I may not be able to make a phone call on my iPhone from 30,000 feet (yet), but I’ve still found that when I’m out of my office and have to fly, having an iPhone in my pocket is a powerful sanity-saving tool. Here are the apps that help keep my air travel running smoothly.

Plan.Pack.Go: Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush

Flying means packing. Even if you have a standard “kit” you travel with, it’s still easy in the rush to get out the door to forget your toothbrush, or charging cable. The list templates in this app let you create and save your standard list, edit it if needed for a specific trip, and then check off items as you pack them. Unlike many packing apps, this one includes list items for standard pre-travel tasks, like charging batteries. A sideways shake switches between your unpacked and packed list items, and the categories are well-organized. I’ve tried several packing apps, and this is by far the most slick in design. Designed by Tangent software, and available from the App Store for $1.99.

TSAwait: Don’t Get Caught In a Surprise Security Line

If you fly out of different airports frequently, it can be hard to know how much time you need to allow for security lines. This app puts the average security wait times 24/7 for U.S. airports at your fingertips. Updates are drawn from TSA databases regularly, and airports can be located by state/city search or by airport code. I’ve found it useful in planning airport arrivals, since lately it seems I never fly out of the same place twice. TSAWait is designed by Tactical Logic, and priced at 99 cents.

FAAwait: See Trouble Coming Before It Finds You

This handy little sister app of TSAwait lets you monitor weather and FAA delays in the U.S. to provide early warning of potential flight delays. FAAwait accesses the FAA air traffic control status to display a list and map of U.S. airports that are experiencing ground stops or delays, and lists the length and reason for them. There is also an NWS weather map that displays all current weather watches or warnings in the continental U.S. For traveling control freaks like myself who want to anticipate possible delays in their connecting city or with incoming equipment, this app gives a great summary of the current status of air traffic and weather nationwide. Also by Tactical Logic, and priced at 99 cents.

Flight Update: Walk Right Past Those Crowds By the Monitors

This flight status app supports over 1,400 airlines worldwide, and packs a lot of info into one status screen for quick reference on-the-run. Enter your itinerary and see status data such as times, gate and terminal, baggage claim, delays and aircraft type. For U.S.-based flights, tracking is also available. If your flight is canceled or delayed, the “find” feature can help you find an alternative (and show you the status of those flights, too). Now I can walk past an airport status monitor without even the urge to pause or look up at it. Flight Update is by Silverware Software, and priced at $4.99. Flight Update Pro, which offers compatibility with Tripit, is $8.99.

What iPhone apps do you find invaluable when you are on the road?

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