7 minute read

VPN for travel: Five ways it will improve your next vacation

By Heather

Travel & Tech Writer

You're dragging yourself wearily through an airport after two connections, after too much caffeine and not enough sleep. Your phone latches onto a random open network called "FREE_WIFI_2.” Seems fine.

Oops! You won’t realize this for another few weeks, but this is a sketchy network. Some sweaty-looking guy lurking in Baggage Claim has just hacked into your accounts, compromised your passwords, and stolen all of your loyalty points. (True story, ugh.)

You know what would have saved you here? The magic of a ✨VPN✨ on your phone.

Okay, so what’s a VPN?

‘VPN’ stands for ‘Virtual Private Network,’ but it might as well stand for ‘Vacation Panic? Nope!’ because of the way it makes everything easier.

Without getting too technical, here’s how a VPN works …

You connect to the VPN and choose a location (your country, or somewhere new)
Your connection gets ‘hidden’ in a scrambled internet-y tunnel
Your phone appears to be somewhere completely different

It’s basically like forwarding all of your snail mail to a P.O. box in another town, instead of having it delivered directly to your door, so no one knows where you really live.

People like using VPNs at home so they can trick Netflix into showing them shows and movies only available in another country, get around YouTube’s weird tendency to block content to people in certain countries, and generally use the internet away from prying eyes.

But VPNs are even more useful when you’re travelling to another country, and the reasons might surprise you!

Travel VPN — ‘VPN’ stands for ‘Virtual Private Network,’ and when it comes to travel, they make just about everything easier.

Why use a VPN when you travel?

If you’ve never travelled using a VPN, then you’ve probably exposed your device on risky public Wi-Fi, experienced location-based frustrations (even if you weren’t sure what was happening at the time), or … both.

VPNs are becoming more common for international travel because they eliminate common roadblocks, keep your phone more user-friendly, and keep your private info (logins, passwords, accounts) much safer when you’re abroad.

You’ll enjoy worry-free Wi-Fi.

Using a VPN lets you join public Wi-Fi networks without worrying that someone’s lurking there to hack into your account.

Normally when you hop on public Wi-Fi, your phone is chatting with the internet kind of out in the open. The network owner (and sometimes nosy randos on the same network) can catch glimpses of what you're up to, and every website you visit can see roughly where you are.

Your bank won't panic.

Banks get really suspicious when someone tries to log into an account from a different country, and that’s not a bad thing – it could be fraud. But it’s a giant pain when they flag your account and cut off access, especially when you need, like, money? For your trip?

A VPN changes your virtual location, so your bank sees you logging in from your usual spot instead of somewhere new and unfamiliar. That can help you avoid a flagged account at the worst possible time. Nice!

You can get better prices.

One of the smartest travel uses for a VPN actually starts before your trip, when you’re shopping around for airline tickets and hotel rooms.

Lots of websites are sneaky, and they’ll show different prices based on your location. You can use a VPN to switch up your pretend location and price-compare to get the best deal – either while you’re still at home, or while you’re abroad.

You’ll bring the convenience of home.

Your phone’s a creature of habit, and it’s used to your regular location. That means it can go a bit buggy when you’re travelling, and you might not find it as easy to log into your usual accounts.

Since a VPN can make your devices *think* they’re back home, you’ll have regular access to your favourite websites, logins, and accounts. (Netflix 🤝 your usual watch list)

You can bypass blocks.

Imagine opening your favourite apps and they just … don’t work. 😱 It’s true – some countries will restrict access to social media platforms (“Nooooo, what happened to TikTok?!”) unless you pretend you’re elsewhere with the help of a VPN.

No matter where you’re visiting, a VPN also puts a protective layer between your device and the rest of the world – making it the perfect travel accessory alongside your eSIM.

How to choose a VPN for travel

When you’re looking for a VPN for vacation, keep in mind how they can realistically help you – and what’s not on the table.

VPNs aren’t invisibility cloaks. A VPN adds privacy, but it doesn't make you untraceable or bulletproof. You need to use good sense, and stay on the right side of the internet.
VPNs may slightly slow your connection. Since your data is taking a slight detour to mask your location and protect your privacy, you may notice a minor lag occasionally.
VPNs can’t *provide* internet. While a VPN is a tool to use alongside mobile data or Wi-Fi, you still need to BYOI – Bring Your Own Internet. That’s where a travel eSIM comes in.
VPNs shouldn’t be ‘free forever.’ A quality VPN doesn’t have to be expensive, but there should be a fee associated with the service. If something’s ‘free,’ you might actually be sacrificing your browsing data as the ‘payment.’

Comparing VPNs doesn’t have to take long. Just look for one that ticks these boxes …

A real no-logs policy so they don't keep records of what you do
A company that's transparent about how they operate
An app that's easy to use on your phone
A decent spread of server locations, so you've got options

For what it's worth, we teamed up with Windscribe — a Canadian, no-logs VPN — partly because they tick those boxes, and partly because, well, fellow Canadians have to stick together.

How to set up your VPN for travel

Planning your next trip? Perfect! Here’s what you need to do in order to protect your privacy in a new country …

Pick a reputable VPN and install the app before you leave. It’s much easier to do this on your home Wi-Fi, versus standing exhausted in a foreign airport.
Make sure you'll actually be able to get online abroad. Ooh, that’s where we come in! Pick a prepaid eSIM data plan so you have internet as soon as you arrive.
Switch the VPN on before you join any public Wi-Fi. Make it a habit, like buckling your seatbelt.
Pick a server. Choose your home country for banking-type things, and wherever you fancy for everything else.

Done! You're now offiically that friend who has their act together, even if you haven’t typed and laminated everyone’s travel itinerary.

VPNs make you a travel VIP

Is it an absolute requirement to use a VPN when you travel? Nope. People have been losing their luggage and over-ordering tapas without one for decades.

But it's one of those small, quiet things that takes a real worry off your plate — like packing a portable charger, or texting someone your hotel address. Low effort, surprisingly comforting.

If you're still sorting out how you'll get online in the first place, well… that happens to be kind of our whole thing. But that's a story for another post.

Safe travels! Wherever you're headed, may your Wi-Fi be trustworthy and your group chat be (mostly) bearable.

Written by Heather

Heather Clarke is a Canadian journalist and columnist whose work has appeared in newspapers and magazines across North America, including HuffPost, The Telegram, and Business Voice. Since moving into the tech world in 2022, she has been writing about eSIM technology and travel roaming for notable publications, including Medium, Yahoo, and TechRadar.

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