7 Cool Mobile Apps to Better Use of Your Time At Airports
When spending time at the airport, it’s often not enjoyable. Airports are unpleasant. However, if you don’t want to travel by ship or train, you have no choice but to endure the “awful airport experience,” which is still better than the alternatives.
But here you are, at the airport, whether for a few minutes or a few hours. Luckily, you have a smartphone and, if you’re fortunate, the Wi-Fi is decent. To make the most of your time at the airport, download these apps and follow the advice below.
1. Status Of Your Flight
If you use Gmail, Google Now is the best way to curate information. Google Now shows flight details based on the confirmation email you received and reminds you when to leave for the airport based on your flight.
If you’re using a modern Android phone, Google Now is integrated. On iPhone, you can enable the same features by downloading the Google Search app. It doesn’t have the always-on features, but most of the stuff is still available.
The best thing about Google Now/Google Search app is that you can ask questions using your voice. It will convert currencies, show you the time in different cities, the weather for where you’re travelling, and a slew of places to check out once you’ve landed.
Check out the best iOS and Android apps to have by your side when you’re traveling to a new country.
2. Plan It With TripIt
If you’re not using TripIt (iOS, Android) to plan your travels, you’re missing out. TripIt is the everything bucket for your travel plans. Once you’ve created an account and put in relevant credentials, it will automatically import your flight tickets, hotel and travel bookings from your email or connected accounts.
If done right, you can plan all the details for your trip with TripIt. Give it a try.
GateGuru is a US-centric app that offers information about over 200 US airports and several international airports. It is available for iOS and Android.
The app lists information including terminals, checkpoints, reviews, tips, and an airport map.
It also features a collection of cafés, restaurants, shops, and services organized by terminals.
Airports By TravelNerd is a reliable alternative to GateGuru, known for its user-friendly terminal maps. The app includes information on restaurants, lounges, transportation, and more.
5. LoungeBuddy To Relax With
Airport lounges are sneaky. Even the free ones are hidden. LoungeBuddy (iOS, Android) lists all the lounges for 500+ airports and tells you the entry requirements. Some lounges are free, some are paid but worth it, and some are exclusive to a members club you’ll be thankful for at 2 AM.
6. Yelp And TripAdvisor To Wander Around The Concrete Jungle
Unfortunately, GateGuru supports only a handful of airports, so it may be difficult to find a compatible app in many remote countries.
This is where Yelp (iOS, Android) and TripAdvisor (iOS, Android) come in. If you’re in the US, Yelp is a great way to check on cafés and restaurants near your terminal before ordering overpriced food.
Some say that all airport food is bad, but Yelp and TripAdvisor can help you avoid the worst options.
TripAdvisor is like Yelp for the rest of the world. It is widely used in some Asian countries, so you’ll find reviews of shops and cafés even in small airports in India and Thailand.
TripAdvisor is a great resource for gathering airport tips. Airports can be challenging to navigate, so it’s often more efficient to seek advice from others than to waste time in the wrong queue.
7. Barcode/QR Scanner App To Stop Yourself from Overdoing It
When your flight is delayed, the only alternative to browsing the web on slow and free Wi-Fi is to wander around. You’ll be hard pressed to buy anything, especially considering the high markup in non-duty free shops.
Before you know it, you’ve bought yourself a book you’re never going to read and a watch that doesn’t look as good the minute you’re out of the well-lit shop. To save yourself the airport embarrassment, use a barcode scanner app and look up prices, reviews, and even photos of the book/thing you’re about to buy. It will help you out a lot.
As Fred Humiston, the author behind Twothirds.us, I focus on providing practical and easy-to-follow guides and solutions for a variety of technical issues that people commonly face.
My articles cover a wide range of topics, from troubleshooting out-of-sync audio on TikTok and managing Firestick devices, to understanding the impact of Capcut on video quality and resolving sound issues on Hisense Roku TVs.
I also delve into more general tech tips, like how to block numbers on landlines or use VPNs without Wi-Fi. My goal is to make technology more accessible and less intimidating for everyone, whether you’re a tech novice or a seasoned user. I strive to offer clear, concise, and helpful advice to make your digital experience smoother and more enjoyable.