Smartphone apps make the world go ’round, and some just help us get around the world. Just think of all the everyday travel mishaps (language barriers, bad meals, flight delays) that are easy to avoid if only phones were armed with handy apps.

1. Next Flight

Got bumped? Leaving early? Next Flight tracks scheduled departures from more than 4,200 airports and 1,100 airlines. It sounds overwhelming, but you can filter by carrier. $2.99

2. UrbanSpoon

Urbanspoon is the gold standard in the U.S., London, Melbourne, and Sydney: Shake your phone, watch the dials spin like an old-school slot machine, and up comes the best guide to local restaurants yet. Free

3. HearPlanet

Like having a tour guide in your pocket, HearPlanet tells you what attractions are nearby and then plays the Wikipedia description aloud. $5.99

4. Air Sharing

Don’t waste time (and money) downloading docs abroad. Air Sharing lets you save HTML Web pages, PDFs, text files, you name it, for off-line perusal anytime, anywhere. $4.99

5. Tweetie

Finally, a practical use for Twitter. With Tweetie you can send vacation pics and witty comments from afar faster and more easily than with any other app. $2.99

6. IAmHere

Want your friends to know exactly where you are? (Scorpion Bay, Baja!) IAmHere sends an email with a link to Google Maps. In my tests it was accurate to within a hundred feet. $0.99

7. World Customs

Which way to wrap that kimono? World Customs dispenses international dos and don’ts, one for every day. (Kimono? Left over right.) $0.99

8. Wi-Fi Finder

International data rates can be crushing, so finding Wi-Fi is key, especially if you Skype. Wi-Fi Finder tracks over 200,000 hotspots in 135 countries. The only quibble: It could do better at distinguishing free from paid spots. Free

9. The Weather Channel

Weather Bug and AccuWeather come close in the race for full-featured meteorological apps, but the Weather Channel’s gets the nod for customization and the ability to check out conditions in multiple locations at a glance. Free

10. Google Earth

Although slow even on Wi-Fi, browsing satellite images of anywhere from your vacation destination to the top of the Matterhorn is still one of the best ways to get the lay of the land. Free

11. Packing

Become a packing perfectionist with this easy tool. Create lists of necessary items and check them off as you go. The packing application will make preparing for your vacation a breeze. $1.99

12. Room

If you’re always forgetting your hotel room number—and modern keycards don’t remind you, of course—log it in this free program. Free

13. FlightTrack Pro

Made for busy travelers like you, just forward your airline confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com and TripIt flight itineraries will appear automatically in FlightTrack Pro. $9.99

14.AllSubway HD

AllSubway HD takes the confusion out of confusing undergrounds (ahem, London). The travel app features subway maps for about 128 different cities around the world, from Amsterdam to Sydney to Vancouver. Each map is available offline, which is perfect for navigating from the depths of the metro.

15. Skype

Break the international calling shakedown—jumping on a Wi-Fi network lets you make free (or cheap) calls. Free

16. WriteRoom

Amazingly, the iPhone comes with no way of syncing text files and its Notes app stinks. This simple word processing tool transfers text easily between desktop and handset so you can leave your laptop at home. $4.99

17. Amazon Kindle

The Kindle’s nice, but why carry two devices when you can download e-books directly to your phone? Have an iPhone AND a Kindle? Once you’ve bought the book, you can read it wherever you want. Free

18. Cheap Gas

Pretty straightforward—shows you the least expensive petrol wherever you are. Awesomely helpful if you don’t know the area. Free

19. Babelingo

Great linguistic value—300-entry phrase book with 11 languages for just $3.99.

20. Where

Shows you what’s around you, from Starbucks to movie theaters and show times. Free

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