The best medical app + travel apps you need to download now

Admittedly, I’m not much of a tech person, which means that each app I have in my iPhone has to make the cut. Digital tools can improve your travel experience, but with so many apps out there, it’s hard knowing which are worth downloading. Here’s a look at 7 of my favourite travel and medical apps you ought to check out before your next trip.

Best medical app: TripWise

This is one of those all in one, very useful apps. TripWise is a medical app, but it’s ideal for travel as it allows you to gauge your flight status, receiving real-time info (including push notifications) on your flights – from delays and cancellations to terminal and boarding gate info and changes.

If you’re travelling to a foreign country, this app allows you to find (and click to call) local emergency (911) services. It also provides real-time travel alerts and security information from the Canadian Government – because you just never know…

TripWise has a handy hospital search, so you can quickly find the nearest medical provider to you. The app listing includes only those hospitals in Allianz Global Assistance’s provider network, which can provide some reassurance.

Medical dictionary app

But how will you communicate with any non-English speaking medical personnel? TripWise also acts as a medical dictionary app. It has a First Aid Terms Tab, allowing you to search for common medical terms which are translated in over 18 languages. It also has a medical dictionary feature which translates a medicine’s commercial name to its internationally recognized one.

And if you happen to have purchased your travel insurance from Allianz Global Assistance, you can store their emergency toll-free and collect numbers for faster access to help if you have a travel mishap while abroad.

LoungeBuddy for an airport business lounge

Make the most of your layover or flight delay with LoungeBuddy, a handy app that gets you into hundreds of airport lounges for a one-time fee (though the app is free). Simply fill out a profile and they’ll point you in the right direction for a shower or an attractive workspace inside an airport business lounge.

With LoungeBuddy, there’s no need to purchase a membership, enrol for a new credit card, book a first-class ticket or rack up elite status on a certain airline. You simple book a one time lounge pass on demand or if you’re prepared and want to expense it prior, schedule your lounge visit up to two months in advance.

CityMaps2Go for offline maps

Essential for city explorers, you can download free maps of the world’s most popular cities with CityMaps2Go. The maps are under 20 mb, so they won’t eat up your storage AND they can be used offline. Not only does this app allow you to say buh bye to wi-fi and pricy global roaming charges, you won’t look like a dorky tourist pulling out an archaic street map. I like how in certain off grid destinations (National Parks), you can easily find streets, footpaths and bikeways. Like ride-sharing, you can share your travel plans with others.

They’ve got maps for over 60,000 destinations in 150 countries. Even if you’re not going somewhere soon, you can create lists and save these plans for when you actually visit.

Localeur for local experiences

Hyper local experiences are yours for the taking on Localeur. This community brings in locals to give the down low on the best places to eat, drink and play in over 100 cities across the globe. It’s got most of the US covered, but also Canada, Europe, Asia, South America, Australia and New Zealand coverage.

With Localeur, you can expect way better recs than what your hotel concierge would give you, with advice broken down into niche subjects like best coffee shops, boutiques, food trucks, etc… Have limited time in your destination? They’ll show you how to get ‘er done in a day – away from the tourist traps.

Rome2Rio for directions

Another one of my faves, Rome2rio is one of the best ways to quickly find out every available transport option to get from A to B. It’s got data from hundreds of countries, so pretty much wherever you want to travel to, it’ll show you all the choices. It’s especially hard when you’re travelling to countries that have so many options it’s hard to figure out the right one. (I’m looking at you, Europe, with all your train schedules, buses and discount airlines.)

To use, you enter the address, attraction or city of where you want to get to and from. It then displays all your options via many different transportation methods. If you want to drill down, it also provides step by step instructions on how to get out of the metro station and walk to your destination.

In addition to showing you how to get around, it compares costs, which in my case, swiftly settles arguments between me and my travel mates about whether to fly or take the train from Paris to Vienna.

SkyScanner for travel search

SkyScanner is ideal for flexible folks, looking for the best deal. The “everywhere” feature is what you want to use if you know when you want to jet off somewhere, but don’t particularly don’t care where. It’ll show you your best options filtered by region and price, within your timeframe. My girlfriend used it recently to nab a sub $40 (Canadian!) flight from Ireland to Cyprus.

Its metasearch engine is also excellent for finding hotel and other transport options, too. Best is the price alert feature which notifies users the best time to book.

What travel and medical apps take up permanent residency on your phone?

P.S. You may also be interested in reading:

What to do if you’re ever in a travel emergency

How to holiday with friends and family without killing each other

Disclaimer, I’m a brand ambassador for Allianz Global Assistance (Canada) and receive financial compensation for these posts. As always, all information shared is my own opinion.