You've booked the flights, packed your bags, and checked in online. But there are a few things most travellers forget to do before they leave — and they always regret it.
Here are five quick wins that'll make your trip smoother from the moment you land.
1. Sort your phone data before you get to the airport
This is the big one. Most people land in a new country and immediately start hunting for a SIM card or connecting to dodgy airport WiFi. It's stressful, slow, and often expensive.
The fix is simple — buy a travel eSIM before you fly. You install it at home on your WiFi, and when you land, you just turn it on. Instant data, no queues.
With Roamly, you can grab a plan for over 100 countries starting from a few dollars. It takes less than a minute to set up.
2. Turn off data roaming on your home SIM
This one catches people every trip. If you leave data roaming enabled on your primary SIM, your carrier can charge you the moment you connect to a foreign network — even for background app refreshes.
Before you board, go into your phone settings and make sure data roaming is switched off on your home line. If you're using a travel eSIM like Roamly, that handles your data instead.
3. Download your maps offline
Google Maps and Apple Maps both let you download areas for offline use. Do this before you leave — it's a lifesaver when you're navigating a new city and your data hasn't kicked in yet, or you're in an area with patchy signal.
Open the maps app, search for your destination, and look for the "Download offline map" option. It only takes a minute and uses a small amount of storage.
4. Save your important documents digitally
Passport, travel insurance, hotel confirmation, visa — take photos or screenshots of everything and save them somewhere accessible offline. A folder on your phone or a note in your notes app works fine.
If you lose a physical document or can't get online, having a digital backup can save you a serious headache at immigration or check-in.
5. Notify your bank
Nothing kills the mood like your card getting blocked at a restaurant in Tokyo. Most banks let you set a travel notice through their app — it takes 30 seconds and tells them not to flag your overseas transactions as suspicious.
Check your banking app before you fly. Some banks do this automatically now, but it's worth confirming.
The bottom line
None of these take more than a few minutes, but they'll save you a lot of stress on the other end. The biggest one? Get your data sorted before you leave. Everything else — maps, payments, communication — depends on being connected.
If you're looking for an easy, affordable way to stay online overseas, check out Roamly's eSIM plans. Pick your destination, install before you fly, and land connected.