Travel Apps & Tools Worth Knowing About
At the Airport
TSA Touchless ID Facial recognition is now available at a growing number of airports, allowing you to move through security without handing over your ID or boarding pass. If you have TSA PreCheck, look for the opt-in option within your airline's app rather than the website — that's where it tends to be easiest to find and activate.
MyTSA App TSA's own app, and genuinely useful. It shows estimated security wait times and has a searchable guide for what you can and cannot bring through security. Worth downloading before any major trip.
FlightAware Misery Map Before you leave for the airport, check this. It shows real-time delays and cancellations across the country so you have a clear picture of what the system looks like before you're in it.
FlightQueue.Real-time queue estimates for security, immigration, and check-in. A helpful companion to the Misery Map when you're trying to time your arrival.
Flighty Flighty tracks inbound aircraft, FAA data, and delay patterns to predict disruptions before the airline announces them. If you or your clients are connecting through a busy hub during peak summer season or a weather event, this is the difference between being caught off guard and being already rebooked.
A well-planned trip can still have a rough day. Flights get delayed. Luggage goes astray. You land in a country where you can't read the menu and your phone has no data. None of that has to derail things if you're a little bit prepared.
These are the apps and tools I recommend to my clients and in my own travels
Crossing Borders
Global Entry App If you have Global Entry, set this up before your next international trip. The app allows you to clear customs directly on your phone, bypassing the airport kiosks entirely. Particularly worth having during periods when Global Entry lines are running long.
Mobile Passport App Everyone should have this, Global Entry or not. Mobile Passport allows eligible travelers to move through U.S. immigration more quickly using just their phone. Set it up before you travel, not after you land.
International Driver's Permit If you're renting a car abroad, many countries legally require an International Driver's Permit alongside your U.S. license. You can now obtain one online without a trip to AAA, which makes this an easy pre-trip errand.
On the Ground
Google Lens Point your camera at a menu, a sign, or a label and it translates in real time. For travelers in non-English destinations, this removes an enormous amount of guesswork. It is already on most smartphones and tends to be underused.
Timeshifter Jet lag is real, and most people either ignore it entirely or try to push through. Timeshifter creates a personalized plan based on your specific itinerary, mapping out when to seek light, sleep, and caffeine. Clients who actually follow it notice a difference.
The True Size Of A surprisingly useful geography tool. It lets you overlay any country onto a map to compare its true size relative to the United States. Helpful for putting destinations in perspective, especially when traveling to regions that feel abstract on a standard world map.
Flytographer Professional photography sessions available in destinations around the world. You can browse photographer portfolios and book directly online. A lovely option for milestone trips when you want images beyond phone snapshots.
Shared Expenses
Splitwise Particularly useful for family trips, multigenerational travel, or group itineraries where people are constantly covering dinners, taxis, and excursions. It tracks shared expenses and balances so nothing gets awkward at the end of the trip.
Lounge Access
Priority Pass App Many travelers have Priority Pass through a credit card benefit and never use it. The app shows every lounge and participating restaurant accessible with your membership. Before your next trip, check your credit card benefits and set this up. It is genuinely one of the better underutilized perks available.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance tends to be the part of trip planning no one wants to think about until something goes wrong. A few things worth understanding before you book:
Standard travel insurance covers specific, named reasons for cancellation, such as illness or injury. It does not cover fear, worry, or geopolitical concern.
If you want the ability to cancel for any reason at all, you need a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) waiver. A few important notes on CFAR:
In most cases, it must be purchased within 14 days of your first trip payment.
It typically reimburses up to 75% of non-refundable trip costs.
It is not inexpensive, but it does provide genuine peace of mind.
If protecting pre-paid costs is not a concern, you can still list your trip cost as $0 and carry a policy for medical coverage and emergency evacuation abroad. That baseline protection alone is worth having.