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Never too far from sight, our mobile phones don’t just provide a way to stay in touch with loved ones but act as a central hub from which we can manage, frankly, most facets of our lives. Nowadays, it's not uncommon for a mobile to act essentially as an extension of our arm – and savvy travellers can enjoy plenty of ways to maximise its usefulness, whether it be by downloading one of our favourite apps, purchasing a useful accessory or just by choosing a clever case to keep it in. Below, we’ve pulled together our editors’ favourite travel phone hacks when abroad to maximise utility, help prevent theft and save money, among others.
Essentials
eSim
This is one of our favourite money-saving hacks. Especially if you’re travelling outside of Europe, using an eSim nearly always works out considerably cheaper than your phone network’s data add-on packages. I’ve personally saved a lot of money using an eSim on trips to Japan and Bali (I spent less than £10 on data that lasted me the whole week's trip, whereas my travel companion bought a bolt-on via her phone’s network that cost her three times the price and lasted less than a day). We’ve rounded up several of our favourite eSim apps – for me, it’s a no-brainer when heading further afield than Europe.
Portable charger
Even if your phone’s battery life is generally good, you’re typically more reliant on your phone when away – navigating unfamiliar streets, taking photos and searching for the best restaurants and cafes, all of which can wear down your battery faster than usual. The last thing you want is to be in a place you don’t know well, where you can’t speak the language, without access to your phone, so keep a portable charger juiced up in your backpack. This can provide peace of mind and the knowledge that you’ll always have a way to stay in touch with loved ones – especially if you’re headed into more rural areas. Here are some of our favourites.
Bags and cases
Phone case with card slots
Metro cards, tickets to attractions and that debit or credit card you don’t tend to use when at home – keeping these easily to hand on holiday will make your day go a lot more smoothly. Prevent the need to rummage in your purse or bag by investing in a phone case with card slots – all the better when paired with a phone bag or strap.
Phone strap
On that note, it gets tedious endlessly whipping your phone in and out of your bag to take pictures of the next landmark on your list. Don’t leave your mobile in your pocket where it’s vulnerable to theft – using a phone strap or bag is the way forward. Most have an additional fastening to add an extra layer of protection, too. Here are the best phone bags to shop now.
Accessories
Phone holder
Flying long haul is nobody’s favourite activity, but it does give you an opportunity to catch up on your latest Netflix binge. Keeping one of these inexpensive phone holders in your underseat cabin bag will keep your phone securely attached to the seat in front, so you can avoid the tedious balancing act of keeping it at an appropriate angle on your tray table. Our commerce editor, Lauren Burvill, won’t fly without this one now.
Luggage trackers
You can’t stop the airlines from losing your suitcase, but slipping a luggage tracker into your case can help you pinpoint where it is more swiftly so you can be reunited as quickly as possible. Loss aside, there are many utilisations for these handy trackers. We like to leave one in the car so we can find it quickly in the airport’s car park when we return post-holiday, and it’s always good to keep one on your keyring to avoid the irritation of finding that you’ve lost your keys – again.
Apps
If you ask a solo traveller why they enjoy going it alone, ease of planning without the need to deal with everyone’s input usually ranks highly. Fortunately, by using Google savvily, it's possible to make planning far easier when travelling in a group. In the Maps app, the ‘category’ function now automatically sorts all the places you’ve saved via function, such as ‘bakeries’, ‘museums’, and ‘bars’. You can pull up each category wherever you are and it’ll show you where’s closest for easy planning on-the-fly. If you select the wheelchair-friendly directions to your destination, where possible, you’ll receive a route without stairs and steep hills, which is handy if you have a disability or when lugging heavy suitcases. Google’s AI assistant, Gemini, is also worth a look. This new tool can create comprehensive itineraries, taking into account travel times, locations and your preferences within minutes – and it'll make tweaks and alterations to allow for any last-minute plan changes.
Splitwise
Splitwise is another of my favourite travel apps for group holidays. Some people ordered starters at dinner, and others didn’t? Your partner ordered an extra drink when you declined? No problem. This app seamlessly tots up who owes what and who paid what, so you can settle up between yourselves without a scrap at the end of the trip. See all of our best apps for travellers.
Camera
Most people don’t pack a separate camera for their trips – and why should you when the newest phone cameras are so sophisticated? I recently switched my ancient iPhone for a shiny new Google Pixel Pro 8, which has an impressive 50MP camera. As a result, my holiday snap game has levelled up considerably, despite my well-below-average photography skills. Similarly, the latest iPhone 15 has a 48MP camera. All new smartphones come with a variety of settings, from portrait to night mode, to help you capture your trip to the best effect. Experiment before you go to ensure you’re familiar – don’t miss the sunset in Bali because you’re faffing with the settings.
Ring light
If you've gone to any buzzy bar or restaurant, you may have spied a glamorous sort flipping up an additional light on their phone. These help capture detail far better in dimly lit environs, ensuring a studio-perfect shot in less-than-optimal lighting conditions. If you're a foodie, it's a worthy investment.
