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14 Best Travel Apps for New Zealand

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Your handiest gadget when travelling abroad (and life in general) is your smartphone. Because we are thoughtful so-and-sos, we have compiled a list of travel apps that can solve the most common problems while travelling in New Zealand. From getting the most accurate weather forecasts in New Zealand to finding the nearest campsite, these apps for travellers are the most convenient ways for the tech-savvy travellers to prepare.

Plus, we know how limited internet access is in New Zealand , so these apps can work with limited data.

Get your smartphone ready now and download these apps, while you still can!

The internet connection isn’t always great in New Zealand. With Pocket, you can save web pages straight from our browser to read them offline.

2. Kindle App

Free for all, the Kindle App gives you access to literally millions of books, thousands of audiobooks, thousands of magazines and much more. No need to have an e-book, just use your phone. This is the single best way to carry an entire library with you aside and save yourself from extra luggage weight. If you fear not to have enough to read, get yourself Kindle Unlimited with your app ( 30 days free trial ) it gives you unlimited access to a massive selection so you can never get bored.

3. Camper Mate

Probably the #1 free New Zealand travel app for travellers is kept up to date by travellers. It features the locations of public toilets, rubbish bins, campsites, free wifi, supermarkets and much more all over New Zealand.

4. Great Rides App (NZ)

If you are looking to tackle some of the best mountain biking tracks in the world while touring New Zealand you need this app. It is specially designed for the NZ Great Rides biking trails where once you download a trail, the app works fully offline. It is GPS-enabled to help you orientate yourself along the trails and includes all the official NZ Great Rides trails plus a few extra tracks. The app is also regularly updated to include new trails such as the Paparoa and even some hiking tracks such as the Heaphy Great Walk.

FREE Download: Google Play Store (Android) Great Rides (NZ) // App Store (iOS) Great Rides (NZ)

5. Google Maps

Because New Zealand’s roads are often tricky, a good map is essential when travelling around. Plus, if you are a bit daft, Google Maps can help you find your hostel in case you forget where it is. It happens! Power tip: to save on data, download the map for the next leg of travel in New Zealand when you have WiFi. ( For tips on finding a decent connection in New Zealand, see here ).

6. Word Lens

If English is not your first language, this app will be a lifesaver. Just point at some words and translate it instantly!

7. Viber or Whatsapp

The two apps are essentially the same. They allow you to call and text people with the same app for free, as long as you have WiFi or data connection. So make sure to get your friends to install the app too.

8. Star Chart

With some of the best night skies in the world, New Zealand is THE place to stargaze. Seriously, just take a look at these stargazing locations . Use Star Chart to know what planet or star you are looking at.

9. Essential New Zealand Travel

Created by 100% Pure New Zealand, this app helps you plan your trip around the country and is illustrated by stunning pictures.

10. Met Service

New Zealand is known to have four seasons in a day ! Be prepared with a good rain jacket and New Zealand’s most accurate weather app.

11. NZ DOC Campsite Finder

For all the campers out there who cannot be bothered planning their itinerary. Use this map to find the location of the nearest Department of Conservation -run campsite.

12. Social Media Apps

Be social… by being glued to your phone. Don’t forget to installFoursquare, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and other apps that you prefer to stay in touch and share your travels with friends and family. By the way, like us on Facebook and follow us on YouTube too.

13. Banking App

Sort out your financial affairs online to make sure you are not going over your backpacking budget. By the way, if you haven’t got a New Zealand bank account yet, check out this article to see how to set a bank account up .

14. Breadcrumbs

Discover things around you with the Breadcrumbs app! Using your location and refining your search with time available, interests and more, Breadcrumbs is a way to discover the hidden gems of New Zealand from travellers and locals with similar tastes to you. In short, it’s the ultimate travel companion for seeing more than the standard tourist sees.

More Travel Tips for New Zealand

10 free wi-fi spots in new zealand where you’ll actually have a good connection.

• What are the Best Phone Networks in New Zealand
• Will Your Phone Work in New Zealand?

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

• Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
• Immigration New Zealand (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2024])
• New Zealand Customs Service (Customs and Biosecurity - Updated [2024])
• New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD online platform - Updated [2024])
• Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2024])
• Safe Travel (NZ travel advisories - Updated [2024])
• Stats NZ (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2024])
• Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Road and transport tips - Updated [2024])
• DriveSafe (Road safety - Updated [2024])
• Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
• AdventureSmart (Know before you go - Update [2024])

Our editorial standards : At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

This article has been reviewed and approved by Robin, who is the co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. With more than 15 years of experience in the New Zealand tourism industry, Robin has co-founded three influential tourism businesses and five additional travel guides for South Pacific nations. He is an expert in New Zealand travel and has tested over 600 activities and 300+ accommodations across the country.

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Helpful tips

Here's a few useful links to help with planning your trip to Aotearoa New Zealand.

• Best things to do in the North Island
• Best things to do in the South Island
• Other Islands
• Best ways to travel around
• Calculate travel times and distances

Recommended Apps

Discover the best of New Zealand, Wellington

By Mike Heydon

Make the most of your time in New Zealand by downloading some of the best travel planning apps.

Whether you are planning your trip or ready to book, use these top apps to find everything you need. Most are even available offline.

Trip planning apps

Plan ahead with detailed weather, snow and marine forecasts of New Zealand’s towns and cities, also available offline. MetService provides information on hourly, daily and 10 day weather forecasts to help you best prepare.  Download for iPhone (opens in new window)  |  Download for Android (opens in new window)

Google Maps

Navigate New Zealand with voice-guided maps from Google using real-time GPS, accurate driving times and distances, automatic re-routing and live traffic reports. Download a map to use offline later. Download for iPhone (opens in new window)  |  Download for Android (opens in new window)

Air New Zealand

Check out the latest travel deals and book international and domestic flights. You can also book rental cars, accommodation, activities and valet parking. See your Airpoints balance and test your general knowledge with the trivia quiz. 

Download for iPhone (opens in new window) | Download for Android (opens in new window)

Rankers Camping NZ

Locate self-contained camping spots and holiday parks and discover the many Department of Conservation campsites throughout New Zealand. You can also search for activities, short walks and find local wildlife areas. Download the map and continue your search offline. 

Download for iPhone (opens in new window)  | Download for Android (opens in new window)

This is a handy app if you're planning a campground or motel based holiday. Get information about road warnings and receive Mountain Track Safety Alerts. Find free wifi spots, public toilets, supermarkets, petrol stations, hostels and more. Available in English,  Chinese, German and French. 

Download for iPhone (opens in new window)  |  Download for Android (opens in new window)

Find things to see and do

Great Walks App

The New Zealand Great Walks consists of several premier hiking tracks spread over the North and South Islands. Find your favourite track and plot the route via the embedded GPS. Navigate yourself offline with the easy to read instructions.

New Zealand is famous for Dark Sky Reserves. Simply point your device to the night sky and virtual stars and planets will appear through the app. See exactly what is in the sky and learn fun facts about the constellations.   

Download for iPhone (opens in new window)  

New Zealand's Great Rides

Everything you need to know about cycling the Great Rides of New Zealand can be found on this app.  If you're looking at riding one of New Zealand's 22 Great Rides, the  Great Rides App  is free to install and will help you plan your way around the trails - it even works offline!

Auckland Stories

Explore Auckland on-foot on one of the walking tours, incorporating themes such as heritage walks, writers’ walks, and shopping walks. Learn about the local history of each walk and view photos from the past on the app.  Download for iPhone (opens in new window)  |  Download for Android (opens in new window)

My Welly Walks

Discover all the best tourist spots and hidden gems in Wellington-nature reserves, forests, farmlands and the rugged South Coast. Visit Wellington’s cultural highlights of the city such as food, history and art.  Download for iPhone (opens in new window)

The Roady App

An app that can help travellers to have an easy access to local knowledge, the walks, waterfalls, swimming holes and viewpoints, favourite spots and key information all in one place.  Download for iPhone (opens in new window) | Download for Android (opens in new window)

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Where to Next

11 must-do experiences in the South Island long-arrow-right

11 must-do North Island experiences long-arrow-right

New Zealand itineraries long-arrow-right

Plan your trip long-arrow-right

• 18 Must-Have Travel Apps for your New Zealand Road Trip

This article may contain links to products and services we use and recommend. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For more information, see our Disclosure Policy .

Download your Sustainable Travel Checklist and show the world you care

Connect with the locals, find a place to camp for the night, rankers camping nz, how is the information kept up to date, save money – on fuel, activities and dining, know what the weather is going to be like, swellmap surf, sandfly map, aed locations, more #vanlife articles, buy second-hand (and sell things you no longer need), explore beautiful aotearoa, new zealand’s great walks, pocket maps, great rides, what new zealand-specific travel apps could you recommend, author: paul ryken.

These days, there is an app for (almost) anything. So how do you choose the essential apps for your smartphone when you’re doing a road trip around New Zealand ? You know those that help you have a great time and save some bucks; not those wasting your time (and data allowance).

We experienced van life around New Zealand in 2018 and again in December 2020. We also regularly ask fellow road trippers in Aotearoa what apps they would not travel without. So, this list is tried and tested (and regularly updated) by (heaps of) people in the know. All the apps listed are FREE. And you won’t find generic apps you use anyway and anywhere.

So, what are the best mobile apps for your travels around New Zealand ?

As travellers, we should all be aware of our travel behaviour and its environmental, economic and social impact; and make conscious decisions about it. Too often, we hear negative stories in the media about tourists behaving badly.

Here is your chance to tick some boxes and check out what it really takes to travel with a sustainable mindset.

The fine print: I agree to receive the Minimalist Journeys newsletter full of news, actionable tips and practical advice every month. I know I can unsubscribe at any time. I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .

Speaking the local language, even just a few words, makes all the difference when visiting a destination. Developed by Air New Zealand , the national carrier of Aotearoa ( New Zealand in the Māori language), Kia Rere is an app that introduces you to the Māori language and culture .

From the basics of the Māori alphabet and correct pronunciation to common words and phrases, the app is a great little knowledge base for those who’d like to truly connect with the land and people of Aotearoa . It even teaches you the national anthem and the haka .

CamperMate is one of New Zealand ’s most popular free travel apps. It is packed with campervan-related travel information and helps you find whatever you may need on your road trip around New Zealand : free, low cost and paid campsites or hostels; free Wi-Fi; public toilets; supermarkets; laundromats; petrol stations; dump stations; tips from fellow travellers; road alerts and more. The app also offers last-minute discount deals on accommodation and activities based on your location.

When you combine Kiwi ingenuity with IT expertise, you get Rankers. Rankers Camping NZ offers every New Zealand camping location on your smartphone or tablet. It has offline maps, so you don’t need data to find your next destination.

Rankers was our primary campsite app during our road trip in December 2020. We would find a campsite on Rankers and read the reviews , and then check CamperMate to read their reviews too.

WikiCamps also works offline, so you don’t need to worry about having a cellular signal or Wi-Fi connection. In 2018, we found campsites that were not mentioned on CamperMate , so WikiCamps was a good additional app for us to have.

WikiCamps lets you create your own road trip itinerary using its in-built trip planner (a functionality CamperMate doesn’t have). Add sites to your trip, update your progress as you drive, and share your trip with friends and family.

Campable has a listing of private properties – resorts, vineyards, working farms, cultural sites and private clubs – that you can book for camping and motorhome travel in New Zealand . A bit like Airbnb , just for campervan and motorhome users.

You must set up an account online and provide your credit card to facilitate the payment process. Once that is completed, you use your smartphone to locate and filter the properties you wish to consider. And once you’ve found the perfect site on Campable, you can book (and pay for) it right through the app.

GeoZone is a network of travel apps that all share the same GPS travel information and comments. The information is supplied by councils, government and third parties. The network also allows users of these apps to add new information and once verified, these submissions are added to the network. The sharing nature of the network ensures that connected apps show up-to-date information.

While every effort is made to ensure the information contained in the apps is correct, no one can guarantee 100% accuracy. The apps have great feedback loops. So, if there is something you find is incorrect, do your part and report it.

This is an absolute must-have for anyone with a vehicle in New Zealand . It has saved us A LOT of money over the years.

Gaspy tells you where the cheapest fuel is in your area. The prices on Gaspy are crowd-sourced, which means the app relies on like-minded consumers sharing fuel prices all around New Zealand . Just confirm or update the latest price list for the petrol station you are visiting. That’s it. By working together we can all enjoy cheaper gas and put pressure on Big Oil to maintain competitive pricing.

Sharing fuel prices is not just economically rewarding but also fun, as, with each share, you earn points. And the highest point scorer of the week receives a fuel voucher. How cool is that?

Want to kayak around Abel Tasman National Park , fly over Aoraki / Mt Cook and the surrounding glaciers or book a table for dinner in one of Auckland ’s or Wellington ’s many restaurants? BookMe offers significant (last minute) discounts on travel and dining experiences, so you can do more fun stuff while you’re out and about exploring Aotearoa .

Tour operators and restaurants all around the country that have not sold the expected number of seats up to a week ahead put their offers on the app, giving you the chance to save up to 90% of the retail price.

With New Zealand ’s notoriously unpredictable weather, a weather app comes in handy, especially when you’re about to set out on a hiking trip or book a ferry crossing .

The MetService New Zealand Weather app

• is location services enabled to provide easy access to forecasts and observations most relevant to where you are
• provides a quick overview with morning, afternoon, evening and overnight icons; an interactive national temperature map and 48-hour forecast graphs
• includes a real-time rain radar for your area, zoomable three-day rain forecast maps as well as severe weather warnings and watches for your location.

It even allows you to customize your weather dashboard or view live traffic cameras for urban locations.

SwellMap Surf provides you with the latest surf and marine weather predictions for hundreds of spots around New Zealand . Forecasts are updated four times a day, using the latest atmospheric and oceanographic models.

SwellMap has the following features:

• Detailed daily forecasts providing ratings, summaries, set face, wave height, swell height, swell direction, swell period, tides, wind, gusts, sea temperature, sunset and sunrise
• Seven-day swell and wind forecast graphs, forecast maps of rain, pressure, temperature, wind, wave height, wave period and sea temperature to help you plan your surf trip.

It even lets you save your favourite spot forecasts.

New Zealand has its nickname ‘the shaky isles’ for a reason. So having an app on your smartphone for New Zealand ’s earthquakes and volcanic activity is a MUST.

The GeoNet app provides notifications when earthquakes happen, based on your settings on intensity, location, magnitude and depth. You can also choose to be informed when there is volcanic activity. If you felt a rumble and are not sure whether that was an earthquake, you can view earthquakes on a customisable map or in list form, and report what you felt at your location.

For those of you unfamiliar with earthquakes, the app’s FAQs contain some useful links to prepare yourself.

Unlike on the West Island (aka Australia ), there are no deadly critters in New Zealand . But, as everyone who’s ever been to New Zealand will know, there are some nasties: they’re called sandflies (or Austrosimulium in biological terms).

We can blame our ancestors for them: When the Māori god Tu-te-raki-whanoa created the West Coast of the South Island , the locals stopped working to admire his work. The goddess Hine-nui-te-pō became slightly annoyed seeing those unproductive people. So she created the sandfly to bite them and get them moving.

But there is good news: Even for this problem there is an app. Sandfly Map allows travellers and locals to report sandfly hotspots around New Zealand .

If you, your travel mates and fellow road users have a medical emergency where the patient needs resuscitation, knowing where the nearest Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) is, could save lives.

The AED Locations app helps you find the nearest AED based on your location. AED location information is stored by the application and available offline.

• Van Life: How much does it cost to get started
• Van Life: How much does it cost to explore New Zealand
• Van Life Essentials: The complete packing list for your campervan travels
• Van Life Essentials: Key fixtures and fittings for your campervan
• Campervan relocations: What to expect and are they worthwhile?

TradeMe is New Zealand ’s equivalent of eBay and Craigslist. Most people looking to buy or sell their car or campervan will use this online platform. We even used TradeMe to find parts for our campervan which were unavailable (or too expensive) at auto shops nearby.

The app gives you the ability to:

• list items to sell and edit them later
• search, browse and filter by a category
• add, view and remove watch list items
• bid on items or buy them straight up
• add items to your shopping cart to purchase multiple items at once
• pay using your credit or debit card; and credit your TradeMe account.

BTW, jobs and properties are also listed on TradeMe. So, if you are looking for (part-time) work or want to rent a room, you may also want to check out the app.

You can’t have a list of New Zealand road trip apps without actually having one called Roadtrip . The brainchild of Emory Fierlinger and Ben Robertson, this app has worked well for our use case recently. We needed to understand what it would cost when did a return trip from Waipukarau to Palmerston North recently, including the cost of the Road User Changes given our vehicle uses diesel fuel.  This calculator is the ultimate app for calculating expenses on your vehicle journey from A to B, tailored to your car model! The User Interface is simple. Enter your start and end points, input your car model and press Go. That’s it!

The Great Walks of New Zealand showcase premier multi-day hiking trails through some of the best scenery in New Zealand . From native forests, lakes and rivers to rugged mountain peaks, deep gorges and vast valleys – there is a Great Walk for everyone.

On the Great Hikes app you can learn more about the routes, their history and more:

• Abel Tasman Coast Track
• Heaphy Track
• Kepler Track
• Lake Waikaremoana Track
• Milford Track
• Paparoa Track and Pike29 Memorial Track
• Rakiura Track
• Routeburn Track
• Tongariro Northern Circuit
• Whanganui Journey .

This is a must-have app for those who tramp (as hiking is called) in New Zealand .

Ever wanted to hike the length of a country? Well, with Te Araroa (meaning The Long Pathway) you can. All 3,000km (1,900 miles) from the very top to the very bottom of New Zealand (or the other way around).

The Te Araroa app is the go-to app for those hiking the Te Araroa trail. Users are able to view maps and elevations (including offline topo maps), campsites and huts, as well as official trail notes and user comments.

Do you just want to do day hikes ? No problem. Pocket Maps has you covered. The app enables you to view public conservation areas and other accessible lands, pointing out public access boundaries, and where and how you can traverse the land.

Maps are seperated into regions and can be downloaded for offline use. App features also include route measuring and GPS positioning.

New Zealand is also a great destination for (mountain)biking. The Great Rides app helps you to pick, plan and plot your next adventure on the New Zealand Cycle Trail. Created by passionate New Zealand rider and cartographer, Gary Patterson, the Great Rides app is a New Zealand Cycle Trail national partner, and the only mobile app featuring all 22 Great Rides.

I wrote this New Zealand travel apps article based on our own experience. If you have used specific New Zealand -based apps while exploring New Zealand as well and you have something to add to this list, please feel free to contact me. If you liked our list of New Zealand travel apps and found them helpful, I would appreciate if you could share them with your friends and family via the Share buttons below. Even better, link to the page from your personal blog or social media platforms.

NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL APPS TO DOWNLOAD BEFORE YOU ARRIVE

by Jub | Jul 13, 2022

Looking for the best New Zealand travel apps to download?

Here are seven I have downloaded before arriving back in NZ (there’s a bonus 8th app that doesn’t apply to me).

I’ve now added an extra three apps having discovered them after writing this post.

It’s not as if downloading these specific apps will be the decisive factor between you having an awesome time in New Zealand or not. But, they can definitely make travelling NZ easier in the right circumstances.

Background for this post: I just bought a new phone yesterday, and given that I’ll be heading back to New Zealand in the next week to travel all around the country I figure it’s the perfect time to write this post!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. CamperMate 2. WikiCamps 3. Maps.me 4. Skinny 5. grabaseat 6. Expenses App 7. Podcast App 8. NZTOPOS 9. NZeTA App 10. Gaspy

1. CAMPERMATE

Download: Play Store | Apple Store

If you’re planning to rent and or buy a campervan in New Zealand (or road trip in any fashion really), then you must have CamperMate . There’s a lot to love about this app:

• user reviews for campsites
• maps available offline
• has everything travellers need pinned, including drinking fountains

Definitely download this regardless of your situation. It’s one of the best apps for campervan life in NZ .

2. WIKICAMPS

This is my first time using this app, so I can’t give a fill recommendation but it seems very useful from my little time using WikiCamps . It’s true that most locations are listed on CamperMate but the search functionality for camping sites only makes life a lot easier for people like me who are going to using a tent often in NZ (maps available offline).

Maps.me really should consider me as an ambassador as I recommend the app every day (well nearly). So here I am again. You need to download Maps.me because even the reception across the country isn’t great, so while you might have some Skinny credit, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get reception.

You’ll need to download the maps beforehand so they’re available offline, but overall it’s one of the best hiking apps for NZ (my goto hiking GPS) and keeping track of where you are when hitchhiking /driving etc. out of reception.

p.s. Number 8 is a good hiking app too.

4. SKINNY MOBILE

If you’re planning to get a sim card in New Zealand there are a few main options, Skinny, Vodafone, and 2 Degrees. For 95% of you, Skinny Mobile is going to be the best sim card for you .

That doesn’t mean you’ll have an amazing deal in terms of data (it’s an NZ thing) so keeping an eye on how much you’ve got left using the app will keep you from blowing it all.

5. GRABASEAT

This is definitely an underrated site! If you’re in New Zealand and looking at a potential trip to Australia and the Pacific Islands for a short time, check in on Grab A Seat every morning. It’s a site from Air New Zealand that posts daily domestic deals, and a few times a week there’ll be international deals too. You can pick up some incredible deals! It only takes a few seconds to scroll through the options to see if any tickle your fancy.

6. EXPENSES APP

Download: Travel Budget | Trail Wallet

It only takes a look at the prices in NZ supermarkets to quickly discover that NZ is not the cheapest of destinations (you probably knew this already if you’ve looked at accommodation etc.) Therefore, I make sure to always track what I spend when in New Zealand as I find it helps me subconsciously control my spending on pointless things (e.g. excessive snacks).

When I had an iPhone, I was a big fan of the Trail Wallet app (paid), but unfortunately, it’s not supported on Android. I downloaded a bunch of apps when I switched to Samsung and settled on Travel Budget as my preferred expenses tracking app. And it’s free, yay.

7. PODCAST APP

Have you jumped on the podcast bandwagon yet? If not, New Zealand might be the place to do so if you’re on a nice leisurely stroll. I won’t always listen to podcasts when hiking solo (got to try and connect with nature and all the woo woo stuff) but have actively listened to them since 2014ish. They’re perfect for listening to while driving too.

When I had my iPhone, my preferred podcasting app was Overcast . Unfortunately, like Trail Wallet above, it’s not supported on Android so after testing a bunch, I settled on Podcast Addict as my app of choice.

8. NZTOPOS & NZTOPON

If you are planning on lots of multiday hikes in the South Island and North Island, you’ll want to own load these two topo maps (one for each item).

You do pay for them, but the levels of detail compared to the maps.me app above is crazy. And it’ll help you understand how steep the terrain is around you and what’s in store. Once you gone topo, you don’t go back.

READ MORE: 4 REASONS THIS NZ TOPO APP IS THE BEST

9. NZeTA APP (FOR YOUR VISA)

Do you need to apply for a visa before arriving in NZ as a tourist? Then you’ll need to learn about the NZeTA visa and apply for yours via the official Play Store or Apple app if neccessary.

With so many people both road-tripping around NZ and feeling like gas companies are their worst enemy, this app works a treat. It’s all about crowdsourcing the latest gas prices at places around New Zealand and lists them all in an easy to use format.

When the difference between prices is like 15 cents a litre for places within a kilometre of each other you can save real money with this free app!

BEST NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL APPS CONCLUSION

As I said, downloading all these apps is 100% not necessary to enjoy most of the things to do in New Zealand . But, they certainly can improve them depending on your plans. Maybe you only need one or two? It’s up to you1

Let me know if you download any of these apps and they made your trip that tiny little bit better in some way. Or if I’ve missed one that I should consider, then let us know below!

That’s all you need to know about the best apps for New Zealand travel 🙂

What to read next:

• Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway
• Waipohatu Waterfalls walk in the Catlins
• What souvenirs to buy in New Zealand

Hey, it’s Jub here. I’m the guy behind Chur New Zealand, helping you have the best time hiking, trekking, walking…whatever you want to call it…in NZ. I’m based in Queenstown and am always out and about exploring trails, old & new. If you have any questions, reach out.

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The Best Apps to Use When Traveling New Zealand

• 6 January 2021 14 April 2023

If you’re planning a trip to New Zealand , you need to download these travel apps . I’ve rounded up the 19 most useful apps that will help you find accommodation, get around, and find things to do while in the country. These will help make your trip planning much easier and more organized!

As they used to say in those original iPhone commercials, “there’s an app for that!”

⇉ The ultimate guide to traveling New Zealand

NZMCA Travel

Trip planning with new zealand travel apps.

Here are the best apps to use when searching for flights or rental cars before coming into the country.

Air New Zealand

As New Zealand’s national airline, you’ll most likely fly Air New Zealand if you’re traveling into or around the country. Their app is useful to check on your current reservations and see how many AirPoints you have. There is a button to book flights on the app, but it will take you to your phone’s browser to actually complete it.

• Jetstar is another (more budget-friendly ) airline in New Zealand.

Skyscanner is simply the best app to find cheap flights. If you have flexible travel dates, use the “Everywhere” feature to find the cheapest flights from your airport to anywhere in the world. They also have a new feature when looking at particular flights that tells you all about the airline’s COVID-19 precautions.

Kiwi.com is another great app to search for cheap flights, hotels, and car rentals. It also has an “Anywhere” feature to find the cheapest flights and you can set up alerts for when a flight drops below a particular price. You can access all of your bookings right in the app, making it super convenient as well.

Transportation

These are the apps you want to use when trying to get around the country.

Google Maps

As an Apple stan, I’m sad to say that Apple Maps is pretty bad in New Zealand. Google Maps is much more reliable and accurate for driving directions and business hours. I also love using Google Maps to save a location, restaurant, or hike I’m interested in onto a list. The lists can be organized by country, trip, or any way you want. You can then use your lists to help you plan trips! ( Here’s an example of one of mine.)

Ahh, where would we be without ride sharing? Uber is great to use in New Zealand, although there aren’t always cars available everywhere. You’ll have the best luck using it in bigger cities like Auckland and Christchurch .

If you’re tired of exploring a city on foot, you can use the Lime app to unlock and pay for a scooter! In bigger cities, you’ll see them laying around every couple of blocks. Once you’ve scootered around to your heart’s content, simply lock it up with the app and leave it for the next person to unlock. (To be honest, we use these less for transportation and more for joy-riding. Weee!)

Accommodation + camping

These will help you find accommodation (whether it be a hostel, a hotel, or a campsite).

HostelWorld

HostelWorld is my favorite app for finding hostels and guesthouses. After entering your location and dates, it shows you a list of available spots based on several different factors, including location, cleanliness, atmosphere, and more. I always check a hostel’s reviews on this app (whether I book through it or not!).

If you want something nicer than a hostel but don’t want to stay in a hotel, Airbnb is great! I love using it for longer stays because you can filter by spots that have a full kitchen (cooking is one of the easiest ways to save money on a trip). Airbnbs in New Zealand often offer a really unique experience as well — there are tons of treehouses, bungalows, and glamping options!

Rankers Camping

This is a must-have app if you’re traveling New Zealand by campervan . Rankers shows you campsites all around the country, filtered by type, price, whether you need to be self-contained, etc. You can also find and book activities, walks, roadside stalls, and more! One of the best features is their Quality Free Wifi map, which is exactly what it sounds like. Check this app for any and all camping or roadtrip information!

CamperMate is essentially the same concept as Rankers Camping, but it includes information for Australia as well. This app would be great if you’re knocking both countries out in one trip. You’ll find tons of information about nearby campsites, activities, restaurants, and more.

This app is super handy if you’re a member of the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association. It will help you find NZMCA-only campsites and parking spots around the country, as well as keeping your membership information handy. You can also pay your NZMCA park fees directly through the app.

Food + Activities

These apps will help you find restaurants, event tickets, outdoor activities, and other fun things to do around New Zealand.

Roadtrippers

Roadtrippers is a great app to use when (you guessed it!) going on a road trip . You enter your point A and point B, and the app tells you anything interesting along the way. It has restaurants, bars, attractions, historical points, and more. If you create a new trip, you can save your route and things you want to see all in one handy spot.

GrabOne is a local app and website that lets you book experiences, activities, and event tickets for a steep discount. There are also hotel stays, restaurant meal deals, and physical items on sale. It’s kind of like the Kiwi version of Groupon!

New Zealand’s Great Walks

This app is great for finding information about all of New Zealand’s Great Walks (the most popular DOC-maintained, multi-day hikes). It gives you directions to certain trailheads and describes the kinds of terrains and huts you’ll encounter. You can save all of the information about a particular walk for offline viewing as well.

Great Rides

The Great Rides app is helpful if you’re planning on doing any cycling or biking around the country. It details all of the most popular cycling routes, with information about terrain, incline, and sights to see along the way. Just like the Great Walks app, you can download the information to your phone to access offline.

I love AllTrails for anything hiking-related. You can browse for hikes near you , see how other people have reviewed them, and save your favorites into organized lists. When you’re out on the trail, there is an option to record your hike to see your route, altitude, and other fun stats. If you know you won’t have reception where you’re going, there’s also the option to save a map of the trail offline.

Useful New Zealand travel apps

These are going to be the miscellaneous useful apps that don’t fit into any of the other categories.

If you’re coming from a country that needs an electronic travel authorization , you’ll want to download the NZeTA app. You can use it to apply for authorization and pay the fee (it’s $9 on the app versus $12 online!). You can also check the status of your application and use the reference number provided when going through customs.

This is the most accurate weather app I’ve found (again, Apple’s weather app isn’t the greatest in New Zealand!). It will show you daily, weekly, and monthly forecasts, as well as radars for rain or snow. My favorite features are the ones that tell you how many layers you should wear and how much sun protection you need that day.

XE Currency Converter

This app is great and super user-friendly. You can enter a few different currencies and compare them all at once on one screen. The market rates update about once a minute, so you know you’re getting the most accurate conversion. You can also check out a currency’s chart to see how the rate has been the past week, month, or year. There’s an option to send or receive money directly through the app as well!

Hopefully this list of New Zealand travel apps has helped you in planning your trip! There is tons of information out there, so getting it all organized in one spot is usually the most difficult part. With so many resources at our disposal, knowing which apps are the most useful is super helpful.

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Best New Zealand Travel Apps: The 7 Essentials

by Jub | Mar 15, 2016

There’s no doubt road tripping has changed in the last decade. Paper maps and a compass? I’m no Bear Grylls, I’ll just take the iPhone. It’s even got a torch!

On my recent mini road trip around the North Island (March 2016), there were a couple apps that I hadn’t heard of before that made travelling around the North Island much easier.

In addition to these new apps, there are a couple apps I use religiously to form the seven best New Zealand travel apps for your next road trip in the country.

CamperMate For Your Road Tripping Necessities

As we were planning where to camp on the first night near Taupo I was told to download CamperMate. Can’t believe I hadn’t heard of this one. For those who are road tripping ( check out 23 NZ road trip itineraries ) in either a self contained or non-self contained vehicles you will get great use out of this.

All of the nearby campsites, green equals it’s ok for freedom campers

Users are able to review the campsites and do so regularly ensuring you get up to date information on the ever changing camp sites. You can also get information about water sources, toilets, showers, LPG refills and more. If you travel New Zealand somewhat frequently, get this app. It’s the best of all the New Zealand travel apps in this list (they have also just launced in Australia).

Download: Apple Store ! Android Store

iTravelNZ To Figure Out A Plan

When I arrive in a country I plan to be in for any substantial length of time I download a handful of city/country guide apps. I then quickly play around with them all and delete all but the best one or two, it doesn’t take long to work out which is the best.

I only discovered the worms in Wairarapa recently and will be visiting them in the coming weeks

iTravelNZ was the best for me due to its layout and simplicity with minimal features in the menu. It also got me in the good books with my friends when I discovered the Putangirua Pinnacles in Martinborough via the app (pictured below) thanks to the ‘Todays Top’ feature.

A photo posted by Jub (@tikitouringkiwi) on Feb 24, 2016 at 1:48am PST

Download: Apple Store ! Android

The Essential New Zealand App Is A Solid Backup

While the iTravelNZ app has pretty much everything there’s no harm in having a back up. Two is enough, I could list 20+ other apps highlighting NZ destinations but that’s pointless.

I like this app as it’s run by Tourism New Zealand therefore you can guarantee the information will be verified where possible as well being one of the first to identify any new information.

Having woken up at Reid’s Farm, I discovered the Craters of the Moon nearby. Had never heard of it before opening the app.

GrabASeat To Snag Cheap Domestic & International Flights

Air New Zealand is one of the best airlines worldwide . Given this you wouldn’t expect them to have the cheapest flights domestic or international but they first launched GrabASeat.

I still find myself checking the which deals are available every day, and it only takes 10 seconds with the app.

Everyday you’ll find a variety of domestic routes on sale for dates anywhere in the next few months. It doesn’t always work out quite right but there’s no harm at taking a quick browse each morning. They often do incredible international deals too.

Who knows when you might end up in Invercargill 🙂

Maps.Me Because Reading Paper Maps Is Hard

Maps.Me is the app I recommended to people the most in 2016 and already heads the list in 2017. New Zealand mobile data plans are shocking so Maps.Me works in your favour as the best New Zealand offline map app. The app continues to evolve, with walking and driving directions available.

All these pins, most I’ve been too…others I want to go to sooner rather than later

You can pin all of your favourite spots as well, for a free offline map. The picture shows all places of interest I’ve marked in New Zealand since arriving home in January.

Trail Wallet To Ensure You Money Doesn’t Sneak Into The Drain

New Zealand is expensive. Having travelled to 40+ countries (albeit many are known to be cheap countries to travel too) I can say New Zealand is right up there, if not at the top of the pile in terms of cost.

Just when you think you are able to cut costs in one area, it always seems to be the case that another expense that suddenly increases. Either way, watching your budget is crucial. This app is sensational for tracking your expenses. It helps to make sure you don’t find yourself leaking money on needless things (Jub, stop drinking coke) and a bunch of other bits and pieces.

It’s the only app that costs on this list (try the free trial first), but the USD4.99 will be saved quickly simply by having the thought of needing to enter silly purchases resting in the back of your mind.

March is proving to be expensive by my usual spending rate

Download: Apple Store ! Not available for Android

The Best New Zealand Travel Apps As It Looks Like On My Phone

The 7 Best Kiwi Travel Apps You Need

It’s crazy how our phones are an extension of our arm in today’s world. At times I wish I could throw away my phone as I’m too reliant on it too often. But on the positive side they help us in so many ways. Apps have made travel a lot easier in many aspects, especially international travel.

Like anything, you need to find the right balance for you. I could list another stack of apps here but then you’ll find yourself forgetting to look up. This compilation if what I believe the best New Zealand apps. Any apps you think I should check out?

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Heyya, Jub here.

I hope Tiki Touring Kiwi isn't making your day too miserable.

If you ever spot a man with a cat shirt and a beard, it's probably me :)

New Zealand travel guide Travelling & tourist information

New Zealand travel guide

Travelling & tourist information, new zealand travel apps.

Here is a range of recommended travel apps for your awesome trip to New Zealand:

MetService App (from MetService New Zealand)

In addition to the paid weather app there is also a free ' MetService Marine App ', which is also useful because you will spend most of your time on the coast or next to lakes. Also important is the information about the tide times - not only for visiting Hot Water Beach - it is always good to know when the tide comes in when you go for a beach walk! Also this free app includes a rain radar.

New Zealand Topo Maps Free (from Atlogis)

The maps can also be downloaded for free - in TIFF format - from Land Information New Zealand / LINZ.

TravelSafeNZ (from travelsafenz.co.nz)

Warnings and instructions for travelling on the road: weather forecasts, traffic, road closures, diversions and other information.

Heritage Trails (Heritage New Zealand)

From colonial times and events to the Christchurch earthquake, the first trails are particularly interesting for Northland and Waikato travellers.

AA Road Code Quiz (from the New Zealand Automobile Association)

Essential New Zealand Travel (by Tourism New Zealand)

Travel guide app from the Official Tourism Organisation of New Zealand, with location sensitive travel information and many listings.

The Whanake (from AUT University)

Free app to learn Te Reo Maori , for beginners. AUT University also produces a paid app of the standard dictionary of the Maori language.

Camper Mate

They even provide real-time information on how fast some freedom camping spots are filling up!

Official Camping NZ - Free (from rankers.co.nz)

Another offline app with camping information .

WikiCamps New Zealand

Another travel app for tent sites, toilets, Wifi hotspots etc.

Nest finder NZ

Maps including information on campsites, DOC huts and backpacker hostels in New Zealand - ideal if at 8pm you still have not found a campsite...

St John NZ CPR & AED

Plan My Walk - NZ Mountain Safety Council

Best New Zealand Travel Apps

Written by: Stephen Schreck

So you're planning a visit to New Zealand? Travelling a whole new country can become overwhelming at times - organising flights, accommodation, tours, places to eat, places to drink, mountains to climb. Luckily in this day and age there are many travel apps that can make your trip so much easier! To help you make the most of your New Zealand travels we have prepared a list of the   best travel apps for backpacking New Zealand.

1. Essential New Zealand Travel

The first travel app that you should download (for free by the way) is by the county's official Tourism organisation. Tourism New Zealand have created a fantastic app that has information about thousands of locations and experiences around the country. The app has must do’s in every region of the country and lists upon lists of things to see in each town.

It also has updated prices, and descriptions and information about many activities and attractions across the country. However, one reason this is one of the best travel apps when backpacking New Zealand is that it functions completely when you are offline.

There are a few reasons why Herepin comes in at number 2 on our list of best travel apps. First of all, it connects you to other backpackers and locals in your area and lets you arrange meet ups with people in the same location. It is also full of off the beaten track locations that are well worth exploring when visiting New Zealand. You can scroll through recommendations by like-minded travelers that let you tailor your new Zealand experience.

3. Camper Mate

If you are road tripping and camping your way through New Zealand than Camper Mate is a must. The app shows you everything you will ever need, from free camping sites, the best natural wonders and attractions to visit whilst hitting the road, public toilets, free WiFi hotspots, supermarkets, cafes and more!

4. Air New Zealand

If you are flying Air New Zealand than this free app is a must. It keeps you up to date with gate numbers, flights delays, and even local traffic. The app lets you check in and even doubles as a boarding pass on most flights.

5. New Zealand's Great Walks

For hikers, Great Walks is a helpful resource to some of the best trails in the country. The app was developed by the New Zealand Department of Conservation and provides everything you need to know to plan your hiking trip. The apps come with annotated guides and works offline to show your locations during the hike. It even doubles as a digital travel blog - recording your hikes as you go!

6. iTravelNZ

This app features information on over 1,500 points of interest across every region of New Zealand. This app is essential to craft your perfect New Zealand trip. The app is easy to use and covers everything from events and activities.

Apps make our lives as travelers easy. These are the best travel apps to help you travel New Zealand safer, smarter, and better informed.

Want to find out more about backpacking in New Zealand? You may like our Backpacking Guide to New Zealand .

Crossing the ditch? Check out the best travel apps for backpacking around the world.

Like this post? Please share it

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The Best Apps to use on your New Zealand Roadtrip

Travel smarter with these handy apps in your pocket

Does anyone remember the old days when getting lost on a road trip meant pulling out your trusty AA roadmap, and still not being sure where you were going?

When you’d get up early and drive to the beach for sunrise, only to find it was pouring with rain and the tide was out?

When you’d arrive in a new town at the end of the day, only to find there were no vacancies, or the campsite had been washed away in a flood months earlier?

With your favourite cassette tapes and a handwritten list of all the places you wanted to go, you’d warn your friends you’d be off grid for a few weeks while you went exploring Aotearoa.

As lovely as nostalgia is, we, for one, are thankful that road trips these days are much simpler than they used to be. Now, everything you need is in your pocket.

These apps can save you time, money, and frustration, and help you to understand not only where you are, but what to do in each place you visit.

Wherever you’re going on your New Zealand road trip, you can spend more time enjoying the journey when you travel smarter with this selection of apps for your iPhone or Android.

Here are our top picks and must-have apps for your next New Zealand road trip: 

Navigation & Weather 

Google Maps

The world’s favourite navigation app, you probably already have Google Maps on your phone. It’s reliable, it’s accurate, and it’s perfect for NZ because you can download maps before you go, ready for offline use in all those out-of-the-way places. Once you’ve downloaded a map, you can continue to use the app seamlessly whether you’re online or offline, or just in shaky reception.

iOS | Android

New Zealand’s #1 weather app lets you plan your adventures according to the weather forecast. It also includes sunrise and sunset, humidity, pollen counts, UV index, wind speed, and high and low tide forecasts, so you know what to expect before you venture out.

Star Chart 

New Zealand is well known for its dark sky reserves and regions, where stargazing is perfectly unhindered by light pollution from nearby towns. Star Chart can help you to understand what you’re looking at, with real-time identification of every star and planet within your field of vision – simply point your phone at the sky, and you’ll be feeling like Galileo in no time. Handy hint: the app also has a Night Mode function, which switches the colours of your screen from bright white and blue to red and black, allowing you to preserve your night vision outside in the dark for better stargazing.

Safety & Essentials 

Splitwise  .

Make sharing costs on a group road trip easy, with this app that lets you input and track expenses as you go, including who’s paid for what and who owes who money. Manage your budget, split costs how you like, and make sure you get paid back for petrol so you all stay friends by the end of the trip.

Compass & Torch Apps 

Both Android and iPhones come with built-in Compass and Torch apps – make sure you know where these are, or move them to your home screen for easier access. Aside from basic navigation, the compass app can be helpful for figuring out which direction the sun will rise or set (for the perfect sunset selfie). Meanwhile the torch is handy not only for late night toilet visits, but also for inspecting issues in your vehicle’s engine or undercarriage.

Want a WiFi connection that travels with you?  With Wireless Nation’s Lifestyle or NZMCA plans, you can use a portable wireless modem that plugs into your vehicle or any regular outlet, so you can stay connected on your next road trip. Read more here about the differences between using a portable WiFi connection, vs using data on the road.

Freedom Camping, Campsites & Accommodation

Nzmca travel app.

Rankers Camping NZ

CamperMate  

Entertainment & Eating Out 

Apple Podcasts & Podcast Addict 

Trip Advisor 

GoPro/Canon/Sony/Nikon App 

Sightseeing & Activities  

Swellmap surf.

Great Hikes 

Great Rides 

Keep the internet at your fingertips with a wireless modem

With all these apps in your pocket, the only other thing you need to think about is data. When you’ve got a portable WiFi modem and a plan from Wireless Nation, you don’t have to worry about data – you can keep in touch, download music and maps, find secret spots and track down an emergency repair shop when you need it. If you’re not sure what you need for your trip, you can find out more here about the differences between using your mobile data vs buying a portable router for the road . Wherever you’re going in Aotearoa, Wireless Nation has you covered. Find out more about our NZMCA and our Lifestyle plans now.

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The Air NZ app

Download the air nz app, travel easier with the air nz app.

Manage your travel on the move

• Easily manage your flight bookings and travel-related services
• Check in with your app and get your digital boarding pass
• Stay updated with real-time flight info like gate number, boarding and departure times
• Track your flight status and receive day of travel notifications
• Instantly see options for flight cancellations
• Order your favourite hot drink when you're in our participating lounges*

Turn your phone into your ticket

• Add your flight booking
• Scan your digital boarding pass at a kiosk to print tags for your bags
• If under one booking, hold boarding passes for your group (up to 9 people)
• Use your digital boarding pass for Air New Zealand lounge access 
• Use your device to present your digital boarding pass during boarding 
• Instantly access all flight details including your flight reference number, cabin class and flight duration
• Share your flight details with family and friends

Airpoints members - your Airpoints Dollars™, Status Points and Shairpoints™ at a glance

• View your profile, points balance and recent activity
• Track your Status Points earn to see when you'll reach the next tier
• Add your passport details for quicker check-in. You'll also receive an alert if it's due to expire 
• Access and use your digital Airpoints card with Airpoints partners to earn more Airpoints Dollars
• Save a payment card such as an Airpoints earning credit card for payments and earn Airpoints Dollars

Easily track the status of your bags

When you scan your physical bag tag at Bag Drop, a 'check status' button will appear on your flight details screen

Track your bag's status as it makes its way through the airport processing system, onto the aircraft, and finally, arrives at its destination

In the unlikely event that your bag hasn't joined you for the journey, you can report a delayed bag from your device. You can also submit a damaged baggage report

Available on all Air New Zealand and Star Alliance flights

Air NZ app frequently asked questions

My app is not working smoothly and some features are not showing. how do i update the air nz app.

We recommend that you keep your app up to date. This will ensure a better experience, and you'll be able to enjoy the latest features. Here's how you can update the Air NZ app:

• Open the App Store
• Tap your profile icon at the top right corner
• Select the Air NZ app and update.
• Open the Play Store
• Tap 'Manage apps & device'
• Tap 'Manage' and select 'Air NZ' and update. If presented, review App Permissions then tap 'Accept' to proceed with app update.

How do I add a booking to the Air NZ app?

If you're an Airpoints member and you include your Airpoints number when you book flights, your bookings are automatically added to the Air NZ app.

You can also manually add your bookings to the Air NZ app:

• Tap 'Flights' in the Air NZ app
• Scroll down and click on 'Add booking'
• Enter your booking reference and last name.

Can I view someone else's flights on the Air NZ app?

Yes. You can manually add the flight of a friend or family member, or a colleague, by entering the booking reference and family name for their booking.

Do I have to be an Airpoints member to use the Air NZ app?

No. You can still add and view your bookings on the Air NZ app.

Here's how you can manually  add your bookings:

If you are an Airpoints member and you include your Airpoints number when you book flights, you'll be able to see your current and any future bookings automatically in the app, which makes managing your travel easier.

Do I need to enable push notifications for the Air NZ app?

When you first download the   Air NZ app, push notifications are enabled by default on Android, and you are prompted to enable them on iPhone.

We recommend you enable push notifications because they are helpful for a number of alerts, including changes to your flight time or boarding gate number, as well as letting you know when it's time to board your flight.

You can manage the Air NZ app notifications you receive by going into 'Settings' in the Air NZ app and turn off the notification types you don't wish to receive.

Will my digital boarding pass work if I'm not online?

Yes. Once you've downloaded your digital boarding pass, it's stored in the Air NZ app. You'll then be able to access it even if you're not online, but your digital boarding pass won't update with any changes, such as upgrades or seat changes, until you're online again.

I've completed my online check-in, but I can't see my digital boarding pass.

You may be at an airport that doesn't accept electronic boarding passes. If that's the case, you'll need to check in manually at the airport.

All New Zealand airports, and many international airports now accept mobile/digital and electronic boarding passes. If you're at one of them, there may be a technical problem. Check in at the airport and everything should be fine.

Please note that we only accept electronic boarding passes shown in the Air NZ app. If you're not using the Air NZ app, please print your boarding pass (no screenshots or emails) or collect one from the airport check-in desk.

Why are all my bookings removed when I sign out?

This provides a cleaner experience in case you want to sign in using another account. Don't worry, your bookings will be added again when you sign back in with the same credentials.

I added a flight to my calendar, but it seems to appear at a different date and time?

When you make a booking, the dates and times shown are local times, i.e. the departure time is based on the time at the origin and the arrival time is based on the time at your destination. If your calendar is in a different time zone, these times may appear to be offset.

Will the Air NZ app be updated with more features?

Yes. We're always looking for ways to improve the Air NZ app for our customers. To make sure your Air NZ app is always up-to-date, you'll need to set your device to automatically update apps.

Is there an Airpoints™ app?

There is no separate Airpoints™ app, but with the Air NZ app, Airpoints members can:

• Track their Airpoints Dollars™ balance and latest activity
• Earn Airpoints Dollars by scanning their digital Airpoints card
• Save an Airpoints earning credit card for payments.

The iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc.

By downloading, installing or using the Air NZ app you agree to be bound by the  terms and conditions .

iOS: Requires iOS 15.0 or later. Optimised for iPhone.

Android: Requires Android 8.0 or later. Optimised for Android Phones.

*Air New Zealand lounge access required. Currently available in the following Air New Zealand lounges: Auckland Regional, Auckland Domestic, Auckland International, Wellington, Christchurch and Sydney. Lounge eligibility is required to access Air New Zealand lounges.

Manage bookings & stay updated

Air new zealand.

• 4.6 • 5.7K Ratings

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Description.

The Air NZ app – your trusted travel companion – lets you: • Take control of your flight bookings – change your seat, add a bag, manage your meals, and more. • Check in online, from anywhere, and access your digital boarding pass in the app, or add it to Apple Wallet. • Scan your digital boarding pass to print bag tags at the kiosk, board your aircraft, and if you're eligible, enter the Air New Zealand lounge. • Hold up to 9 boarding passes for your group or family under the same booking. Bookings with infants can't currently be supported. • Have real-time flight info at your fingertips with up-to-date gate and seat info, boarding and departure times, and more. • Receive notifications with key flight information – you'll never miss a beat. • Order coffee from your phone, and we'll let you know when it's ready to collect. Air New Zealand lounge access required. • Purchase travel-related services such as travel insurance, parking, airport taxis and shuttles, hotels, and rental cars. • Track your Airpoints Dollars™ and Status Points balances, view your benefits and latest activity, or access your digital Airpoints™ card straight from your phone, plus find Airpoints Partners to help you earn Airpoints Dollars every day. • Access and use your digital Koru card when you have a Koru membership. • Access quick links to book or change flights on the fly. • Stay organised – add flight details to your calendar, and share them with others. Things not as effortless as they could be? We'd love to hear from you. Use the 'Help and Feedback' menu in the Air NZ app to see your options. By downloading, installing and using the Air NZ app, you agree that you have read, understood and agree to our Website and App Terms of Use at airnewzealand.co.nz/website-terms-of-use and our Privacy Policy at airnewzealand.co.nz/privacy.

Version 4.7.2

Fixes and improvements

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5.7K Ratings

Airpoints and service

I always fly air new Zealand at least two to three times a year minus the Covid years in which I was unable to fly . I always book premium economy aisle seat and pay for it , my way there from Los Angelo’s to Auckland went fine with no problems , however on my return I was very upset to learn that my seat had been changed from 24j to 27 E In the middle I have bathroom issues that is why I like aisle seating I asked the gentleman to kindly give me back my original seat however he wouldn’t and made it a big deal and was not the least helpful when I explained my situation he just went on to say the flight was sold out , I was so upset that I didn’t eat or drink anything on the way home so I wouldn’t have to use the bathroom to embarrass myself or other passengers I feel he could’ve showed a little compassion and try to help me out and on top of that I still haven’t gotten my airpoints or credit for my flight back to USA , I will be traveling in November and hope that I don’t get that sort of experience again

Waste of time

Just spent almost an hour trying to book via the Air NZ app. At the last moment when it was time to pay the app rejected my booking saying I need to call Air NZ to finish the booking, which will incur an additional fee. What a waste of my time as a consumer. It seems that time after time these awful companies create fat corporate cats at the expense of consumers. We constantly have to deal with increasing fees and awful wastages of time navigating websites and apps that are dysfunctional and quite frankly anger inducing. Now I have to wait for a customer service rep from Air NZ to call me back and I have to be polite to them, which I will be. But I can understand others that might yell and abuse customer service reps. It’s because Air NZ doesn’t really care about providing the best customer service possible. They only care about charging me extra dollars here and there for seat selection, an extra card fee at check out to bring my final total up a few hundred dollars. That’s what they really care about. Not us. Not the passengers. Unless you fly business or premium economy. Even with air travel it’s the haves and have nots. It’s all about money. That’s all these airlines want. What’s in my wallet. They don’t care about anyone or anything. Our time is worthless to them. Our dignity is worthless. Money talks in NZ. Nothing else matters anymore.

Nicely designed and executed.

I have found this app to be very nicely designed and useful. Many apps are just modified versions of the website, but this one actually enables me to navigate more quickly to do what I need to do, and provides timely updates on flight delays and other travel details. Some functions do send you back to their website but for routine stuff, you can get it done or get updates within the app.

App Privacy

The developer, Air New Zealand , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Financial Info
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• User Content
• Search History
• Identifiers
• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

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New Zealand Itinerary Planning

Customized travel itinerary creation, travel tips and resources, discover new zealand regions.

Cheap New Zealand Travel Itineraries on a Budget

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The best travel apps – Don’t go abroad without them

Remember when we used to travel without data and smartphones?

Technology has changed the way we interact, navigate and make sense of the world. And there’s no doubt that a helpful app can make travelling easier.

To help maximise your next trip, we’ve brought together all of our favourite travel apps.

Which ones will you install?

Table of contents

The best travel apps

Organise and track your travels.

TripIt is the one app we’ll always travel with. It gathers together all of your itinerary entries (including accommodation, flights, tours and activities – basically anything you’d make a booking for), creating an easy-to-follow schedule.

TripIt has significantly improved our organisation on the road, allowing us to keep important dates and booking details within easy reach.

Plus, you can easily share your travel plans with your travel companions and emergency contacts.

Download: Android or Apple .

Did you know? You can forward emails to TripIt to have the app load your plans, or you can have it scan your emails automatically.

If you’re a seasoned traveller, you might enjoy keeping tabs on where you’ve been.

Been lets you document all of the different countries you’ve travelled to. And it displays your information in a personalised map.

Download: Apple – Android doesn’t have an official version of this app, but this is similar .

Conversion apps

XE has a reliable currency conversion app.

Simply choose the different currencies that you’d like to compare and the app will work its magic for you.

Exchange rates update frequently if you’re online, or the most recent rate will be applied if you’re offline.

We’ve used this many times while preparing for a trip and while travelling.

Units Plus Converter

When you’re travelling abroad it can be hard to get your head around different units of measurement – weight, length, volume, speed – they can all be so different.

Units Plus Converter lets you convert between different units on the go.

Apps if you’re travelling with friends

If you’ve ever travelled with friends, you’ll appreciate how challenging splitting bills can be. It’s hard to keep on top of who pays for what, particularly on a long trip.

Splitwise is a game-changer in these situations!

Whenever you pay for something, log it in the app and split it accordingly.

Then, at the end of your travels, TripIt will calculate everything for you, telling you how much you owe someone (or how much they owe you).

Pro tip: Splitwise works just as well for splitting bills at home.

Navigation & Transport

Google maps.

Google Maps is a must-have when travelling.

Not only will it help you drive to where you need to go, it also brings up reliable information about public transport.

We recommend downloading the maps you might like to use in advance. This will allow you to navigate without needing data.

Waze is another great mobile map app.

It shares real-time traffic updates, speed limits and more.

Plus, if you load your destination while you have access to WiFi, you won’t need any data as you travel – great for those who choose not to get roaming/local phone plans.

Pro tip: Download both Google Maps and Waze – test them both out to see which works best in each country.

Transit makes life easy if you plan on catching public transit.

Instead of needing to download a different bus/subway app for each major city, Transit brings all the information you need together.

Operating in more than 300 cities, it shares route information and live updates about delays.

It makes taking public transport in a new country so much easier.

We love using Uber when we travel – it is often more affordable than a taxi service, you’ll know exactly what the fare will cost you in advance and the app offers tracking for peace of mind.

Just be sure to verify your cellphone number before leaving home as you might not be able to once abroad.

Flightradar24 | Flight Tracker

Get live updates about flights, direct to your phone.

Perfect if you’re due to collect someone else from the airport, or if you’d like to check the status on your inbound aircraft.

Activity apps

If you’re into the outdoors, you might already have Trailforks installed on your phone.

This app shares heaps of information (including topographic maps, point of interest, trail rankings and more) on mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, moto and ski trail maps.

Available in more than 90 countries, don’t hit a trail without it.

AllTrails is another popular app for hikers.

With a wide range of reviews and rankings, this app will help you choose the perfect hike for your experience, timeframe and interests.

Assorted travel apps

White noise lite.

Whether you need a hand falling asleep on a plane or you’re struggling to adjust to jet lag, White Noise Lite has a wide range of free sounds, each designed to help you relax and drift off.

Google Translate

Google Translate is a real must-have app for those travelling abroad to countries that speak other languages.

The app translates from your language to others, can be used offline and even converts images in real-time (perfect for menus).

It has made a significant difference to the way we travel and we know it will benefit you too.

WhatsApp & Messenger

Mobile roaming while overseas can be expensive, but by using data-based messaging apps (like Whatsapp and Messenger), you might be able to get away with using a data-only plan.

Using eSIMs , combined with these messaging platforms, can be a great way to save money.

Download Whatsapp: Android or Apple .

Download Messenger: Android or Apple .

Providing reliable weather forecasts and updates all around the world, Windy is a great addition to your mobile phone.

Each of these awesome apps has the potential to make your travels easier, safer and more convenient.

If you have any additional recommendations, please share them in our Facebook group, Global Travel Tips .

Nathan was born in Christchurch but has lived in Auckland for more than half of his life... though if you ask him, he'll always support the Crusaders! He enjoys travelling in Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly if there's a quad bike, scenic hike or a fresh cup of coffee involved.

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10 most popular travel apps in 2021 and what to download in 2022

Make planning your next adventure even easier with these handy travel apps. Photo / Pexels

Whether it's directions, translations, transport or takeaways, it feels like there's an app for almost anything a traveller may need while they're on the road.

Although 2021 wasn't like most years when it came to travel, hundreds of millions of people around the world continued to download travel-related apps to help them plan and embark upon various adventures; even if only around their own suburbs.

Top downloaded travel apps in 2021

In a report by Apptopia, the most downloaded travel app in 2021 was Google Maps with 106 million downloads.

Across the top 10, ride-sharing apps also proved highly popular and took half the spots on the list.

In second place was Uber with 94 million downloads, while Bolt, Didi, Grab and Lyft also made the list.

Considering how the pandemic kept many people confined to their own country or city, the focus on maps and alternative transport apps makes sense.

In ninth place is the train timetable and status checking service Where Is My Train. Despite only being available in India, the company had over 23 million downloads from commuters.

Unsurprisingly, Skyscanner, which ranked 9th in 2020, was pushed off the list.

Booking.com and Airbnb also featured on Apptopia's list of top 10 online travel agency apps for 2021.

Travel apps to try in 2022

As we wait for concrete news about when international travel will resume, it is the perfect time to plan future adventures. Which, in 2022, obviously means updating our travel apps.

Roadtripping around Aotearoa? Gaspy is your new best mate. This handy app is more than 17 years old and still going strong; connecting Kiwis with cheap gas stations. The simple map-based app uses crowd-sourced information to show the best fuel prices around New Zealand.

The Points Guy website, which untangles the confusing world of loyalty points and airline miles. What you may not know is they have created a free IOS app to help travellers track and use their travel points.

Saving, arranging and sharing essential travel information will become a lot easier with the cloud storage service Bublup . Using the app's templates you can create packing checklists, notes, itineraries, booking confirmations, photos and easily share them with your travel companions. The app is free for up to three gigabytes of storage with additional features costing from US$2.99 – $9.99 (NZ$4.40 – $14.70) per month.

Elude may not have many reviews yet but as it's free to download there's no harm in giving it a whirl. Self-described as 'the app that helps you wander more and wonder less', the platform provides you destinations based on budget, current location and a travel questionnaire on preferences as specific as "sushi or barbeque" and "blue oceans or mountain forests".

Similarly, Una Travel wants to know your preferences of accommodation, cuisine, activities and focus on sustainability before providing a range of itineraries and recommendations of what to do in different cities. The app has a focus on green, outdoor-focused activities and a feature that allows you to share and collaborate with friends and family.

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Local news:

Concerns for Australian woman reported missing while on holiday in New Zealand

Fears for Australian tourist missing in New Zealand

An Australian tourist has been reported missing while on holiday in New Zealand , as police call on the public for information.

Elizabeth Wielga was reported missing after she failed to contact family or travel to her next destination as planned, according to police.

Wielga is believed to have checked out of her accommodation in Tongariro on the North Island on August 30 and was due to fly out of Auckland later that day.

Police said both they and Wielga’s family hold concerns for her welfare and “want to establish that she’s safe”.

“Ms Wielga does not have a phone or computer,” police said.

“It is possible she doesn’t realise Police are trying to locate her.”

Information provided to police by a member of the public indicated Wielga may have travelled to Wellington after checking out of her accommodation and may be intending to travel to Picton on the South Island.

Anyone with information is urged to contact local police.

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