Instagram

Before you head off on your big trip, you’ll need to decide where you’re going. And while you’ve got all the choice in the world – you know, literally –  sometimes it can help to narrow the scope a little.

As well as an endless source of memes and dog photos, Instagram is a great place to look for travel inspo, and a useful research tool to boot (particularly if you follow our very own Instagram page).

Instagram is a goldmine of "where to go", "what to eat when you get there", and arguably most importantly, "where to be seen when you get there"  – all neatly organised by hashtags and geotags. Search said tags for the places you’re considering, save photos you love to your collection, and stop when you say, “That’s where I need to be.”

If you’re more interested in exploring the road less travelled, Instagram can be just as handy when it comes to figuring out where not to go. You may wish to avoid locations that feature frequently in photos – the more checked-in selfies, the more tourists will be there in real life.

Velocity Frequent Flyer

What would this list be without the Velocity App? Available for free on iOS and Android, the app provides you with a one-stop destination for all your Velocity Frequent Flyer needs. From your current Velocity Points¹ and Status Credits balances to a list of your account activity – it’s all right there at your fingertips.

The Velocity app also makes it easy to find the latest bonus offers across categories like online shopping, airline, everyday essentials, holiday & travel and more - and will also serve you up any of your available targeted offers so you can activate them right from the palm of your hand. How’s that for Points earning motivation?

Google Trips

Travelling the world is fun. Frantically searching your emails for essential info when you have a moment of Wi-Fi is less fun. You’ve got to juggle your flight details, accommodation addresses, and the name of that little wine bar your friend of a friend swears is the best in the city.

That’s why you need Google Trips. The free app links to your Gmail account and automatically creates itineraries for you based on emails from airlines and hotels. Additionally, the app will recommend sights to see and places to eat based on your interests. You can even download city guides for offline viewing, so you’ll never get caught short. Or worse, Wi-Fi-less.

City Mapper

Do your eyes glaze over as soon as someone starts talking about subway transfers? You’re not alone. Even the most navigationally astute among us can get turned around in a foreign city – and getting lost in an unfamiliar environment can be an unsettling experience. Citymapper aims to eliminate all that by providing comprehensive directions to help you navigate urban centres.

Just enter the address of your destination, and the app will map the most direct routes via foot, car, bike, and public transport. You’ll be travelling like a local in no time.

Google Translate

Do you find yourself confusing your bonjours with your bonsoirs? Don’t sweat it. Just download Google Translate and fake it ‘til you make it. The free app will instantly translate your every query into more than a hundred different languages.

That means directions, coffee orders, and market-haggling are just a few taps away. You can even download language packs and store them on your phone for data-free translation (extremely handy when you’re on the road). As long as you’ve got your phone close by, you’ll be trading bon mots with the best of them.