Leadership and Executive Development for women of all races, cultures and backgrounds
Issue link: https://diversitywoman.epubxp.com/i/91258
DW Life Power Trip There's an App for That Smartphone travel apps that can save you time and money By Brittany Shoot A ndrea Mestdagh trav- els for work a couple of times a month. When the Southern California–based PR rep is stuck on a long layover or is delayed in transit, she doesn't have to resort to a box of stale popcorn or a slice of greasy pizza—so she seeks out terminal maps and the airport's best eateries on Gate Guru (free for Android and iPhone). "Sometimes it's hard to find good airport food, and this certainly helps!" she en- thuses. She also uses the program to rate airport cafés and shops, as well as to obtain maps, security wait times, and terminal transport info. Mestdagh is hardly alone. It's a com- mon refrain that smartphones have made our lives easier. Longtime users talk about their Blackberries as bodily appendages, and the demand for An- droid and iPhone contracts has radically changed the way most cell service provid- ers do business—and the way their cus- tomers conduct business on the go. Travel apps, especially, are transform- ing the way business travelers fly. Many businesswomen can no longer imagine traveling without easy access to res- ervation information, online reviews, and data on local restaurants and fit- ness centers. From all-inclusive booking apps like Hipmunk (free) that help you to compare rates on flights and hotel rooms to travel organizers like TripIt (free), there's almost always an app for www.diversitywoman.com keep track of reservations, itineraries, and boarding information. Continental, Delta, and discount carriers like JetBlue and Southwest all have mobile apps for simple check-in and gate info. But what about complicated itinerar- ies or other airlines? When she's flying an airline that doesn't offer its own app, PR account supervisor Danya Bushey uses Flight Sites (free for iPhone) to get an over- view of airline adviso- ries, track her flight sta- tus, and check her gate number. "It's a great tool to compensate for airlines that don't have apps, such as US Airways," she says. A similar app, FlightBoard ($3.99 for Android and iPhone), fea- tures a retro arrivals and departures board display that can be synced with any airport in the world. whatever you need in transit. Te tricky part is picking the best one. All In One If you're juggling frequent flier programs on more than one airline or various hotel reward programs, it helps to keep all that data in a single app. Family travel website founder Tara Cannon tests loads of travel apps as part of her job. One of her favor- ites is AwardWallet (free). "It keeps track of your travel reward programs so you have all your point totals in a tidy little spread- sheet," she explains. "It will also keep track of your passwords, so you can log on from your spreadsheet automatically, and it will remind you when points are about to ex- pire." How's that for handy? Apps for Airlines Tese days, many domestic and inter- national airlines offer their own app to Where to Stay? Depending on how you like to travel, apps from trusted brands like Hotels. com and Airbnb.com offer easy brows- ing and reserving straight from your mobile device. Beth Binger, a PR rep who frequently travels between offices in San Diego and Los Angeles, relies on the free Hotel Tonight app to book a room at the last minute. "I often need a hotel room at a moment's notice," she says, and notes that the app only compiles nightly deals after noon each day. "Just after lunch, I'm always shopping for the best rate in whatever city I'm in." Getting Around When most travelers land in a new city, they open their GPS mapping app to help them navigate. But what about other trip essentials? Many people rely on Yelp. com (free) for local restaurant reviews. You can also use it to find pharmacies and late-night corner stores. Danya Bushey also recommends the free app AroundMe, which uses GPS to find near- by necessities like gas stations, ATMs, and hospitals, as well as fun features like Fall 2012 DIVERSITY WOMAN 71 > THINKSTOCKPHOTOS