Winter Travel Apps

MOBILE, Ala. - If you're packing up and traveling this weekend, it may be a bumpy ride. Winter weather has thrown a wrench into holiday travel plans in many parts of the country this week.  Karin Caifa has apps to help make winter travel a little smoother with a "Clicked In" report.

Frozen runways. Mounting snow. Winter travel can get messy.  And all it takes is a snowstorm in one part of the country, to trigger a ripple effect of delays and cancelations well across it.

While a smartphone can't dial up mother nature, it can make travel interruptions more tolerable. Apps like gate guru for Apple and Android and Travel Nerd help navigate unfamiliar airports for traveler essentials.

Gate Guru maps out food, coffee, shopping and other amenities closest to your gate, and includes tips and reviews from other travelers.

Travel Nerd has similar information about dozens of airports, plus an overview of ground transportation options to and from the airport, in case weather keeps you grounded.

If a flight delay or cancelation is going to amount to an overnight stay, the Hotel Tonight app helps travelers with last-minute plans with deeply discounted same-day, or night, bookings in about a dozen major cities.

And for those on the ground making an airport pickup, don't get stuck circling the airport while a delayed traveler is in the skies.  The "Just Landed" app for iPhone tracks flights and - based on location - tells a driver when to leave for the airport to ensure an on-time pickup.

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