Booking a flight has never been easier.
You can book most flights to points all over the globe with just a few clicks on your smartphone, but of course, some flight booking apps are better than others.
We’ve done the research for you on the best Android and iOS apps out there for making flight reservations.
Hopper – save money on your airfare
One of the best flight booking apps out there is Hopper, which claims their app will save you up to 40 percent on your airfare. They do this by attempting to predict the best time to purchase a flight, based on past fare history. You can also set up alerts to notify you when a low fare becomes available for your dates and destination.
The only downside to Hopper is that it has very few filtering options, restricting the ability to do very specific searches.
Skyscanner – an easy and interactive way to find cheap flights
This free flight booking app has an interactive chart that tells you when the cheapest date to fly is within a given time range, good for those with flexible holiday plans.
Skyscanner also has an option to select “add nearby airports” into your search function to help save you even more money. For example, if you are planning a trip to New Orleans, it could be cheaper if you fly into Baton Rouge, which is just 40 minutes up the road. The money you saved by using an alternate airport could be used to book a Blacklane airport transfer service to get you to your accommodation with style and comfort.
Kiwi – a new booking app worth checking out
Kiwi is a relatively new app, but it’s quickly gaining a loyal following. This free Czech-based app delves into possible off-line connections, a connection between different carriers that involves a change of planes, which is something that many other apps fail to consider.
Yet another fun feature on Kiwi is the fact you can search from your home city to anywhere if you just want to get away for a few days and aren’t set on a particular destination. The app will tell you the least expensive place to fly.
Kayak – time-tested reliable booking partner
Kayak has been around a while, but it is still one of the best travel apps out there. This free flight booking app finds great airfare prices by simultaneously searching hundreds of travel sites, saving you the time and effort of pulling each site up individually.
The intuitive screen makes this app very easy to use. It’s also fast and very price transparent, showing all of the associated costs, such as checked luggage or advanced seat selection, all on one screen.
Kayak has been named in Travel + Leisure magazine’s list of best apps for travelers several times.
Hipmunk – Look beyond the chipmunk for great savings
Hipmunk has made the list for its diverse variety of search criteria. In addition to the usual filters, you can also search for flights that have Wi-Fi or for flights on a specific aircraft.
It also has an “agony” filter that seeks to reduce the travel stress of your trip by offering you options with less layover time. Hipmunk, like Kayak, can also help you find good hotel rates.
The ever-present jumping chipmunk (the app’s logo) is somewhat endearing.
SeatGuru – because a good seat can make or break a flight
We have to add SeatGuru to the list of favorite travel apps. Although it’s not a flight booking app, it’s an integral part of every flight arrangement. This free app helps you to select the best seat on each leg of your flight. You can even look at the available seats before you book your flights. The app boasts seat maps of more than 1160 aircraft.
Available for iOS
Jetradar – search beyond scheduled airlines
Yet another favorite flight booking app is Jetradar. This free app not only searches for flights offered directly by the individual airlines, but also those offered by travel agencies and tour operators, such as charter flights being sold to the public.
According to the app’s website, Jetradar works with 728 airlines and more than 200 booking agencies. A great feature of the app is its price map. You simply enter your departure city and your travel dates and you’ll be able to see an entire map of destinations, complete with the cost of airfare to and from those cities.
Finding a good airfare has never been easier. All you need is to add one or more of these flight booking apps to your phone or tablet and let them scour the internet for the fare that best meets your needs. It’s that easy.
