Airline travel has evolved drastically since the internet became available, less than two decades ago you could only book airline tickets by calling the airline representative or a travel agent. Today you can book flights on your computer, tablet, and even your smartphone.
Airline travel has also been made easier with the invention of travel apps people can download to their smartphone or tablets. The apps help alert travelers to flight changes like cancellations and delays, some help people find the cheapest dates for traveling and the cheapest flights, and some even allow travelers to reserve rental cars.
For people who travel by plane a lot, or people who intend to travel soon, here is a list of travel apps that will make planning that next flight easier.
Seat Alerts
This is a free app for people who are picky about where their seat is, if you want to get a window seat but are stuck with a middle seat because the flight is full, you don't have to hope the person with the window seat next to you misses their flight, this app lets you check the seat maps of over 100 airlines, and allows you to set up e-mail alerts for any available seat of your preference.
You will have to pay a little extra for more search options like getting two seats together, and the app cannot change your seats for you, you will have to contact your airline once you receive the alerts
GateGuru
This is another free app that makes a travelers life very easy. GateGuru has a comprehensive listing of airport amenities; it updates your itinerary in real time, including gate changes, flight delays, and security wait time.
GateGuru also has a partnership with Avis that allows users to reserve rental cars at a discounted rate, and it keeps track of all your travel information, like the amount of miles you flew, airlines you used, and airports you went through. This is a useful app for frequent flyers, even if it is only used to get a discount when renting a car and to keep track of your miles.
iFly Pro
This is not a free app, but it is worth the price to download because of the detailed information it provides to the flyer. With iFly pro, not only you get the standard information about your flight like changes and delays, it will also tell you if your terminal has Wi-Fi, what restaurants are in the terminal, a detailed terminal map with GPS, parking costs, ground transportation options, and any other information that you need about over 700 airports.
Flight Tracker
This is a free app that allows you to track both commercial and private flights; it even provides the aircraft position, speed, and altitude of the flight you are tracking. You still receive notifications about any changes regarding the specific flight, which you can share on your Facebook page, and give a heads up to the person picking you up.
Skyscanner
This is a free app that helps travelers find the cheapest flights, hotels, and car rentals. It is available in over 30 languages and 60 currencies, which means it can be used almost anywhere. It is a great app especially when you have to buy a ticket at the last minute, because it helps you find the cheapest one available.