Pre-planning extends to knowing the physical location of the airport you fly into, too, as it relates to the city center, says Malin, who's made the mistake of choosing a cheaper flight into a satellite airport that required more transit time to reach the city center.

CNN: 8 mistakes weekend travelers make

In the lower left is a button that brings up your current location, and in the lower right is a tiny icon that lets you switch to satellite view, to see public transit and traffic information, or to launch the separate Google Earth app.

WSJ: Google Maps for iPhone Returns With Redesign That Makes It Easier to Use

The majority of maps features that matter are all here: traffic, turn-by-turn navigation, transit directions, walking directions, satellite view, street view, indoor photos, Zagat restaurant reviews, and a bit of integration with your Google profile.

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