Jenny Southan reveals a fresh crop of mobile applications designed to improve your life on the road.
1. Hyatt Hotels
Features of Hyatt’s app include the option to connect to its Twitter-based Concierge service 24/7 and check in before arrival. You can also monitor the weather and access your Hyatt Gold Passport account.
Free; iPhone, iPad, Android
2. Club Carlson
Members of the hotel loyalty scheme can redeem points for stays at Radisson, Country Inn and Suites, Park Inn and Park Plaza properties, as well as explore their local area with interactive maps and sign up for express booking.
- Free; iPhone, iPad, Android
3. W Hotels
This trendy app from the Starwood brand allows you to stream mixes by W’s global music director (and purchase from iTunes), order room service, request towels, bedding and amenities, place requests, view offers and post comments or photos on social networking sites.
- Free; iPhone, iPad
4. Marriott Mobile
Use this app to reserve rooms at more than 3,600 hotels in 70 countries, as well as find nearby properties using GPS, browse city guides and images of the properties, manage bookings and access your Marriott Rewards account.
- Free; iPhone, Blackberry, Android
5. Airbnb
Fed up of predictable chain hotels? Search and book unique accommodation, from private apartments in more than 26,000 cities to private islands. You can also list a property yourself or find last-minute options.
- Free; iPhone, iPad, Android
6. MyDXB
The Dubai airport app helps travellers to navigate its three terminals by providing an offline directory of services and facilities, a 3G/wifi-enabled “smart map” to locate them, and live flight listings and gate numbers.
- Free; iPhone, iPad, Android
7. The Future by Airbus
Discover the in-flight experience of 2050 with this slick “fly-through” app from the aircraft manufacturer. Users can tap on widgets and press on thumbprints to learn more about futuristic innovations and view images and video.
- Free; iPhone, iPad
8. Your Passenger Rights
The European Commission launched this app to help travellers check their air and rail rights when their service is delayed or cancelled, or if their baggage is lost or damaged. It lists contacts to lodge complaints and displays travel information during crises.
- Free; Apple, Blackberry, Android, Windows Phone 7
9. Easyjet Mobile
The budget carrier allows travellers to search and book flights, save personal details for future reservations, set reminders, and share trip information via text, email or social networks.
- Free; iPhone, iPad, Android
10. Cityjet
View flight schedules for the carrier’s 18 European destinations, make bookings, manage reservations, check in and receive an electronic boarding pass, store your Flying Blue credentials, and get access to online promotions.
- Free; iPhone, Android
11. Jet Blue
In addition to offering the ability to book and manage flights, the US airline’s app enables you to check in, receive real-time flight updates, view movie trailers, share your travel plans and use the “Pick me up” feature to help co-ordinate rendezvous at the airport.
- Free; iPhone, iPad
12. Eurostar Trains
Search and book Eurostar travel between London, Paris and Brussels with this app, which also generates an offline-accessible mobile ticket and allows you to check in. It will store your personal and loyalty scheme profile too.
- Free; iPhone, iPad, Android
13. Click a Taxi
Available for use in seven countries (including the UK and Ireland, with many more to be added over the next year) and partnered with more than 1,000 taxi firms, this app allows you to make automated bookings using GPS. Pay with cash at the end of your journey.
- Free; iPhone, iPad, Android
14. Maps+
Use this to browse Google Maps, set location-based alarms for when you arrive in specific places, record and edit GPS routes, add bookmark pins, and show tweets from anyone who has geo-location tagging turned on.
- Free; iPhone, iPad
15. MyNet Travel
A personal guide to cancellations, disruption and delays on UK trains, it enables you to create your own “departure board” for regular journeys and view live updates from people who share your routes.
- Free; iPhone, iPad Android
16. Vyke mobile
This VoIP app lets people connect over wifi or 3G to landlines and mobiles. It is free between Vyke users and allows you to top up credit as you go. Calls to Vyke Zone countries including the US and Australia cost 15p per hour; otherwise it is from 1p per minute.
- Free; iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Nokia
17. Gogobot
Linked to your Facebook account, this app helps you to plan trips and get recommendations from friends. You can plan and map your itinerary, create postcards, submit reviews and find out useful information such as addresses and opening times.
- Free; iPhone, iPad
18. Postagram Postcards
Finding a postcard, stamps and a post office is near impossible for time-pressed travellers, but this app offers a solution. Take a photo and you can turn it into a printed postcard with a bespoke message that can instantly be mailed anywhere in the world for US$0.99-US$1.99.
- Free; iPhone, iPad Android
19. Clibe
A “social journaling app” for the iPad, Clibe combines writing, sketching and photography to create books and travel diaries. Stored virtually as part of a cloud library, you can choose to make them public or private.
- £2.99; iPad
20. JetLag Genie
Create a customised plan to manage your jetlag – log your flight time and your usual wake-up and bed times and it will tell you when to get sunshine or darkness, and when to take melatonin or nap.
- £1.99; iPhone, iPad
For more apps, see “101 travel apps”. Do you have an app to recommend? Visit business traveller.com/discussion