5 essential apps for overseas travel

It’s amazing to think that not that long ago people used to travel without smartphones and relied on travel agents to plan out their holiday.

Nowadays it seems to be near impossible to leave the house without your mobile let alone go overseas.

So, with most international borders opening up and restrictions for travellers easing, it’s finally time to go on holiday. To help make your trip easier to plan and avoid as much inconvenience as possible, download these apps to make the most use of your mobile when abroad.

Waiting in airports can be incredibly frustrating especially when your connecting flight is hours away from departing. Often times we find ourselves struggling to connect to the free airport Wi-Fi and eating any available mystery food to help past the time.

The airport lounges do offer a place to wait comfortably and will securely hold onto your luggage before your next flight but these luxuries are often restricted to premium tickets or flyers with paid memberships.

By downloading LoungeBuddy, you’ll be able to reserve access to airport lounges around the world without a membership or holding either a business or first class ticket.

To help find the cheapest flight and plan out how you’ll be travelling between countries, Skyscanner is the one-stop destination.

Skyscanner searches millions of flight paths and airline schedules across 1,200 sources to generate the best offers. Whether you were looking for the cheapest or quickest route, the app will provide you with all relevant information to help make a considered decision.

Skyscanner will also help you book your ticket as well as add-ons such as insurance and keep you notified about delays, airline requirements (for example, luggage allowance, Covid-19 regulations) and promotions.

Booking your accommodation can be quite a headache particularly when you need to compare room rates, filter through the amenities or even figure out where each hotel is located.

HotelTonight takes the hassle out of booking. When looking for a place to stay, all you need to do is search by city or country and specify your requirements (such as bathtub inclusion, disability access or price range) and the app will generate the best recommendations with images included for your consideration.

With HotelTonight, you’ll also have access to 24/7 customer support and will be notified on deals happening at your destination.

Spending money is a given when abroad and sometimes the currency exchange can unintentionally mislead us into spending more money than we thought.

A 10-euro meal may seem affordable at first glance but when you check your bank account, it can sometimes turn out to be double, depending on the season. It’s always a good idea to convert your currency to make sure that you’re not overspending. 

XE Currency Converter looks at the exchange rate in real time and provides updated information. Even if you’re not online – this app will allow you to store information to view at all times.

To keep your itineraries in order and ensure that all your documents are securely organised in one place, consider TripIt, an app that aims to centralise all your travel expenses and booking details for easy reference.

All you need to do is have your confirmation notices from your hotels, restaurants, flights and car rental services forwarded to plans@tripit.com and the app will automatically organise your information into one schedule.

This will include all dates, time zone differences and will even provide suggestions such as alternate routes to help make the travelling experience easier.

Stay connected and travel with confidence. You can roam in these countries and many more with Optus International Roaming. Got the travel bug? Check out the travel programmes on Netflix available on Optus SubHub like the food travel shows that also feed your virtual tastebuds.