How can I get internet when traveling?
To have internet when you travel, there are five options: public Wi-Fi, roaming from your local carrier, a physical SIM you buy upon arrival, a portable modem you rent, or an eSIM you install before leaving. The eSIM is usually the simplest because it's activated directly from your phone, without needing to go to a store or change physical cards.
None of these options is "the only correct one": each solves a different problem. If you're on a three-day trip to a city with good hotel Wi-Fi, you might not need anything else. If you're going to travel through four countries in three weeks, you need something that works without you having to think about it every time you cross a border. The rest of this guide explains each option with its advantages and real limitations, so you can choose according to your trip and not according to what you were sold last time.
Public Wi-Fi: when it saves you and when it leaves you stranded
Airport, hotel, cafe, and restaurant Wi-Fi is the cheapest option available: it costs nothing extra because it's already there. The problem is that it depends on where you are. As soon as you leave the building with Wi-Fi, your phone loses connection, and that includes the map you were using to get to the next stop.
There are two other less obvious problems. The first is security: open Wi-Fi networks, without a password, are an easy point for someone to intercept what you send if you don't use encrypted connections (https, apps with their own encryption). The second is dependence: if you need to confirm a ticket, reply to a work message, or order a vehicle just when you're walking down the street, public Wi-Fi won't work for you because it only exists within four specific walls. It's a good option as a complement, not as a primary connectivity plan.
International Roaming: what it is and why the bill skyrockets
Roaming is what happens when your cell phone, with your usual number and plan, automatically connects to a network in another country because your carrier has an agreement with a local carrier. It sounds convenient because you don't have to do anything: you arrive and you already have a signal. The problem arises when you check your consumption, because many carriers charge for international roaming per megabyte or per active day, and these rates are almost never designed for normal use.
Most commonly, people don't know how much they're spending until they see the bill, because the phone continues to consume data in the background (updates, notifications, maps) even if you're not actively using it. If your carrier offers a fixed and reasonable roaming package for the country you're going to, it might make sense. If it doesn't, or the package is only for one country when your trip goes through several, it's worth comparing against other options before leaving. You can see this comparison in more detail in the guide on eSIM vs. roaming.
Local Physical SIM: the good and the complicated aspects of buying it upon arrival
Buying a SIM card from the country you arrive in is an old practice and still works well in many destinations: you usually get local data at a reasonable price compared to roaming from your home carrier. The problem is not the price, it's the logistics.
To use a physical SIM, you need to find a point of sale (sometimes at the airport, sometimes only in the city center), often show identification or a passport for mandatory country registration, and physically remove your current SIM with a clip or tool to insert the new one. This means that, during this process, your usual number is disconnected: if someone calls you or if you use SMS verification with your usual number, you won't receive it. If your trip includes several countries, you have to repeat the entire process at each border, searching for a point of sale again and wasting travel time on paperwork. You can review a complete comparison between this option and the eSIM in eSIM vs. physical SIM.
Portable Modem or Router (MiFi): how it works
A portable modem, also called MiFi or pocket Wi-Fi, is a small device the size of a cell phone that creates its own Wi-Fi network using mobile data. You rent it before your trip (online or at the destination airport), carry it in your backpack or bag, and all your devices—cell phone, laptop, tablet—connect to that network as if it were your home Wi-Fi.
The main advantage is that a single device provides internet for several devices and even several people if you're traveling with company, which makes it attractive for business trips with a laptop or for families. The downside is that it's another item to carry, needs to be kept charged, can be forgotten in a hotel drawer, and usually needs to be returned at the end of the trip or a fee paid. If your priority is not to carry extra equipment, this is usually not the most practical option. You can review how it works in more detail in the guide on internet modems for travel.
eSIM: the card that doesn't physically exist
An eSIM is a digital SIM card: instead of a plastic piece you insert into your phone's tray, it's a profile that's installed directly onto the chip already in your phone. Most mid-range and high-end cell phones from recent years come with this technology integrated, so if your phone is relatively new, it's likely compatible. You can check the complete list in eSIM compatible phones and, if you want to understand the concept from scratch, the full explanation is in what is an eSIM.
What makes the eSIM useful for travel is that it simultaneously solves the problems of the other four options: you don't need to find a physical point of sale like with a local SIM, you don't carry an extra device like with a modem, you don't depend on the walls of a building like with public Wi-Fi, and you're not tied to your home carrier's rate like with roaming. Installation is done by scanning a QR code or with a link, usually before leaving home, and activation takes approximately 1 minute once you arrive at your destination and turn it on. Your usual number continues to work in parallel for calls and messages, because the eSIM is used as a second line only for data.
What is the best internet for travel? The criteria that truly matter
There is no one option that is absolutely best for all trips: there is one that best fits yours. The criteria that really change the answer are four. First, how many countries you will visit on the same trip, because that multiplies the paperwork if you choose a physical SIM. Second, whether you need to keep your usual number active for calls or to receive SMS verification codes. Third, how much time you have available upon arrival to resolve connectivity before continuing with your itinerary. And fourth, whether you travel alone or in a group, because that changes whether a shared device like a modem or an individual one like an eSIM is more convenient for you.
The question worth asking is not "which internet is faster?", but "which internet do I need exactly at the moment I'm going to use it?". Most connectivity problems on a trip are not about speed, they are about not having anything available precisely when it's needed: in the immigration line, looking for the hotel, or confirming a last-minute ticket.
With these four criteria in mind, the comparison in the next section helps you decide without having to try all five options yourself.
What is the best option depending on the type of trip you take?
This table summarizes the five options side-by-side, considering what truly matters to a traveler: how easy it is to get, whether you need in-person procedures, and for what type of trip each makes the most sense.
| Option | How to get it | In-person procedure | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Wi-Fi | Already available at the location | None | Complementing another option, not as a sole plan |
| Carrier Roaming | Activates automatically upon arrival | None | Short trips to a single country with an included roaming package |
| Local Physical SIM | Purchased at a point of sale at the destination | Yes, with identification | Long stays in a single country |
| Portable Modem (MiFi) | Rented before or upon arrival | Equipment pickup and return | Group or business trips with a laptop |
| eSIM | Installed from the phone with a QR | None | Trips to multiple countries, solo or in groups, with little time for paperwork |
If your trip passes through more than one country, the table already gives you a clear hint: a physical SIM forces you to repeat the process at each border, and roaming almost never covers several countries with the same rate. An eSIM, on the other hand, can carry plans prepared to cover entire regions without you having to change anything when crossing.
Practical example: planning internet for a two-week trip
So that this doesn't remain theoretical, let's look at a concrete example. Imagine a fourteen-day trip that starts in Mexico City, continues with four days in Bogotá, and ends with a week in Lima. This is the type of itinerary where most connectivity problems appear precisely during transitions: arriving at a new airport, finding transportation, locating the hotel, and letting someone know you've arrived safely.
With roaming, this traveler would have to check if their home carrier covers all three countries with the same rate, and if not, they would end up paying differently for each segment, without much control over the accumulated cost. With a physical SIM, they would have to find a point of sale in each of the three cities, show identification three times, and be without their usual number every time they change cards. With a portable modem, they would have to carry and take care of it for two weeks, in addition to returning it at the end.
With a regional eSIM covering all three countries, however, the process is to install it once before leaving home, with calm Wi-Fi, and activate it right upon landing in Mexico City. The connection continues to work the same upon arrival in Bogotá and Lima, without reconfiguring anything. And since support is available 24 hours a day, every day, by email and WhatsApp, if something doesn't activate properly midway through the trip, there's someone to ask without relying on finding an open physical store.
This same reasoning changes depending on the type of trip. The following table summarizes what each type of traveler usually needs and which option best fits each case:
| Type of trip | What matters most | Option that usually fits best |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend to a single destination | Not complicating things with procedures for a few days | Public Wi-Fi or roaming, if the package covers the destination |
| Business trip with meetings | Stable connection for laptop and cell phone at the same time | Portable modem or eSIM, depending on how many people are traveling |
| Tour of several countries | Not repeating the process at each border | Regional eSIM |
| Long stay in the same country | Good local price in exchange for a single procedure | Physical SIM or local eSIM |
| Family or group trip | Cover multiple devices without multiplying the cost | Shared portable modem or one eSIM per person |
How can I get internet for my trip? Concrete steps
If you've already decided that an eSIM is the best option for your trip, the process has few steps and requires no technical expertise:
- Confirm your phone is compatible. Most mid-range and high-end models from recent years are, but it's worth checking before buying anything.
- Choose the plan according to your destination and the duration of your trip. If you're going to more than one country in the same region, look for a plan that covers all of them instead of buying one per country.
- Buy the eSIM in advance, even if your trip is weeks away. Here's something few people take advantage of: the date you buy the eSIM and the date you activate it are not the same thing. You have 180 days from purchase to activate it, so you can buy it calmly, with stable Wi-Fi at home, and have it ready without the plan time running until you actually turn it on at your destination.
- Install it before you leave for your trip. This is done by scanning a QR code from your phone, with a normal Wi-Fi connection, in a couple of minutes.
- Activate it upon landing. Upon arriving at your destination and turning on mobile data, the connection is ready in approximately 1 minute.
If at any point in the process something is unclear, the full installation details are in how to install an eSIM step by step, and if you want a more extensive guide on everything related to traveling with an eSIM, you can review the definitive guide to eSIM for travel.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to have internet all the time when traveling?
Not necessarily all the time, but certainly at moments when not having it becomes most complicated: arriving at a new airport, looking for transportation, or confirming an address. Public Wi-Fi covers you inside a building; for the rest of the journey, you need mobile data from one of the other options.
Can I simply use my normal cell phone plan in another country?
It depends on whether your carrier includes international roaming and whether that roaming covers the country you are going to. If it doesn't include it, or if it charges per megabyte without a clear cap, it's easy to end up with a much higher bill than expected.
What exactly is an eSIM and how is it different from a physical SIM?
An eSIM is a digital SIM card integrated into the cell phone: instead of inserting a plastic card, you install a profile by scanning a QR code. It serves the same function as a physical SIM, but without needing a point of sale or removing any card from the phone's tray.
How do I know if my phone is eSIM compatible?
Most mid-range and high-end cell phones from recent years are compatible. You can check the detailed list by brand and model in the guide to eSIM compatible phones before purchasing any plan.
How long does it take for an eSIM to activate upon arrival at the destination?
Once you've installed the profile before traveling, activation at the destination takes approximately 1 minute: you just need to turn on mobile data for that line upon landing.
What do I do if I have a problem with my eSIM in the middle of the trip?
24/7 support is available in all languages, via email and WhatsApp, so you don't have to rely on finding an open physical store or making an international call.
Can I buy the eSIM in advance and activate it later, during the trip?
Yes. You have 180 days from the purchase date to activate it, so you can buy it in advance and activate it just on the day you arrive at your destination, without losing the plan's validity in the meantime.
Does an eSIM work for multiple countries on the same trip?
Yes, there are regional plans designed to cover several countries with the same profile, which avoids having to buy and install a different eSIM every time you cross a border.
In summary
As we've seen, the answer to "what internet to use for travel" depends on your itinerary: for a short getaway to a single destination, roaming or public Wi-Fi may suffice; for a group trip with a laptop, a portable modem makes sense; and for all other cases — multiple countries, little time for paperwork, or simply wanting to arrive and have it work right away — an eSIM is usually the option that adds the least friction to your trip.
If you want a broad base, PuraSIM has eSIM plans for over 200 destinations, with 24/7 support via email and WhatsApp in all languages and activation in approximately 1 minute. You can check the available plans for your next destination in the international eSIM collection and purchase in advance, knowing that you have 180 days to activate it when you actually need it.
