07/08/2024
International phone plan options
by Brian Kelly
TPG | Hero Image
This past week, there was a major service outage for U.S. cellphone carriers that affected American travelers across Europe who use Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. The problem was with a third-party provider of roaming services.
Having cellphone service abroad is critical — I’m on Verizon, and I need fast service, so I pay $10 per day when I travel. It isn’t cheap, but it is easy and generally works pretty fast. If I ever go over my data, Verizon lets me buy more. I’d rather pay more to have fast internet.
T-Mobile tends to be the most economical option. I have a second phone when traveling that’s connected to the T-Mobile network as a backup, and T-Mobile offers 10 days of 5GB of data for $35. Depending on the service plan you have, T-Mobile also offers free Wi-Fi on U.S. airlines.
I know it depends on your home city and which company might offer the best service for your day-to-day life, but as we learned last week, U.S. carriers can go down (even though it is rare), so it’s always better to have a backup option when you go overseas. I’m talking about SIM cards — whether physical cards you can pop into your phone or eSIM cards, which are all the rage right now.
Zach Griff gives a detailed account of how he uses dual SIM cards when traveling to avoid the daily fees for international roaming. If you have an iPhone 14 or newer, you don’t have to worry about physical SIM cards anymore, either.
Here are a few tips:
Most phones have dual SIM card options. If you have dual SIM cards, make sure your second one is unlocked so you can add a foreign SIM card when traveling. You can unlock it before you leave by calling your carrier.
If you only have one SIM card, be sure you know how to take it out and replace it with a local physical SIM card.
If you don’t want to mess with a physical SIM card at the airport, try a digital option or eSIM. I learned about Airalo from quite a few friends and followers.
Generally, SIM cards can save you money and even get you faster service speed and might be less likely to have an outage.
Points and miles spotlight: Q&A with Raimee Iacofano
For this month’s influencer spotlight, I talked to Raimee Iacofano — whom I follow and admire for the way she encourages younger travelers to seek out deals and travel the world. She shares a lot of great actionable tips on Instagram at . I recently got a chance to ask her some questions — let’s go!
Brian: What’s been your best redemption lately?
Raimee: It would have to be business class with All Nippon Airways from Tokyo to LAX for 45,000 points using my Ultimate Rewards points from my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. I love the variety of transfer partners and statement credits that card provides.
Brian: I loved my time in Japan; what did you think?
Raimee: Japan is one of those places that really hits you with culture shock, and I look for that feeling when I travel! I loved the coordinated chaos of Tokyo, the beautiful landscapes in the Japanese countryside, and the overall efficiency I experienced in the country. I also had such lovely interactions with the locals, even despite the language barrier.
Brian: What’s one loyalty program that’s overlooked?
Raimee: Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles and ANA. You can use these miles to fly to Europe at very reasonable rates, like 45,000 round-trip in economy or 88,000 to 100,000 round-trip in business class.
Check out Raimee Travel on Instagram and give her a follow so you can see all of her upcoming points and miles adventures!
Have a great weekend,
BK
