Share this...

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Linkedin

Traveling Internationally? 4 Reasons Why You Should Pack a VPN

Before heading out on a trip to another country, most people create a packing list full of items like a passport, swimsuit, sunglasses, and portable charger. However, one thing you might not think about bringing with you on your journey is a VPN.

A VPN is a service that encrypts your internet connection and keeps your traffic and online activity private. Don’t know how to set up a VPN? The process is easy and quick, and it can help you in a variety of ways on your travels. 

With that in mind, this guide will go over some of the many benefits of having and using a VPN if you’re traveling internationally.

Watch Your Favorite Shows Anywhere

One of the first benefits of using a VPN when traveling to another country is that it helps you watch your favorite shows no matter where you are. The catalogs for streaming platforms like Netflix differ from country to country, due to things like licensing agreements, market preferences, different languages, and copyright.

So, if you’re an American traveling to Mexico, there are no guarantees that you’ll be able to watch the content you want. However, connecting to a VPN and changing your location to the USA ensures you never miss an episode. You’ll be able to watch content just as if you were at home.

In addition to that, some websites are blocked in certain countries, so using a VPN ensures you can always access your favorite sites.

Add Extra Protection on Public Wi-Fi

While traveling, you’ll be forced to use a variety of different public Wi-Fi connections at places like airports, hotels, cafes, and stores. Unfortunately, there are many potential risks of using public Wi-Fi such as the fact that it’s often unsecured and thus more vulnerable to attacks.

As a result, every time you connect to these networks, you run the risk of someone being able to see your activity. By using a VPN, you’ll encrypt your traffic as you browse, ensuring that hackers or other people can’t keep tabs on what you’re doing or access sensitive information.

However, while a VPN can help make your activity private while using public Wi-Fi, it doesn’t protect your device from things like malware and viruses, so it’s a good idea to still browse on these networks with caution.

Find Cheaper Flights, Hotels, and Car Rentals

With flight prices rapidly increasing, travelers are always looking for ways to save money on their tickets and their trips as a whole. A great way to find cheaper flights is to use a VPN. This is because airlines will often change their prices depending on your location.

Using your VPN can make it appear like you’re browsing from a different country, which should change the deals and prices you see. As a result, by connecting your VPN to a few different locations in a row, you can compare the pricing to find the best deal possible for your next flight. 

This process shouldn’t take more than a few minutes but has the potential to save you a ton of money on your travel. In addition to flights, the same method will often work to save money on booking hotels and renting cars, as these services also customize pricing based on location in many cases.

Avoid Issues With Your Bank Account

When traveling, it’s important to keep tabs on your bank account to ensure you’ve got enough money to fund your excursions and pay for hotels and flights. However, if you log into your bank account in a foreign country, there’s a chance you’ll be locked out or your account gets frozen.

This is a security feature that looks to protect your account from fraudulent activity, but it can be incredibly annoying to deal with during travel. If your account gets frozen, it can sometimes take hours (if not days) to access it, transfer funds, or make purchases.

Connecting to a VPN in your home country ensures your account won’t be flagged improperly, so you can continue to enjoy your vacation without spending hours going back and forth with your bank to get the account back.

In conclusion, a VPN is a wonderful travel companion that can help you keep up with your favorite shows, use public Wi-Fi safely, travel on a budget, and ensure you’re not locked out of your bank account.