5 Apps That Make Air Travel Easier

The U.S. Customs and Borders Protection (CBP) recently authorized this app that lets you breeze through Customs when you return to the U.S. after an international trip.

Here’s how it works: Upload your passport information to the app, answer a few basic declaration questions, and submit it to the CBP as soon as you land. Within a few seconds, you’ll receive a digital receipt that’s valid for 4 hours. 

Follow the Mobile Passport Control line at Customs to bypass the Global Entry line, show a CBP officer your passport and digital receipt, and then you’re home free.  

(Free for iOS and Android, mobilepassport.us)

If you’re frantically looking at your watch as you wait in the TSA line, you probably won’t have time to sit down for a meal before your plane boards.

But don’t fly on an empty stomach: Use AirGrub to order and pay for food from restaurants near your gate, then swing by and grab it before boarding.   

Related: The Best Airport Restaurants In America

The downside: AirGrub is only available (for now) at Boston Logan, San Francisco, and John F. Kennedy International Airport. But the app recently garnered an investment from the Airports Council International-North America to expand into more hubs.

(Free for iOS and Android, airgrub.com)

Ever try to catch a connection on a 20-minute layover? Then you’ll know you need every second you can get to race between terminals on your way to your next flight. 

App in the Air will make the sprint a little easier. As soon as you land, it will text you the up-to-the-minute information for your next gate, as well as an airport map that shows the best possible route to get there.

Have a longer layover? The app is also chock full of tips from other travelers, including the typical wait time for TSA lines, and where to find the least-crowded charging stations in your terminal. Score! 

(Free for iOS and Android, appintheair.mobi)

Related: The 10 Best Airport Terminals to Be Delayed In

Stuck with a ticket for a middle seat? Tell Seat Alerts where you’d prefer to park your butt instead. If a window or aisle spot with more legroom opens up on your flight, you’ll receive a notification to go snag the upgrade.

Our advice: Mark several window seats on the plane to increase your odds of scoring a better spot. You’ll thank us when you see some other poor sucker lodged between smelly strangers on a 14-hour international flight. 

(First alert is free, subscriptions start at $4.99 for iOS and Android, expertflyer.com/free-program)

Related: 10 Secrets Flight Attendants Won’t Tell You

Luggage seems like a lose-lose: You can either check your bag and wait at baggage claim for an eternity, or cram a weekend’s worth of clothing into a carry-on that won’t fit in the overhead compartment.

So how about eliminating luggage altogether? DUFL will send a large suitcase for you to pack anything you’d typically wear on a business trip (but don’t need to wear at home), and then you’ll ship the suitcase back to the DUFL warehouse. 

From there, DUFL photographs and stores every piece of clothing in your “virtual closet” (which costs $10 a month). Before every trip, tell DUFL what you want to wear, and the team will dry-clean, pack, and ship your clothes (or even gear like golf clubs) to and from your hotel for $100 per trip.  

Hefty price tag? Sure. And check if your company covers luggage fees before signing up for the service. But imagine how free you’ll feel when you board every flight with just a briefcase.  

(App is free for iOS and Android, dufl.com)