Apple Pay your way to the SuperBowl: Eleven amazing apps for travel and parties

Apple Pay — or Pay if you're fancy — makes it both easier and safer to pay for things in everyday life and online. That can come in particularly handy when traveling or when getting ready to party. Whether it's for the SuperBowl this weekend or for a great group of friends any day of the week, as long as you have Apple Pay, you're ready for fun.

Reminder: If you're staying home, NBC will be streaming the SuperBowl for free!

TicketMaster

Ticketmaster lets you browse, buy, or transfer over tickets to concerts, games, theatrical presentations, art shows, and more. Find what interests you, book it, and enjoy!

Airbnb

If you show or game is out of town you'll need a place to stay. For larger groups, or simply for offbeat accommodations, Airbnb gives you access to over 600,000 places in 34,000 cities. And it also gives you the option to earn some extra money from your place while you're away!

Stayful

If boutique hotels are more your scene, Stayful helps you find the best places and negotiate the best rates. You need to be booking for the next 30 days, but Stayful can match your preferences and make sure you find a great place!

Hotel Tonight

If you want a hotel proper, and you're booking within 7 days of your trip, Hotel Tonight is for you. You can find a great room for a great rate, even at the last minute.

Spot Hero

If you're driving to where you're going, you're going to need to find a place to park. Spot Hero helps you do just that. Browse, book, and save up to 50%.

Uber

Tap a button, get a ride. It can be simpler and faster than public transport and cheaper than driving yourself and paying for parking. With ApplePay, you don't even need an account.

Lyft

Getting into town isn't the same as getting around town. Lyft lets you arrange convenient community rides to get you from where you're staying to where you're going.

OpenTable

Got time before or after the big game or show? With OpenTable you can book an amazing meal at a convenient restaurant so the party can start early... or feel like it's never going to end.

Target

If you're not traveling but watching to game or show and hosting the party at your place, you can use Target's app to order everything you need.

Instacart

If you're hosting the party and planning on feeding your guests in style but don't have time to go shopping, Instacart can bring the groceries to you. Whole Foods, Costco and more, all delivered in one hour!

Postmates

If you don't even have time to cook, or to pick that something important you forgot, Postmates will bring it right to your door. The best food from the best restaurants, drinks, even electronics. It's just that easy.

Merchbar

Part of the fun of a show or game is the memorabilia you get to bring back with you. If you're staying home to watch, Merchbar lets you order that memorabilia to your home, so nobody has to miss out.

Your favorite Apple Pay travel and fun apps?

We'll be organizing our own SuperBowl, UFC, and other parties, and we want the be easy, but we also want them to be great. So, if you've got Apple Pay, and you've got apps you love to use with it, let us know!

Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.