APP CULTURE

Get away with widgets

A mad rush to the airport, struggling through security with your overstuffed plastic bag of cosmetics, realising you're going to be late to your gate. Air travel should really be easier, shouldn't it?

This collection of apps make the most of the Today View widgets function on your iPhone or iPad, so that you can access apps quickly by swiping right from your home screen. Now you can have instant access to almost everything you need, or need to know when travelling – turning your trip into the relaxing break it should be.

Be alright on the flight

App in the Air keeps track of all your flight details including boarding and landing times. Adding the app's widget to your device's Today View panel enables you to check your flight number in an instant as well as giving you a countdown to your flight's departure time and showing your gate number. With super-convenient access to all of this information at a swipe, you'll have more time for shopping at duty-free.

Enter the time zone

Crossing time zones can wreak havoc; not just with your own body clock and schedule, but with family back home if you're trying to get in touch at unsociable hours of the day. If you need to call home, but want to avoid waking a family member up in the middle of the night, keep track of world time zones with Klok. Klok allows you to add the world clock to your device's notification center, displaying the time in up to five cities at once.

Avoid money traps

Travelling can be expensive. Make sure you keep on top of what you are spending with clear currency, a handy exchange rate app. No longer do you have to do the maths to figure out how much that ice-cream really cost you. Simply add the app's widget to your Today View, select the local currency you are using. Enter the price every time you're about to buy in order to convert the cost back to the currency you understand.

Explore even more

With useful offline downloadable maps, CityMaps2Go will make sure you can find your way around, wherever you go. Before leaving your hotel room, mark some of your favourite destinations on the map. Then, when you're out and about without WiFi, the widget will give you helpful prompts, using small arrows, to tell you which direction (and how far) you need to go. The app covers more than 150 countries, so you'll never need to ask for directions again.