How to Get High-Speed Wi-Fi While Traveling

There are a bunch of ways you can get high-speed Wi-Fi while you’re traveling. A mobile hotspot is the easiest and most reliable option, giving you Wi-Fi access for multiple devices whether you’re on a long drive, staying at a vacation home, or even traveling abroad. Hotels and restaurants also often have free Wi-Fi for customers, while other ways to get portable Wi-Fi include built-in car hotspots and fixed wireless internet plans for RVs.

Below we take a deep dive into all your pocket Wi-Fi options for when you’re traveling. Take a look to find the best way to stay connected on your next trip.

Best ways to get Wi-Fi while traveling:

• Best for short trips—Phones and mobile hotspots
• Best for traveling internationally—Travel hotspots and SIM cards
• Best for budget travelers—Hotel or restaurant Wi-Fi
• Best for road trips—Your car’s built-in hotspot
• Best for RVs and digital nomads—Portable 4G or satellite internet

Best for short trips: Phones and mobile hotspots

A hotspot—whether it’s the one on your phone or a separate mobile device—is the easiest and quickest tool you can use to get Wi-Fi while traveling. As long as you have a data plan and network coverage where you’re traveling, all you need to do is switch on the Wi-Fi hotspot to provide internet access for multiple laptops, tablets, and phones.

Your phone’s hotspot works great for lots of situations, and most phone plans come with hotspot data, so using one doesn’t tax your wallet.

But we recommend investing in a standalone mobile hotspot if you need Wi-Fi for multiple users or extended periods—for example, if you’re taking a few hours to get work done at your vacation home. Mobile hotspots have longer range than a phone hotspot, they connect more devices, and they don’t strain your phone’s battery.

Best mobile hotspots

Data as of 7/11/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Amazon.com Price as of 7/11/22 10:30 MST. See full disclaimer.

T-Mobile’s Inseego 5G MiFi M2000 is the most formidable mobile hotspot out there, delivering excellent speeds over T-Mobile’s 4G LTE and 5G networks. It can connect up to 30 devices—making it an excellent option for big groups—and comes with security features to set up guest networks and firewalls. T-Mobile also has the best prices on data plans, offering lots of flexibility for whenever you need it.

Best phone plans for hotspotting

*With AutoPay. Regularly $60/mo.

Data as of 7/11/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Almost any phone plan gives you hotspot data nowadays, and if you don’t have data, then you can likely add hotspotting for a modest fee. You don’t really need to pick out a cell phone plan just for the hotspot data.

But if you’re in the market, you can’t go wrong with AT&T’s flagship Unlimited Premium plan, which gives you the most hotspot data for your dollar. T-Mobile’s Magenta MAX plan also has a generous offer on hotspot data (albeit you get 10 GB less than the AT&T plan). Verizon’s 5G Do More plan comes with the least amount of data, but it includes a discount for a separate hotspot plan.

Best for traveling internationally: Travel hotspots and international SIM cards

The easiest and cheapest way to get internet abroad is to stick to hotel and restaurant Wi-Fi. But if you really need internet while abroad—for example, if you’re working remotely or need to make regular Zoom calls to family back home—we recommend getting a SIM card from a local phone carrier in the country you’re visiting.

Setup can be tricky, especially if you’re in a place where you don’t speak the language: you have to go to a phone store to buy a SIM card and set up an account, which usually requires you to show your passport and sign some paperwork. But these inconveniences are a small price to pay. Many countries have cheap options for phone plans and data, and getting a SIM card is often affordable.

Best travel hotspots

Amazon.com Price (as of 7/11/22 10:15 MST). See full disclaimer.

Huawei’s E5577Cs-321 may not have the prettiest name, but it’s a handy device. The 4G hotspot is compatible with providers across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, so you can swap in a SIM card and get the Wi-Fi flowing (almost) wherever you go.

GlocalMe G4 Pro is another interesting option. It doesn’t require a SIM card; instead, GlocalMe has its own data plans, which provide coverage in more than 140 countries, according to the manufacturer.

We’re hesitant to recommend devices in general like these because you have no way of knowing how well the hotspot actually works (if at all) until you’ve already bought the thing and gone on your trip. But the G4 Pro gets good reviews online, it’s easy to handle, and it comes with a pre-installed Google Maps app to help out in case you get lost.

Best for budget travelers: Hotel and restaurant Wi-Fi

Nothing beats hotel Wi-Fi, am I right? Most hotels and restaurants nowadays offer free Wi-Fi with their services, and anyone who’s ever spent a long layover in Paris or Istanbul knows how convenient free Wi-Fi can be.

Traveling on a budget? Go ahead and skip all the fancy stuff; don’t worry about adjusting your phone plan or buying a pricey hotspot. Just stick to the free Wi-Fi at your hotel or a nearby restaurant.

See below for a list of places where you can find public Wi-Fi (including lots of free options). And consider investing in a travel router and VPN to boost your signal range and increase browser security.

Where to find free Wi-Fi

• Restaurants
• Coffee shops
• Public libraries
• Government buildings
• University campuses
• Hospitals
• Schools
• Airport terminals
• Public parks

Popular restaurant and retail chains with free Wi-Fi:

• Starbucks
• McDonald’s
• Burger King
• KFC
• Taco Bell
• Subway
• Target
• Best Buy
• Lowe’s Home Improvement
• Dunkin’ (formerly Dunkin’ Donuts)
• Peet’s Coffee
• Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
• Tim Hortons
• Panera Bread
• Arby’s
• Wendy’s

Use a travel router to give your travel Wi-Fi a boost

A travel router is a small device that improves your connection and increases your security while you’re plugged into a public Wi-Fi network.

It lets you set up a private network using an Ethernet connection from a public hotspot. So if you’re at a hotel, you can plug the travel router into a hotel-provided internet access point like an Ethernet switch or hub. When you run the Wi-Fi through your travel router, it lets you bypass encryption and firewalls, connect more devices, and increase your signal range.

Best travel router

Amazon.com Price (as of 7/11/22 10:15 MST). See full disclaimer.

Best for road trips: Car Wi-Fi and built-in hotspots

Many newer vehicles—especially deluxe models and family sedans—have onboard Wi-Fi hotspots that give you internet access on the go.

We definitely don’t recommend using Wi-Fi while you’re driving a car. But so long as you’re safely paying attention to the road, an in-car hotspot is great because it lets your friends and family enjoy Wi-Fi access on long drives and road trips to watch movies, play games, and even get work done if necessary.

Best car internet plans

Data as of 9/6/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Many cars with built-in Wi-Fi hotspots need a data plan from AT&T. Prices and features vary based on the make and model of your vehicle, but expect to pay around $15 to $25 per month for a data plan. Some cars let you get data through Verizon or T-Mobile—namely Volkswagens and vehicles that use T-Mobile’s SyncUP DRIVE system.

Best for digital nomads: Portable 4G LTE or satellite internet

RVs and Sprinter vans typically have built-in systems for utilities like water and gas, but if you’re living on the road then you need to figure out a separate system for the Wi-Fi. Mobile hotspots and Wi-Fi extenders are excellent and affordable tools to get you internet in many places, but both come with technical limitations and aren’t adequate replacements for a proper home internet network.

A 4G LTE or satellite internet plan gives you a consistent connection for wherever you travel. 4G internet is already a popular choice for rural areas, and these plans work as mobile connections that can be set up anywhere. Satellite usually isn’t mobile, but Starlink has just introduced a plan for RVs that provides extensive nationwide coverage. Setup and billing costs can really add up with these plans, but the benefits include sturdier equipment and unlimited data.

Best 4G LTE and satellite internet plans

Data as of 7/8/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Nomad Internet is one of the best choices for RVs because its portable 4G internet plan doesn’t have a data cap. Hotspots don’t give you enough data to let you stream movies, make video calls, or work remotely for more than just a weekend or two, so having unlimited data makes a huge difference when you’re living out of a vehicle full time.

Starlink for RVs also comes with unlimited data. Its setup price is a lot higher, but Starlink has relatively fast speeds and excellent coverage across wide swathes of the rural West.

FAQ about getting Wi-Fi while traveling