Tell lawyers that there are easy ways to improve their air travel, and you might get an argument: Surely such things can’t be possible. Yet while security lines and the stampede for overhead space will remain a fact of flying life, a better experience is indeed possible—at least for those attorneys traveling with a mobile device.

Innovative apps are offering handy capabilities, from obtaining real-time information about flights to getting a leg up on snagging the best seats. And it’s not just third-party developers serving up these tools. In fact, some of the most useful ones are coming from that favorite target of air travel ire—domestic airlines themselves.