Must Have Travel Apps during the Government Shutdown
There is a lot of anxiety about travel lately, especially about time at the airport. Due to the government shutdown, the lack of TSA agents means more time at the airport and more uncertainty. If the shutdown continues, flight delays will be inevitable as the FAA and air traffic controllers are affected. There are apps that can help travelers stay informed, save time and travel smart. Here are some must have travel apps to use during the government shutdown. Download these now before your next flight.
App in the Air
App in the Air is a personal airport concierge that makes the airport experience a whole lot easier. It breaks down the airport experience into a couple of stages. Travelers get user generated info on how long wait times are at the airport so they can make educated decisions about how much time is needed at the airport. If there are delays at security or even your gate, this app will let you know. App in the Air integrates with Trip It (see below) so there is no need to manually input trip info. The reminders and alerts features are robust and helpful.
TSA App
Yes, the TSA has their own app and it’s pretty useful. Travelers can get realtime info on TSA lane closures and flight delay info from the FAA. The TSA App also features a useful time chart that has the standard wait times listed for airports. This app combined with CLEAR can take your airport experience to the next level.
Mobile Passport
For those who do not have Global Entry, this app can help avoid long lines that often plague travelers when returning home from an international trip. This app not only helps avoid or minimize long lines when you land back in the USA but is also free. Download it and have it ready whether you have Global Entry or not. For more info on Mobile Passport, I wrote a full blogpost about it.
Trip It
I’ve been using Trip It for several years now and I frankly can’t live without it. It takes all of the info from confirmation emails of airlines, car rentals, hotels, Airbnb, etc and imports it directly into the app. All trip details are finally one place. The calendar integration is a great feature too. With Trip it Pro, the SMS alerts and reminders are very helpful in remembering check in times and getting notified about delays and gate changes. I find this app handy all of the time, but during these uncertain times it’s a must have travel app.
Ronni Echevarria
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