Ideally, we’d all fly non-stop to our destinations. But great flight deals often involve the dreaded layover, and of course, all great travel plans can go at least slightly awry. How to survive, when trapped in an airport terminal for hours, beyond Netflix or Audible? These five apps will help!
GateGuru
GateGuru is your pocket concierge as you grab flights. Add your data to the app and it’ll help you keep track of how your journey is progressing, including how long you’ve got until your next flight. The app also lays out both the amenities in the terminal you’ll be wandering and just what people think of them. It also includes maps of the airport, so you won’t get lost if you have to cross the whole building to find your gate.
WiFox
Layovers often mean hefting the digital bindle and becoming a laptop hobo, wandering the airport looking for any WiFi signal you can pick up. Fortunately, for those sick of the wanderin’ life, there’s WiFox. This app continually updates with WiFi passwords for 150 airports, so instead of relying on overpriced WiFi or your phone’s quickly dwindling data plan, you’ll be able to log in and get to work. Or boot up Netflix. Hey, whatever kills the time, right?
AirHelp
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXf1SqngP1F/
Overbooked flights are rarely fun, but if you’re not in a rush and want to make a little money out of the deal, AirHelp will help you win your case against the airline. AirHelp puts your rights as a passenger at your fingertips, aiding you in getting compensated if your travel is disrupted (delays, cancellations, overbooking) and even if the airline has already rejected your claim.
The service isn’t just limited to your current flight, either. It’s retroactive for up to three years and AirHelp will check on previous flights by scanning your email for flight info (with your permission, of course). If you’re not eligible for compensation, the app doesn’t charge; if you are, AirHelp will take a cut of your reimbursement. Hey, considering most of us just groan and try to forget about all the agonizing stuff that happens during air travel instead of doing anything about it, you’re still coming out ahead.
MiFlight
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXfz3NFFnHI/
Nothing is more annoying than having to go through security to make a connecting flight. You’re promised it’ll be quick and easy and show up to find that the lines aren’t just crowded but actually overrun. You don’t have to roll the dice on how long you’ll be waiting anymore, though. MiFlight is like Waze for security wait times: Users report how long they waited and those numbers get uploaded to the app, allowing you to estimate just how long you’ll be waiting for your random security check. Know you won’t be able to make your flight? You can now plan accordingly.
FlySmart
Thanks to the vagaries of air travel, sometimes you wind up in an unexpected airport. For those times, FlySmart has your back. It’s a guide for everything in the airport, from the stores in the terminal to local hotels if you wind up stuck overnight. And, if you prefer to keep your flight data to yourself, FlySmart doesn’t need you to punch in the ticket — just pick the airport you’re in, or that you’ve just learned you’ll be landing at, and go.