I’ve Saved Hundreds of Dollars Around the World Thanks to This Travel Hack

Here's my secret.

Every seasoned traveler has their list of dos and don’ts, time-tested tips for making their trips better or more affordable. One thing that has always bugged me about travel is you’re forced to pay double for wireless service. In addition to maintaining your U.S. phone plan while out of the country, which can cost anywhere between $70 and $90 a month, you have to pay a daily or monthly rate in order to use your device abroad.

If you have Verizon, like me, that might mean shelling out $190 a month while traveling or an additional $10 a day on top of your $90 monthly phone plan.

Or do you?

One of my favorite travel hacks is getting a local SIM rather than purchasing a daily or monthly travel pass. I’ve used this hack in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. Here’s how I do it and how much it saves me.

Most U.S. carriers recommend you add international service to your regular phone plan, which can cost well over $100.

For my carrier, Verizon, an International Monthly Plan, which they recommend for trips of 10 days or more, costs $100 on top of your regular phone plan. The alternative is to buy a daily TravelPass for $10 a line per day. So, for a 14-day trip, that’s $140 (plus taxes and fees) on top of your regular phone plan.

At AT&T, the daily travel pass (branded the AT&T International Day Pass) is even more pricey, at $12 a day. That’s $120 for a 10-day trip and $168 for a two-week-long vacation on top of your regular phone plan. T-Mobile is a bit more reasonable, charging their users $5 a day or $35 for international service on a 10-day trip.

In other words, it's always cheaper to get a phone plan in the country you’re visiting.

For example, you can get 60GB of data and 30 days of phone service in France for approximately $6 (or 200GB for around $13) with LycaMobile. In Argentina, a Claro 30-day prepaid tourist chip is $14 and comes loaded with 25GB a day and unlimited use of WhatsApp.

In short, the amount you’ll pay your U.S. carrier each day is equal or less than what you’ll shell out for an international carrier for a full month.

Related: The Best International Phone and Data Plans: Everything You Need to Know to Use Your Cell Phone Abroad

Tip: You can buy a SIM at the airport, but for the best deal, purchase it elsewhere.

Just like with rental cars, airports add a convenience surcharge to things like SIM cards. If you can get by without a SIM card for the first hour you're in a new destination, you’ll save big. I typically use the airport Wi-Fi to call an Uber or figure out the train system, then look for a phone carrier shop near my hotel or Airbnb.

(Unlike in the U.S., where it might be fairly difficult to find a Verizon store, there are plenty of brick-and-mortar wireless shops in most countries, Europe included.)

Related: What Really Happens When You Don't Turn Off Your Cell Phone on a Plane?

Then, you can either remove your U.S. SIM and replace it with the international one, or add an eSIM to your phone.

I have an iPhone 12, so I still use physical SIM cards. When I travel, I pop out my U.S. SIM and replace it with an international one. I can use the data on the international SIM to keep in touch with family and friends using iMessage, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, email, and more. I can also use my phone as a hotspot while I travel.

But if you have an iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, or a newer version, your device is outfitted with an eSIM system that allows you to have two SIMs active at once. This means you can keep your U.S. SIM active and enjoy the benefits of the international SIM. Also, since it’s an eSIM, you can activate your international eSIM digitally, usually with a QR code or a carrier app.

Google Pixel (Pixel 2 and newer) and Samsung (Galaxy S20 and newer) also have eSIM tech.

When your trip is over, simply reinsert your U.S. SIM card or toggle back to your U.S. eSIM.

And enjoy spending that daily cash kickback on something infinitely more fun.

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