Top 5 Apple iPhone Apps for the Traveler

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- As I write this, I am preparing for a cross-country trip from Los Angeles to New York. LAX to JFK. Heading to TheStreet for a couple of days to get some work done and imbibe at the company's holiday party. But don't worry, I won't do this:

Vegas odds on whether or not Cramer will recognize me stand at 8-to-1.

Lots of people hate travel. I don't. In fact, I love almost every aspect of it. I even enjoy the airport experience. I dig flying. And there's nothing better than exploring great cities. It's even better when it's easy.

Our app society makes life easier. Sometimes it's the bang-up apps that improve our lives, but, often, it's a standard utilitarian number with a solid feature or two that provides the most value.

No. 5: Delta Air Lines

When I fly I always try to go with Virgin America. Ever since the airline industry went to a no-frills-unless-you-pay-and-even-when-you-pay-it's-still-pretty-much-no-frills model, Virgin lands head and shoulders above every airline. I just wish it had a better mobile experience.

Given its boarding and on-board experience and overall hip factor, you would expect a solid app from Virgin. Instead, you "only" get a nicely optimized mobile site.

Generally, if I do not fly Virgin I end up on Delta Air Lines (DAL). For such a biggie, I have to give Delta credit. It's always hit or miss, but, generally speaking, they provide a better experience and friendlier staff than the other major airlines.

Their iPhone app isn't anything special -- it does the basics such as mobile check-in and boarding pass well -- but it's worth mentioning for one feature:

If you fly small airports, this isn't a big deal. But when I leave a car at LAX, the method of walking around for 5 to 10 minutes after a long trip, hitting the lock button repeatedly to find the vehicle by horn honk doesn't fly. The Delta app solves that. I'm sure it's a feature on other airline/travel apps, but it's still good to know if you fly Delta now or will be in the future.

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