there are still areas for improvement , Google is refining and enhancing Android Auto. If you use an iPhone and are considering moving from Apple CarPlay, check out our Android Auto and CarPlay comparison .

Turo — Car rental marketplace 4+

Travel in the perfect car.

• #14 in Travel
• 4.8 • 238.4K Ratings

Screenshots

Description.

Turo is the world’s largest peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace where you can book any car you want, from a vibrant community of local hosts across the US, UK, Canada, France, and Australia. Whether you're flying in from afar or looking for a car down the street, searching for a rugged truck or something smooth and swanky, guests can take the wheel of the perfect car for any occasion, while hosts can take the wheel of their futures by building an accessible, flexible, and scalable car sharing business from the ground up. Whether it’s a truck to help on moving day, a swanky exotic for a luxurious weekend away, or a classic cruiser for a picture-perfect road trip, with thousands of vehicles listed worldwide, Turo lets you find the perfect vehicle for your next adventure. Upgrade your travel plans • Choose from a totally unique selection of cars and drive the perfect one for your trip • Book cars directly from local hosts • Safely access cars through a variety of contactless check-in options • Get the car delivered, and book trips on the go with a quick tap Start your own car sharing business • Share your car and build a car sharing business with Turo • Start with a car you already own or buy one to share — any car owner can start exercising their entrepreneurial muscles • Choose how many cars to share, scale your business up or down however you want, and decide how to reinvest your earnings • Whether you want to commit a lot of time or a little, you can earn at home or on the go, on your schedule, and divest any time • Rest easy with liability insurance from Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company backing each trip Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

Version 24.18.0

Updates and fixes to make booking trips and managing listings on Turo easier.

Ratings and Reviews

238.4K Ratings

Love this app!

I used Turo for the first time on a recent trip to Kauai (Sept 2021). I couldn’t find a single rental car on the island a few months before our trip and asked friends for advice and one told me there was an app for cars similar to vrbo for houses. I set up my profile and found a car I liked, and then everything went very smoothly on our trip. I now would likely prefer this to a traditional car rental service, or at least will always compare prices and availability in locations with both rentals and Turo. I wish I’d thought of this! The only improvement I can think of is pick up and drop off. We paid extra to have the car brought to our hotel versus picking it up at the airport. We didn’t need it for our entire trip and it was a few hundred dollars a day, so thought we’d save some money. If the “host” lives closer to your drop-off location than the airport, not sure why it needs to cost more. Would seem better for them as well. So seems like there could be up front discussion of location and then fees set only if the requested unique drop-off is less convenient for the host. Also, our host seemed to not be clear that we’d also paid for pick-up at the hotel (although very clear to me in the booking details) and it created a lot of back and forth messages on date of pick up. App needs to make sure host is clear on locations to avoid hassle for the guest when trying to enjoy vacation.

The Way it Should Be Done

I’m not sure why renting a car before the Turo app was seemingly in the dark ages, but today renting a car through their platform shows that it should have been down this way from the start. You choose the exact car you want, not from a fleet of “Ford Explorer or comparable”. It’s way cheaper than the big guys, by a lot, and this is still including the highest Turo insurance that you can get which covers everything. Many times you can get unlimited miles if you have a lengthy trip. Hosts at this point have many trips under their belts and have reliable reviews that you can trust. Very importantly, the host knows the car and will demo everything in detail instead of just handing over the keys and sending you on your way. Also, while you can get the car delivered, I have not been inconvenienced by a short Uber trip to pick the car up, being that there are now endless hosts using the platform which means a car is never more than a 10 minute drive away. My personal car Is about a decade old and I’d rather not put the wear and tear on it, but I also don’t want a new car payment. My company pays me pretty well per mile when I travel, so using Turo once a month for my longer trips definitely pays off and I don’t mind spending the money being that it really is so affordable compared to chain rental companies. All in all, Turo has really changed the game and you should give it a try!

Great Customer Service

Due to unforeseen circumstances resulting from life & the pandemic, I needed transportation for work. Turo Agents & Hosts have consistently taken care of my car rental needs. I’ve been a Turo renter on and off since 2017; moreso now since 2021 as I needed the vehicle to commute from Houston to Dallas for work and due to my responsibilities as a Praise & Worship leader at LOV Nation Church. I am pleased with the service and have been made to feel safe in every vehicle I rent. It is clear that Turo cares about the customer’s health & safety as they appear to have made it apart of their guideline for hosts to follow COVID cleaning procedures in order to list any vehicle. I am also pleased with how Turo does everything in their power to resolve issues if they may arise. I highly recommend using Turo. Their rates are competitive, and, thought they shift according to the market like everywhere else, have been at least 30% cheaper than using Hertz or Enterprise Rent-a-car. Of course, you may have your mileage trade offs since not every Host on Turo offers unlimited miles. Just be calculated on those types of rental parameters to ensure that rental best fits your need or adjust your life according for the duration of your trip. I enjoy this service. Thank You Turo and to every person who has graciously hosted me. I look forward to enjoying renting more vehicles as time goes on for leisure & business! I highly recommend using Turo!

App Privacy

The developer, Turo Inc. , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

• Contact Info

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• User Content
• Search History
• Identifiers
• Diagnostics

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Financial Info

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, French

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Delta
• Racial and Ethnic Diversity
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• People with Disabilities
• Veterans and the Military
• Sustainability
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• Global Partners

Delta’s award-winning Fly Delta App is getting a major upgrade just in time for summer travel. Introducing Fly Delta 6.0, the most comprehensive update to the app since 2019—packed with improvements that help customers save time, explore new destinations and manage their travel even when the unexpected happens. 

Available today†, the latest update to the app includes a slate of new and updated features, functionality and experiences that reimagine how customers can engage with Delta. This includes an all-new Help Center view, always-available access to boarding information and connectivity to our Virtual Assistant. And quickly following in early summer, customers will also soon be able to utilize their Delta SkyMiles credentials from their Fly Delta App to seamlessly connect to Delta Sync Wi-Fi onboard. 

“The Fly Delta app connects customers to the full Delta experience, from inspiring travel and navigating a trip to seamlessly accessing exclusive partner experiences and content,” said Eric Phillips, S.V.P. and Chief Digital Officer. “This 6.0 update brings the Delta difference to customers no matter where they are on their journey.” 

From home to destination, on average 85% of Delta SkyMiles Members rely on the industry-leading Fly Delta app when traveling. With more than one billion unique app engagements in 2023, the updates coming to Fly Delta have an opportunity to create more meaningful, connected and elevated moments as customers embark on summer travel plans.  

Read on for more information on the highlights customers can expect in the weeks and months ahead. 

Plan your next trip with Explore 

Use the all-new Explore page in the app to gain inspiration, plan and book your next trip on Delta with ease. The highly personalized experience is connected with Delta’s integrated digital ecosystem, remembering your recent experiences and highlighting places to explore next.   

Everything where it should be with refreshed, easy-to-use navigation 

Browse the app with ease through a streamlined navigation ribbon that better reflects how customers engage with the app today. The new My Trips tab brings relevant, upcoming trip information into a standalone view, mirroring how customers navigate the delta.com homepage.  

Coming soon: Log in to Delta Sync Wi-Fi directly from Fly Delta 

Customers connecting to Delta Sync Wi-Fi using a personal device with Fly Delta installed can log in after connecting to the “DeltaWifi.com” wireless network onboard. Simply tap to log in using your Fly Delta app credentials and seamlessly access fast, free Wi-Fi connectivity on available routes. This feature will rollout beginning early this summer. 

Delta Sync Wi-Fi continues to roll out in 2024 with the vast majority of Delta customers expected to have access to fast, free connectivity by the end of the year.  

Always-available boarding pass sticks with you  

Customers navigating their day of travel can now use new boarding pass functionality that keeps boarding information readily available and just a tap away, even as customers move around to other screens in the app. Check an upcoming flight, plan a bucket-list trip, access in-app wayfinding and more without losing touch with your boarding pass. 

Manage the unexpected with new Help Center view 

The updated app brings simplicity to the unexpected with an all-new Help Center view. During moments where travel on Delta flights is disrupted, customers will be prompted with a simplified view of the actions required to continue their journey.  

“Every customer engagement is an opportunity for us to show them how Delta is different in moments when customers need us most,” said Phillips. “The Help Center view provides a way to connect with customers directly when travel is disrupted and gives them even more choice over their travel experience.”  

Through the Help Center, customers can select and manage Delta flight options, track baggage and more in one dynamic page. In one tap, connect with Virtual Assistant directly from the app for follow up questions or needs. Even better, the view now reflects more of the information Delta Reservations specialists see when assisting customers who contact Delta by phone or messaging. 

And more is on the way this year 

Delta teams are constantly listening to customer and employee feedback and finding ways to continue engaging through the app experience. Watch this space—more updates are on the way in summer 2024. 

† Available on demand for all customers via iOS App Store and Google Play beginning May 7. Customers with background updates enabled will receive an automatic update directly to their device on a metered, rolling basis following launch.   

• Fly Delta App
• Customer Experience

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