courtesy of david coxon
Though most people are able to make plans for their upcoming vacation well in advance, there are times when planning that far in advance is not an option. Some may not know if their busy work schedules allow for taking time off. Others may be waiting on their children’s school/activity schedules to be announced before planning a big trip. Some might even be waiting until they’ve saved enough money before booking anything.
There is a whole slew of reasons for postponing planning a trip. But for those who this applies to, there are several convenient applications to help get your plans made, transportation booked and fun started quickly and easily. Here are just a few of them:
- Travelzoo (free for Android and iOS) – This is an ideal app for finding all things travel-related, including all-inclusive vacation packages, events in the local area and more. The app is designed to offer deals directly to its users’ cell phones through the app, so printing out tickets or confirmation numbers becomes a thing of the past. Plus, it has a lot of last-minute bargains that include some of the best discounts of the week in one convenient place.
- Jetsetter Hotels and Last Minute Travel Deals (free for iOS) – For iPhone and iPad users looking for a multi-use app for travel, this one is very good option. Similar to Travelzoo, it offers several ways to reserve a complete vacation package, same-night hotel reservations, and many other travel-related features. It even has a scanning feature for credit cards that automatically inputs your information, so booking reservations and making other purchases are both quick and easy.
- Twitter (free for Android, iOS, Windows and BlackBerry) – Although not commonly known as a resource for last-minute travel, this popular social media platform is great for finding some of the best tips and deals at the eleventh hour, if you know the right Twitter handles to follow. Some examples include airline-deals handles, such as @JetBlueCheeps, which offers last-minute airfares every Tuesday throughout the country and beyond; destination-specific handles, such as @ShareALittleSun or @VISITFLORIDA, that may be more relevant to the location you’re looking for; etc.
- Hotel Tonight (free for Android and iOS) – A perfect app to use once you’ve already arrived at your destination, Hotel Tonight lets users find the most up-to-date pricing for hotels for the evening (up until 2 a.m.) they are looking to book, in the exact location they are looking to book. One of the other advantages of using this app rather than others that are very similar, Hotel Tonight suggests a more hand-picked selection of options that are chosen by the creators themselves—that way, there is much less time wasted sifting through an exhausting amount of options.
- TripAdvisor (free for Android and iOS) – When you have to plan things at the last minute, you shouldn’t also have to compromise on quality just because you’re in a rush to make reservations for everything. That’s where TripAdvisor comes in. This app is the perfect alternative to doing a bunch of research on your own in order to find the best places to stay, eat, be entertained, etc., as it is a credible and well-known app for viewing customer testimonials; comparing prices for hotels, restaurants and attractions; downloading maps and guides with unique insider information, and more.
- TripIt (free or $0.99 for Android, iOS, Windows and BlackBerry) – This app has a free option (ads included) and a paid option (no ads included), and is great for organizing all your last-minute plans into one detailed itinerary. The app also offers a way to share your itinerary with others, as well as view the area’s weather forecast, find directions to local attractions/points of interest, and more.
courtesy of Kevin Dooley
For times when making last-minute vacation plans are simply unavoidable, use these helpful apps to help make your trip a bit more convenient and stress-free. Plus, enjoy additional travel resources from E-Z Rent-A-Car, such as premium discounts, travel-related blog posts, exclusive coupons and more.
