The latest game-changing tech toy from the wizards at Apple Inc. has finally arrived, and with it are several travel-friendly Apple Watch apps promising to do everything from unlock a hotel room to open a garage door remotely from the other side of the world.
Apple began shipping watches on April 24 to the estimated 2.3 million early adopters who pre-ordered units (though actual delivery of the device may take four to six weeks).
The new wearables carry price tags ranging from $349 for the basic “Sport” model to $17,000 for the luxe 18-karat gold “Edition” model, and require connection to an iPhone 5 or later to function.
The fact that it’s an untested technology hasn’t stopped several top-tier brands from supporting Apple Watch with a number of interesting functions travelers can take advantage of.
There are the obvious out of the box features for messaging, scheduling and purchasing, but also a handful of wrist-ready third-party apps promising to transform the way you navigate the globe.
Here’s a look at 10 of the best apps for travel.
TripAdvisor
The world’s largest travel site aims to make on-the-go decision-making a cinch with its new Apple Watch app, which selects information from user reviews and beams it onto the watch in nugget-sized morsels to help “find that hidden gem of a restaurant on your next trip” and “unearth dozens of things to do while discovering a new town.”
Apple Watch includes a feature called “Glances” (which allows wearers to get updates from their favorite apps with a swipe up from the watch face), and the TripAdvisor Glance provides GPS-based recommendations throughout the day to guide users toward highly recommended points of interest nearby.
Watch-wearers can adjust their search range to one, five or 10 miles and view the top options within those perimeters.
SPG
Forget fiddling with the room key. This new app from Starwood Hotels and Resorts lets Starwood Preferred Guests open a hotel room door with the flick of an Apple Watch.
The keyless entry function is rolling out across the globe, and currently available at about 150 hotels equipped with the technology, including many (though not all) Aloft, Element and W Hotels.
The app also works for reviewing reservation details, finding directions to a hotel and checking in without ever printing a reservation or waiting in line at the front desk.
Babbel
Babbel aims to take language learning and international travel into the digital age by translating the words you need in any given setting right on your wrist for quick reference.
Its new Apple Watch app lets users learn foreign vocabulary in real situational contexts by detecting their location and providing the appropriate words related to the surroundings.
If they’re in an airport, for example, they might find translations for words like “departure” or “luggage.” If they’re in a cafe, they’ll learn words to easily order a drink.
The service is currently available in 14 languages.
Alarm.com
Alarm.com is a subscription-based security and smart home service that has jumped on the Apple Watch bandwagon early with an innovative app that enables homeowners to control everything from locks and lights to security systems and thermostats.
Apple VP Kevin Lynch used this app at the recent launch event to remotely open his garage door and watch it happen in real time on his Apple Watch screen.
That’s because the app works like a virtual key allowing users to unlock their front door or open their garage to allow a friend or relative to borrow some tools when they’re halfway across the globe.
Citymapper
Citymapper bills itself as a guide to public transport, showing the fastest routes to wherever anyone wants to go and sending live notifications of any service disruptions.
The app provides detailed step-by-step instructions on how to catch the nearest bus or train based on current location, listing at least three upcoming trips to let users choose when they want to leave.
Furthermore, if the destination is an unfamiliar one, the app will deliver a soft tap to the watch letting users know when they’ve arrived.
Citymapper is currently active in about two-dozen cities and six languages.
American Airlines
The new wrist-optimized app from American Airlines answers all the common questions fliers have pre, post and during flight.
You can receive a notification telling you when it’s time to leave for the airport, check in for your trip, get flight information (including gate changes) throughout the travel day and view an in-flight map showing the time remaining until arrival.
The app also displays connection details and information on baggage claim.
Air France, Air New Zealand, British Airways and EasyJet have each followed suit with similar Apple Watch apps of their own.
Uber
Much like the smartphone app, the Apple Watch version will allow users to surreptitiously hail an Uber car with a quick click using GPS data.
This pared down app will then showcase all the information needed about your booked car in one snapshot, including the driver’s estimated time of arrival, photo, rating and license plate.
Expedia
The new Expedia Apple Watch app not only lets users check itineraries for upcoming trips, but also puts detailed flight and hotel information at their wrist and sends actionable notifications of any real-time delays or changes.
The idea is quick access to vital information like gates, terminals and times for flights, or check-in and check-out times, addresses, phone numbers and ratings for hotels.
OpenTable
Like its smartphone counterpart, this allows watch wearers to discover local restaurants, review ratings and pricing and book a night out free and instantly through OpenTable.
The Apple Watch app will then display the details of any upcoming reservation and help guide diners along a map to the restaurant.
Hotels.com
The Hotels.com app for Apple Watch will enable users to seek last-minute deals on nearby hotels, review upcoming reservations and locate booked rooms via GPS.
Through the app, they’ll also receive notifications about upcoming reservations and have full access to their booking details, including hotel addresses and check-in and check-out information.
Mark Johanson is a freelance travel and culture writer based in Santiago, Chile. You can follow his adventures at markjohanson.com.