10 Travel Apps To Save Money on Traveling

As an avid traveler, I am always on the prowl for affordable trips. To help me research trips within my budget, there are 10 mobile apps that I consistently use to find the best rates possible. I’ve save hundreds of dollars using these apps. If you love travel deals, you need to give these apps a try.

1. Expedia – Expedia has been great in helping me find affordable flights. The refined search options helps me find the best deal on flights arriving and departing at exactly the time that I want. And the bundle deals can be a steal as well. I’ve booked a flight and hotel bundle for two to Puerto Vallarta for less than $1,100! If you do book through Expedia, make sure to sign up for an account because you can accrue points for booking through Expedia, and those points can give you discounts on future bookings. I’ve booked hotel rooms for $20 a night because of the points I’ve earned.
2. Hopper – If you have a destination in mind, Hopper will give you insight on when flights to your dream destination is most affordable. If you have specific travel dates in mind, put a ‘watch’ on it through the Hopper app and the app will que you on whether to wait for lower prices or to book now. If you’re flexible, Hopper will also alert you on alternative dates for a much lower price. Because of this alert, I managed to snatch direct flights to Tulum for less than $200!
3. Airbnb – As of late, Airbnb prices has been shoulder-to-shoulder with hotel prices, which diminishes the concept of saving money by crashing in someone’s private home. But I do feel like there are a few hosts that are keeping their cleaning and service fee low. If you’re not picky, you can find a room for $50 a night. Don’t have an Airbnb account yet? Sign up here. Interested in being a host? Click over here.
4. Hotel Tonight – This app has been a lifesaver for my friends and I when were looking for a hotel rooms in Las Vegas last minute. Hotel Tonight gives you the plug-in on hotels offering last minute booking deals. Book your room on the day of arrival and you can save a lot of money. They recently dropped a new app feature called “Daily Drop Deal” where you swipe right to unlock a crazy good deal on a nice hotel. But you only have 15 minutes to book it before the deal goes away! Get $25 off your first booking with my code: JULONGAM.
5. Kayak – This app does a great job on comparing prices across hundreds of travel sites. I’ve booked a few flights at amazing prices through here.
6. Groupon – Under the travel category, you’ll find several all-inclusive travel packages for great deals. Many of these packages include flights, hotel, rental car, and guided tours. Through Groupon, I booked an 8-day Thailand trip with Affordable Asia and was not disappointed. The hotels we stayed at were luxurious and the guided tours were great. PRO TIP: read the terms and conditions through and through before booking. For instance, many of these rates are based on double occupancy. If you’re traveling alone, many of these package deals will charge you $200+ more. Also, research the hotels that are included in the deal. These deals are insanely affordable because the hotels aren’t great. Also, hotel ratings standards overseas are much lower than our standards in the US. If it’s 3 stars in Europe, it’s probably 2 stars according to our standards.
7. Gas Buddy – For all you road trippers out there, this app searches for the cheapest gas in your area. And you can also save up to 10 cents a galloon by signing up for their Gas Buddy card. No worries; its not a credit card! It links to your checking account, so you’re paying straight from your account.
8. Hitlist – If you have no idea where to go, Hitlist will help you find great deals to amazing destinations. Just plug in the dates you want to travel and Hitlist will give you a list of destinations that are cheap to travel during that time frame. It also gives you the plugin on last minute deals.
9. LocalEats – This list of eateries is curated by an editorial and research staff for travelers who prefer local eats over big chains. And unlike Yelp or Google, the app doesn’t list every single food establishment; it only lists the best.
10. Visit a City – This amazing app helps you create an itinerary for the city that you’re visiting. Based on what kind of activities you’re looking for, the app will pull suggestions. And if you’re on a budget, it’ll help you find free activities. Pick your favorites and the app will create an itinerary for you. Planning activities has never been this easy!