Here at RealFamilyTrips we’re always looking for new ways to help families travel better and more efficiently, while having more fun for less money. This holiday season, we would like to turn your attention to some simple but powerful apps that could help you in your travel process.

A brief perusal of any app store will reveal that there are hundreds upon hundreds of apps for everything, some far better than others. We’re here to help narrow the field and point you towards some software. After some brief time to play around, we’ve found the following apps to be worth checking out, and considering for use in your future traveling/planning. We haven’t tested these thoroughly yet so we would love to hear your thoughts. Please comment!

Tripnary helps you find your dream vacation. While the app uses the term “bucket list,” simply think of it as your families wish list for must-visit destinations. Within each city or locale input destinations (you can punch in one of our itineraries!) After you input them all, you can continuously track real time airfare rates for all the cities on your list and when one looks right, pounce on it. See it explained here.

Platforms: iOS

Cost: FREE

AlertID

No matter how near or far you travel, or how long your trip, family safety is always a primary concern. AlertID consolidates major concerns into one simple to use app. Get up to the moment alerts on crime, health concerns, weather conditions and natural disasters instantly on your phone.

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: FREE

Scribd

Keeping the kids engaged on long drives or flights, or any other time during a vacation you need a minute is a challenge. There is also the temptation to allow longer sessions of movies or gaming than you may be comfortable with for the sake of quiet time. Enter Scribd, the “Netflix of books” which allows easy access to a plethora of reading materials. All ages can enjoy a fun read, while older children may find what they need for a school project or research report. Includes print and audio books.

Platforms: iOS, Android, Kindle

Cost: FREE App, $8.99 p/ month for subscription to service. Free Trial Month to start.

TripCase

TripCase conveniently organizes all your travel plans and itineraries on your devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.) for easy reference and real time updates. After downloading, you enter your upcoming trip into the app which is as simple as forwarding the itinerary to “trips@tripcase.com”), and the reservations automatically sync up with TripCase. The app then keeps you up-to-date in real-time on any flight changes delays, cancellations, gate changes and other external forces that impact you and your family.

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: FREE

ShareON

Family photos and videos are one of the best parts of traveling together. ShareON provides a quick, easy, and secure way to see all your media content spread out over your devices on your iOS and Android device. It creates a direct connection between devices (no server uploading) so you can access your media content from anywhere, with no limits on the amount of photos or videos. It also easily bridges media across operating systems for families with some iOS and some Android users.

Platforms: iOS, Android and a PC Client (Mac coming soon)

Cost: FREE

Allergy FT

Do you or any members of your family have food allergies? Concerned about staying and eating safe abroad? The Allergy FT iPhone app allows you to create multiple profiles, select up to 86 food allergies and then translate those with a warning message into French, Spanish and German (more to come soon). You then show your phone to the waiter so he can understand your food concerns.

Platforms: iOS

Cost: $2.99

MY TSA

The TSA has a smart and interesting app. It’s as simple as asking “Can I Bring?” and the name of an item in the field. The app yields instant answers for help packing and planning. It also features security wait times, a list of airports with TSA PreCheck, updates from the FAA, plus a guide to TSA rules for travelers. See a full list of features at TSA.gov.

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: FREE

WeatherBug

Weather can make or break a vacation day, especially when travelling with kids. It pays to know what’s coming next. Weatherbug is simple to use and allows you to pre-program and check weather for multiple cities. Going on a road trip? See what the weather will be like two states over on Thursday so you’ll know what you’re riding into. Mobile alerts will also keep you appraised of last minute changes.

Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows Phone and a Desktop Client

Cost: FREE

Waze

Waze offers “community-based mapping, traffic and navigation” in one application. It works by teaming up users to work together to provide real time traffic information and the best routes for driving. The idea being that no one knows local roads like a local, and no one knows traffic like the person sitting in it. After typing in your destination address, you just drive with the app open on your phone in order to passively both contribute and receive updates on traffic and more.

Platforms: iOS, Android and Windows Phone

Cost: FREE

The Last Minute Travel Deals Mobile App

We’re always saying that the very best in travel deals come when you’re willing to book at the last minute and not tied to a particular departure time or destination. This app has a massive inventory (over 100,000 hotels worldwide) and enables consumers to access great prices on the go from their phone or tablet for true last minute bookings and savings.

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: FREE