I arrived at my Manhattan hotel last week, feeling quite pleased with myself for using almost 100 percent public transportation. Prior to joining GT two years ago, my trips to New York were seasonal, and my only mode of transportation was taxi. 

However, I owe my newfound confidence not simply to practice (though I have had plenty at this point) but rather to a little app called iTrans NYC.  I just type in where I want to go, and it offers me the suggested subway routes to get there. If I get turned around when I hit street level, there is always my Google Maps app to help me find my way. With a little extra time between meetings, I can pop on Yelp and find a coffee shop or restaurant close by. The Amtrak and NJ Transit apps are also well-worn icons, getting me in and out of the city with ease. 

In many ways, I have resisted these technologies in my personal life. I have never owned a GPS (save the fact my phone now acts as one) for the sheer fact I take pride in my sense of direction. I love having a well-worn map and Metro schedule in my bag when traveling for pleasure that I take out to find my way from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower. And I love stumbling upon a coffee shop or restaurant somewhere along the way.

However, these technologies are undeniably valuable, especially when traveling on business when efficiency is the number one priority.     

A few others worth mentioning: OneReceipt is an excellent tool for organizing your expenses, though check with your accounting department if photocopied versions of your receipts are acceptable (they are not at GT). Currency+ allows you to quickly calculate the exchange rate, which I do often while walking up to the ATM in a foreign country. 

Next on my download list will be TripIt, highly endorsed by Carly Allen, Global Traveler‘s vice president. Any other great travel apps I am missing?

— Danielle Hudena, executive vice president