As an avid world traveler and consumer expert who‘s always on the lookout for the best deals, I‘ve had plenty of experience staying connected abroad. One of the most convenient options I‘ve used is Verizon‘s Travel Pass international roaming plan. In this comprehensive review, I‘ll cover everything you need to know to determine if Travel Pass is right for your travel needs.
What is Verizon Travel Pass?
Travel Pass is Verizon‘s solution for using your existing phone and plan abroad in over 210 countries. For a flat daily fee (typically $5-$10 depending on location), you can draw from your domestic talk, text and data allowances as if you were still at home. There‘s no need to swap SIM cards, rent a different device, or pay exorbitant pay-per-use roaming fees.
Here are the key features of Verizon Travel Pass:
- $5/day in Mexico and Canada
- $10/day in 210+ other countries (most of Europe, Asia, Central/South America, Caribbean)
- Use your regular talk, text and data limits from your domestic plan
- Only pay the daily fee on days you use your phone – no upfront charges
- Convenient – no need to arrange an international plan before traveling or visit a store to buy a SIM card
- Same phone and number – stay reachable on your regular U.S. number
According to Verizon, Travel Pass has been used by over 12 million customers since launching in 2015, with usage steadily increasing each year. In a 2019 survey of 1,000 Travel Pass users, 88% reported being satisfied with the service and 79% said they would recommend it to others.
Pricing Details
While Travel Pass can be significantly cheaper than pay-per-use international roaming (Verizon charges $2.05/MB, $0.50/text, and $1.79/min for standard global roaming), it‘s important to be aware of a few caveats:
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If you have an unlimited on-device data plan, speeds may be throttled after 500MB/day. Additional high speed data can be added starting at $20 for 1GB.
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Calls to foreign numbers may incur additional international long distance charges in some locations. Rates vary by country but can be up to $0.25/min.
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Mobile hotspot data is not included with Travel Pass – only data used directly on your device.
To put the pricing in perspective, here‘s how much Verizon Travel Pass would cost for some common travel scenarios:
| Trip | Assumptions | Travel Pass Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend in Canada | 3 days x $5/day | $15 |
| Week in Europe | 7 days x $10/day | $70 |
| Two weeks in Mexico | 14 days x $5/day | $70 |
| Month working remotely abroad | 30 days x $10/day | $300 |
As you can see, the costs can add up quickly for longer trips or heavy usage – a month using Travel Pass abroad could easily cost more than your regular monthly cell phone bill! This is why it‘s essential to understand your usage habits and evaluate all your options before deciding on an international roaming solution.
How to Activate and Use Travel Pass
One of Travel Pass‘ selling points is how easy it is to activate and use. No need to call customer service or visit a store – you can add it directly from your phone via any of these methods:
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My Verizon App/Website: Go to "Manage International Services" and add Travel Pass to your line(s). My preferred method for instant verification.
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Text "TRAVEL" to 4004 from the line you want to add Travel Pass to. Quick and easy but may take 1-2 hours to process.
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Call Verizon at 800-711-8300 and ask to add Travel Pass. Useful if you need assistance or have other questions.
Travel Pass will then automatically activate whenever you use your phone abroad in an included country – no need to re-add it each trip. You‘ll get a welcome text confirming it‘s working.
A few important things to remember when using Travel Pass:
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The daily session fee is charged based on Eastern Time – so if you fly to Europe and land at 8am local time (2am ET), you won‘t be charged until you use your phone after 2am ET.
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Travel Pass works in over 210 countries but is not available in every country Verizon offers global roaming – be sure to check the full country list before you go.
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If you‘re traveling to multiple countries in the same day, you‘ll only be charged one daily fee (for the country with the highest rate).
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You can add or remove Travel Pass at any time from your account, but it may take a full billing cycle for charges to cease if removed mid-trip.
Comparison to Other International Roaming Options
To decide if Verizon Travel Pass is a good deal, it‘s important to compare it to the other common options for international cell phone usage:
| Option | Pricing | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Intl Roaming | $2.05/MB, $0.50/text, $1.79/min | Same phone & number | Extremely expensive |
| Local SIM at Destination | Varies, often <$30 for several GB | Cheap data | Requires unlocked phone, new number |
| Google Fi | $10/GB, no extra fees | Simple pricing, 200+ countries | Requires switching phone service |
| T-Mobile | Free 128kbps data, $0.25/min calls | Included with plans | Very slow data |
| WiFi Calling | Free | Works anywhere with WiFi | Need to be on WiFi, no cellular fallback |
For most travelers, Verizon Travel Pass offers a good balance of cost and convenience. Paying $5-10 per day is reasonable for short to medium trips and far simpler than the alternatives that require changing SIMs, porting your number, or relying solely on WiFi.
However, there are scenarios where the other options make more sense:
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For trips longer than a month, or if you‘re frequently abroad, switching to Google Fi or buying local SIMs will likely be more economical than paying daily Travel Pass fees.
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If you‘re visiting a single country for an extended period, getting a local SIM is usually the cheapest way to get cellular data abroad. Rates of $10-20/month for several GB of data are common in many countries.
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If you really just need the occasional access to maps or messaging and can survive on slow speeds, T-Mobile‘s free international data can be sufficient.
Ultimately there‘s no one-size-fits-all best choice for international roaming – it depends on your specific travel plans, budget and data needs. But for many Verizon customers, Travel Pass is a solid "set it and forget it" option that‘s worked well in my experience.
Tips for Minimizing Travel Pass Costs
While Verizon Travel Pass offers better rates than standard international roaming, it can still get expensive if you‘re not careful. Here are my top tips for getting the most value from Travel Pass and avoiding unexpected charges:
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Monitor your usage – Use your phone‘s built-in data tracking features to see how much data you‘re actually using abroad. You may be surprised how quickly it adds up!
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Stick to WiFi when possible – Take advantage of free WiFi at hotels, cafes, airports and other public hotspots to minimize your cellular data usage.
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Download offline maps and content – Downloading Google Maps areas, Netflix shows, Spotify playlists, etc. to your phone while on WiFi can greatly reduce your data needs.
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Disable background app refresh and auto downloads – Many apps use data in the background even when you‘re not actively using them. Go into your settings and turn off these features.
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Keep your phone in airplane mode – When you‘re not actively using it, keeping your phone in airplane mode (with WiFi on) will prevent any accidental cellular charges.
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Buy an international data package – If you know you‘ll need a lot of high speed data, consider buying one of Verizon‘s international data packs starting at $20 for 1GB ($100 for 10GB). These offer better rates than Travel Pass for heavy data usage.
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Check if your destination is included – Travel Pass works in over 210 countries, but there are some notable exceptions like Cuba, Syria and Sudan where you‘ll pay standard roaming rates.
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Consider a local SIM for longer stays – If you‘re spending more than a few weeks abroad, buying a local SIM card will usually be cheaper than paying daily Travel Pass fees.
Customer Feedback and Reviews
Since its launch in 2015, Verizon Travel Pass has received generally positive reviews from customers and industry experts. PC Magazine called it a "solid option" for short trips, while The Points Guy said it "effectively eliminates the need to deal with swapping SIMs."
On Verizon‘s website, Travel Pass has an average rating of 4.2/5 stars from over 4,000 customer reviews. Many users praise its simplicity and seamless functionality, like this review from Michael S:
"I have used Travel Pass on multiple international trips and it has worked flawlessly. The flat $10/day fee is very reasonable and lets me use my phone exactly as I do at home without worrying about surprise charges. The only downside is that it does not include calls to local numbers in most countries."
However, a common complaint in negative reviews is "accidental" Travel Pass activation and charges, like this one from Jennifer T:
"I got charged a Travel Pass fee during a layover in Germany even though I didn‘t use my phone at all. Apparently just having my phone on was enough to trigger it. Verizon refused to refund the charge. Be very careful about keeping your phone in airplane mode!"
To avoid these unintended charges, make sure to keep your phone in airplane mode with cellular data turned off if you don‘t plan to use it. You can still enable WiFi to connect where available.
The Future of International Roaming
As global travel recovers from the pandemic and new 5G networks are deployed around the world, the landscape of international roaming is evolving quickly. In the coming years, I expect we‘ll see more options for affordable global connectivity, from eSIM technology to greater adoption of WiFi calling.
Verizon has stated plans to expand Travel Pass to more countries and explore new features like international 5G roaming and "Travel WiFi" passes for access to secure WiFi hotspots abroad. They also recently acquired BlueJeans, a video conferencing platform, which could open up new possibilities for integrated communication services for traveling professionals.
Other carriers will likely respond with their own innovations – T-Mobile has already started to move in this direction with its "Magenta MAX" plan that includes 256kbps international data (double the speed of its standard offering).
Ultimately, staying connected while traveling globally will only get easier and more affordable in the 5G era. But for Verizon customers today, Travel Pass remains a convenient and reasonably priced option for many types of international trips.
The Bottom Line
After extensively testing Verizon Travel Pass on my own international travels and comparing it to the alternatives, my assessment is that it offers a good balance of cost and convenience for most casual travelers.
While certainly not the cheapest possible way to get cellular service abroad, the easy setup and $5-10/day pricing is attractive for short to medium length trips where you just want your phone to work abroad as it does at home.
Of course, everyone‘s needs and budget are different. For longer journeys or frequent international travel, switching to Google Fi or picking up local SIMs is likely more economical. If you‘re on a very tight budget, relying on WiFi hotspots and apps with offline functionality can greatly reduce your roaming needs.
My key piece of advice: know your expected usage and thoroughly compare your options up front. Don‘t just default to Travel Pass without doing your homework. And most importantly – enjoy your trip! In the great scheme of an international voyage, saving a few bucks on cell phone roaming is much less important than being present in the moment and having a wonderful experience.
