1) If you're flying somehere — especially if you're taking multiple flights — make sure you have all your airline apps on your phone, and use electronic boarding passes.
If you print out paper boarding passes, two things can — and these days, often do — go wrong:
One, your flight can get cancelled, in which case you'll have to line-up to get a new boarding pass and possibly miss your flight.
Secondly, your flight(s) might get changed to a different concourse while you're enroute. If it was gate B17 and now it's B23, not a problem as long as you spot the change before you head in the wrong direction. But if gate B17 becomes C18, at many airports, boarding passes are only good for flights in the same concourse, so you'll have to line-up for a new boarding pass and may miss your flight.
If you use the airline app, you'll be notified if there's a flight and/or gate change, and you can quickly download a new boarding pass and be on your way.
Flying Air Canada back to Victoria from St. John's Newfoundland via Toronto, Suzanne and I had our connecting flight from Toronto to Victoria delayed and changed to different gates five times, and then cancelled. Each time, the change popped-up on the Air Canada app before the terminal reader-boards changed. Within five minutes of the cancellation, the app rebooked us on a new flight (via Vancouver) and electronically issued new boarding passes…
Those not using the app, had to endure this lineup (this is only half) for Air Canada Customer Service…
Also, make sure you check-in online as soon as you can starting 24 hours before your first flight.
If you hold-off checking-in till you get to the airport, you may discover you've been bumped off the flight, because many airlines have quietly gone back to overbooking flights to minimize having empty seats. Yes, you'll be compensated for being bumped, but if you're heading to a cruise ,or to a connecting flight or a special event, that'll be little comfort if you arrive late.
3) Staying connected while in the USA — without going broke
For a while, most Canadian carriers were offering Canada/USA roaming at no extra cost on their more-expensive plans. Rogers was the first to offer this to everone migrating over from Shaw Mobile.
But that really started to eat into the big money the carriers make on roaming charges.
As a result, in early 2024, most carriers quietly stopped offering Canada/USA service, and included the USA only in their most-expensive Canada/USA/Mexico plans, which start at $100/month. In early April, Telus resumed offering a Canada/USA plan, but they charge $95/month for that plan, which includes a massive 150GB/month of 5G data.
If you go often to the USA or make lots of calls to the USA, there are still alternatives to paying daily roaming fees, which are currently in the $12-$14 per-day range…
One good option is to switch to Canada's 4th national carrier, Freedom Mobile, which is owned by Quebec-based Vidéotron. They're currently including Canada/USA/Mexico calling and data roaming in all their plans costing just $20/month and higher…
The 75GB plan with "Roam Beyond" now includes 10GB of data and unlimited talk and text good in 89 countries beyond Canada/USA/Mexico, while the 100GB plan includes 20GB of data and unlimited talk and text good in 89 countries beyond Canada/USA/Mexico. You have to be on those plans for a minimum of three months and then you can drop down to a cheaper plan.
In addition, Freedom is now offering three new budget plans, all of which include Canada, USA and Mexico, with far-and-away the best deal being the $29/month 10GB plan…
Brian and I and our wives all switched to these plans a year ago along with friends, and are very happy with the coverage. Freedom is building its own 5G network (they already have seven towers up and running in this area), and when you're beyond the range of one of their towers, you seamlessly roam at no cost to you onto the Rogers network in Canada (it'll say "Nationwide" in the corner of your phone screen), and AT&T in the USA. It worked flawlessly for us in Hawaii during Spring Break, and in the Rockies and Okanagan in early July...
(If you'll be travelling beyond North America, check out "Roam Beyond" plans in item #3, and Airalo in item #4)
Another option is to use a test-drive from a US carrier…
- You can get unlimited calling within the USA, unlimited global texting, and 100GB of 5G/4G data good for 30 days, via Verizon's new Test Drive program. You keep your current number and add a Verizon second number via an eSIM barcode for free, so you can compare their coverage. I've created a step-by-step guide on how to do this, and it's below. You can only use this free Test Drive once every 12 months.
- Alternatively, T-Mobile is offering a free three-month trial of its network, with unlimited calling within the USA, unlimited global texting, and 50GB of fast 5G/LTE data. You keep your current number and add a T-Mobile second number via an eSIM barcode for free, so you can compare their coverage. This is a one-time offer. More here.
4) Canada's first global roaming plan just got even better!
Last November, Freedom Mobile became the first Canadian phone provider to offer a global roaming plan called "Roam Beyond". It originally covered 71 countries, and then in February, 81 countries.
Freedom Mobile has since explanded the coverage of its two "Roam Beyond" plans to include 11 more countries, for a total of 92 countries.
Here's the full list, with the 11 new countries in bold: Albania, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Bonaire, Bulgaria, Cayman Islands, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Curacao, Czechia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malaysia, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Phillipines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Turks & Caicos, Ukraine, United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), USA, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Vietnam.
There are two "Roam Beyond plans from which to choose:
- $45/month for 75GB of 5G data per month (10GB in countries outside North America & Mexico), plus unlimited calling to, from, and within the 92 countries, plus unlimited global texting, as well as 5G data roaming in those 92 countries.
- $55/month for 100GB of 5G data per month (20GB in countries outside North America & Mexico), plus unlimited calling to, from, and within the 92 countries, plus unlimited global texting, as well as 5G data roaming in those 92 countries.
You have to be on either of these plans for at least three months, and there's a $30 fee to switch to a cheaper plan after that. These plans will be available at these prices for a limited time only, but Freedom will honour the rate as long as you remain subscribed to it.
If there's a country that's really important to you, we suggest you call 611 before you subscribe, to find out if there are any cities not covered. For example, in India, Freedom's mobile partner there, Jio, currently does not offer service in Delhi or Mumbai. They're working to switch to a different partner to rectify that.
If you're going to be away for less than a couple months, you could instead buy a Freedom Mobile Roam Beyond Pass, which is good for 30 days…
The passes, which can be added onto any Freedom Mobile plan, give you unlimited calling in the included countries and back to Canada, plus unlimited global texting, and either 1GB or 5GB of data in the included countries.
The passes are good for 30 days from the time of issue, and cost $20 for 1GB of data, or $30 for 5 GB good in 92 countries.
The latest additions are Costa Rica, Finland, Isle of Man, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Poland, South Korea, and Sri Lanka.
If where you're headed is not included in the 92-country list, there's also a 101-country Roam Beyond pass ($30 for 1GB or $50 for 5GB) which adds service in nine more countries: Belarus, British Virgin Islands, Cyprus, Denmark, Macao, Malta, Mongolia, Montenegro,and the UAE.
Here is a PDF listing all the current countries and rates...
A 1GB roaming pass is $20 and good for 30 days in the same 92 countries, while a 5GB roaming pass is $30. Or you can buy the new 101-country pass which is $30 for 1 GB or $50 for 5GB, both good for 30 days. The 101-country Pass adds coverage for Belarus, British Virgin Islands, Cyprus, Denmark, Macao, Malta, Mongolia, Montenegro, and the United Arab Emirates. On either option, you could buy a second pass if you'll be travelling for more than 30 days.
5) Airalo Global is a great way to stay connected when travelling beyond North America, without changing carriers.
Airalo is a free smartphone app which lets you add a second number as an eSIM for travelling.
They have two types of eSIM's — data-only service which you can buy on a country-by-country basis or by region (i.e. Europe, or Africa, or Latin America, or Asia), plus now now, Airalo Global, which works in 127 countries, and also includes texting and phoning as well as data.
We recommend Airalo Global, because you can activate it and test it before you leave Canada, and be assured that it'll work when you arrive in another country.
Here are screenshots of the current Airalo Global rate options…
They also have options which, for a few dollars more, lets you send some texts and make phone calls.
I've created instructions on how to use an Airalo Global eSIM, including which Settings to change both going and coming, and you can download and print those instructions below…
8) Make sure your phone will work overseas
If you're taking an older smartphone or cheaper travelling with you, and are planning to use a foreign SIM card or eSIM in it, check before you go to see if your phone can use the frequencies used in the country(ies) where you're headed.
Many countries use newer, high-quality mobile frequencies which older and/or less-expensive phones don't support.
We discovered this when we got a SIM for a homestay student from Türkiye; her three-year-old Samsung phone only supports one of the 14 frequencies we use here in Canada, so she had to get a newer phone.
The easiest way to check is to use the online Kimovil Frequency Checker, which is here.
Select your phone and the country you'll be going to, and it'll tell you if your phone will work there…
Kimovil.com
Will My Phone Work in Canada?
If you have ever wondered if the mobile you are thinking of buying will work in Canada, this is the right site to answer your question. You can also find out if your mobile phone is compatible with the frequency bands that are used in Canada, or with the mobile phone operator you are going to use in Canada.
For example, here's the result for a Samsung Galaxy S6 phone to be used in Australia…
You'll see from the results above, that coverage on that phone would be spotty, because the phone does not receive several of the frequencies which Australian carriers use.
9) Americans can now renew their passports online, but Canadians, still not yet.
The US State Department has announced that Americans can now renew their passports online, bypassing the usual long lineups and waits. Fees are the same as for mailed-in renewal applications: $30 for a Passport Card, $130 for the traditional Passport Book, or $160 for both.
The online renewal portal is Travel.State.gov/renewonline
Here in Canada, the federal government announced early last year that online passport renewals was "coming soon"…but back in February, the government said that plan was on "hold" because of 'vulnerabilities' that surfaced during assessments of the new system.
In wake of the US passport renewal system going live, Canadian officials say we can expect to be able to also renew our passports online "in the near future".
United States Department of State
Announcing Online Passport Renewal - United States Department of State
The Department of State is making our new online passport renewal system fully available to the public today, a significant step forward in ensuring that Americans can more easily access passport services. Instead of printing a paper application and mailing it with a check, Americans can now renew their passports through a secure process that […]
10) Use ArriveCAN to pre-clear Customs when returning to Canada
You can use the ArriveCAN app (or website) to quickly pre-clear Canada Customs, if you're arriving at the Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, or Halifax airport -- but NOT yet in Victoria.
The time it saves is enough to enable you to make a tight connection if your incoming flight is late!
When you scan your passport at an Immigration kiosk, it skips the Customs part and gives you a receipt, and you're on your way.
Make sure you have the latest version of the ArriveCAN app, also, make sure you know your ArriveCAN account password, as the app signs you out after 10 days, and you'll need your password to sign back in if you're going to be aware for more than 10 days!
The ArriveCAN app is avilable free on the Apple and Google App Stores, and you can also submit your CBSA Declaration in advance online…the link to do that is in the webpage below…
11) Use MPC app to pre-clear Immigration when heading to the USA
If you're heading to the USA (including Hawaii and Alaska), US Customs and Border Protection has a free app which you can use to save a lot of time at the border — and this can be especially valuable if you have a tight connection.
It's called MPC (Mobile Passport Control) and it replaces the third-party Airside Mobile Passport app.
It can be used by Canadians and Americans, and it can also now be used at airports like Vancouver, where you pre-clear Customs and Immigration when flying to a major US airport. More here.
14) Use Google Flight Search to find the cheapest airfares
There are a tonne of airfare search tools out there, but the one which consistently finds the cheapest fares is Google's Flight Search tool at Google.com/Travel/Flights. Start by putting in your To/From cities and then your ideal travel dates. I've picked Orlando from Dec. 29-Jan. 7 as an example…
There are a couple of built-in tools in the lower right of your search results that can save you a lot of money. One is the Date Grid, which lets you see which days have the cheapest fares. You'll see, in our example, below, that we could save $434 per person by going a day later! And if we could go on New Year's Eve and come back on Jan. 10th, we could save $672 per person!
…the other useful tool is the Price Graph, which shows you what happens to fares if you shorten or lengthen your trip, or if you change your dates. In our example, if we were to change our travel dates to Jan. 14-23, our initial price of $1146 per person drops to just $404 per person…
Google Flight Search also lets you filter prices to show what's important to you, such as non-stop flights, or avoiding long layovers. And living in Victoria, you can also easily check to see if it's a lot cheaper to fly from Vancouver or Seattle. In our case, if we pick the cheapest travel dates from Victoria but change to departing from Vancouver…
…the price drops by $52 to $352 per person, but, if we were to change our dates to Jan. 13-21, it drops to just $235 per person! That's an $911 per per person saving from what we started with!
Once you find the best fares, you can then book directly with the airline, or you can forward the results to a travel agent and pay them to book it for you. We do not recommend booking with an online travel site like Expedia or SkyScanner — especially for flights overseas — because you don't want the stress of having to try to contact someone at those sites if your flight gets cancelled, and there are a lot more cancellations these days than in years past, especially in the winter.
20) Airble app lets you book seats on empty private charter flights
There's a new way to find an affordable plane flight: an app called Airble (note the spelling).
Among other things, it lets you book seats on the empty leg of a chartered small plane.
22) Passport update: you do not have to renew your passport six months before it expires, if you'll be visiting the USA.
Many countries will not admit you if your passport will expire within six months of your arrival.
But, the USA has a little-known "Carrier Liason" agreement that lets Canadians travel to the US as long as your passport will still be valid on your scheduled date of return. A list of countries covered by that initiative is below…
For travel to other countries, if your passport will expire within six months, renew it now. If you're not sure when it expires, pull it out and check!
Passport office staff say they're constantly encountering panicked people who were sure their passport was still valid, only to have discovered when they went to go travelling, that it had actually expired months ago.
You can usually get a passport renewed within a few weeks, but if you need it sooner, you can pay $50 extra for Express service which will get it to you within a week, or you can pay $110 extra for Urgent renewal which will enable you to pick it up within three business days, or if you have proof of travel booked in less than that, within two days including weekends. If you need to pick it up on a weekend, you have to pay the cost of a staff-person coming down to the Passport CEntre to open it up on the weekend.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada has an excellent website on Passport renewals and applications…
Even if you're not planning to travel outside Canada, it's still a great idea to have a valid passport, which can be invaluable as photo ID if you lose your driver's licence or BC ID card.
24) Credit card shields and RFID-blocking wallets are a ripoff
RFID-blocking wallets, passport shields and credit-card sleeves are inconvenient and a waste of money, because they solve a problem that doesn't exist!
28) Never use a public USB charging station or kiosk
This is not a new problem, but a lot of travellers are unaware of the security risk: never use an airport USB charging station or kiosk to recharge your smartphone or tablet.
Quite often, the USB ports are connected to computers which try to siphon info out of your phone — especially Android phones — while charging them.
And don't use a charging cable that someone has left behind, either, as it may contain a chip that'll unleash malware, even on iPhones.
Plugging into a public USB port or using a left-behind charging cable is like finding a toothbrush on the side of the road and deciding to stick it in your mouth — you have no idea where that thing has been!
29) Use an iPhone to quickly see the status of any flight
Here's a great (iPhone only) tip if you're flying, or are expecting someone who is:
Text yourself your flight number(s) (i.e. AC1900).
Then, anytime you want to know updated departure/arrival info, just hold your finger on the flight number and tap "Preview flight" and you'll see everything you need…
31) Use Trainline app for booking train & bus tickets in Europe
If you're going to Europe and are going to be taking trains and/or busses, use the free Trainline app or website to book tickets.
33) If you're a VISA card-holder, check to see if you can use the new VISA Airport Companion app to get free airport lounge access
Holders of select VISA cards are now eligible for up to six free visits a year to more than 1,200 Airport Lounges around the world, including many here in Canada.
You access the lounges using the free VISA Airport Companion app available for Apple and Android devices.
Find out if you're eligible by going to VISAairport Companion.ca/terms
35) If you like cruising, try enthusiast-created CruisePlum.com
CruisePlum.com is a fairly new website which was created by a small group of cruise enthusiasts who weren't happy with any of the existing cruise search / deal list sites.
It offers a suite of tools to help you find the best cruise at the best price. It's completely free and unbiased…
CruisePlum.com is not afilliated with any cruise line or company; it's run by a small group of cruise enthisaists…
36) If you're going to Waikiki/Oahu, I've created a list of some great hidden places to visit and where to find great and affordable eats
The list includes tips on how to enjoy popuar events like the free Aloha Friday Fireworks, the new way to get free tickets to visit Pearl Harbour, and how to make a mandatory reservation to climb Diamond Head. It also includes some hidden gems — both sights and dining!
You can download and/or print it by clicking on the arrow-in-square icon in the upper right, below…
If you have any additional places you'd like to share, I'd be glad to add them to this list! Email me at AlanPerry@outlook.com
38) Meet Wayther, an iOS weather app designed just for road trips
A new iOS app called Wayther wants to help you better plan your road trips by giving you real-time road conditions and weather forecasts along your route.
Created by indie developer Axel Le Pennec, Wayther gives you weather forecasts along your route up to 10 days in advance.
Wayther works in all countries where Apple Weather is available, and supports both metric and imperial units. Wayther can also be used for trips by motorbike, RV, truck, bus, or bike — even walking!
Wayther offers a free trial that gives three trips for free. After the trial period, if you like it, pay $20 a year and get unlimited usage.
39) Heads-up if you want to take a dog into the USA: new paperwork is now required (this started on Aug. 1/24)
Dogs being taken into the USA by air, sea, or land now have to be at least six months old, be microchipped, appear healthy, have proof of having received a rabies vaccination within the past three years on or after being microchipped, and owners will have to fill out a new CDC Dog Import form, which includes a picture of the dog showing its face.
cbc.ca
Travelling to the United States with your dog? Here's what you need to know
The U.S. is implementing new rules for dogs entering the country on Aug. 1. All dogs entering the U.S. from Canada will need to be microchipped, at least six months old, and accompanied by a new import form, among other requirements.
40) If you're travelling, put an AirTag or Eufy SmartTag in your luggage and your carry-on, to be alerted if you leave it behind
Of all the tech gear that's been invented in the past few years, item trackers are our hands-down favourites! They're inexpensive and easy-to-use, and eliminate a lot of stress.
Apple AirTags work great if you have an iPhone and/or iPad, while Eufy SmartTags work with both iPhones and Android phones.
If you have an iPhone, AirTags are listed in the "Items" tab in the "Find My" app ,which is built into every iPhone and iPad.
The "Find My" app includes a Notification option which will put a pop-up on your iPhone if you're leaving an item behind, with a switch to have it not do that at specific locations such as your home or work.
When our shuttle driver in St. John's accidentally drove off with my backpack still in his van, it soon notified me, and within minutes, I could see that it was in the van which was back outside the hotel. I called the hotel and they had him return and give it to me within minutes.
I have AirTags in my backpack, tech bag, carry-on, and suitcase, as well as on my keys, on my bike, and in my car.
You can now share the location of your AirTags with multiple people, so they can help you find missing items if your iPhone is out of power or not with you.
Apple AirTags are $39 each or $129 for a package of four (you can sell/give them individually) at London Drugs, Best Buy, Staples, The Source, Simply Computing and other stores.
If you buy one/some, you'll want to put them in holders to keep the top from vibrating off, but holders are quite pricey at most stores — up to $30 each! You can buy AirTag holders that are just as good for a fraction of the price on Amazon. Here are two which we've bought, which are $12 for a set of four…
Amazon.ca
E-TING Air Tag Keychain for Apple Airtags Holder, 4 Pack Protective Leather Airtags Case Tracker Cover with Air Tag Holder, Airtag Key Ring Compatible with Apple New AirTag Dog Collar (Multi-Color)
E-TING Air Tag Keychain for Apple Airtags Holder, 4 Pack Protective Leather Airtags Case Tracker Cover with Air Tag Holder, Airtag Key Ring Compatible with Apple New AirTag Dog Collar (Multi-Color) : Amazon.ca: Electronics
Amazon.ca
E-TING 4 Pcs Multicolor Anti-Scratch Case for AirTag,Holder with Keychain Hanging on Dog Collar Backpacks Wallet, Safety Anti-Lost Airtag Case Cover with Key Ring
E-TING 4 Pcs Multicolor Anti-Scratch Case for AirTag,Holder with Keychain Hanging on Dog Collar Backpacks Wallet, Safety Anti-Lost Airtag Case Cover with Key Ring : Amazon.ca: Electronics
Item trackers -- they work with both iPhones and Android phones
Apple AirTags are great, but don't fit into a wallet. Enter Eufy, who have made a Find My-compatible SmartTrack Link tracker which is the size of a credit card and just twice the thickness.
It's also twice as loud as an AirTag, and has a QR code on the back that someone who finds it can scan to see contact info for the owner. More on how they work is here.
Android users can also track their wallet by using the MyEufy app.
The Eufy SmartTrack Wallet Link is $40 but often on sale at London Drugs, or Best Buy.
Eufy also makes an AirTag-style tracker which is twice as loud as an AirTag and doesn't need a holder, as it has a keyring hole in the corner.
The Eufy SmartTrack Tracker Tag is $30 and available at London Drtugs and Best Buy.
Another option is BoomPod BoomTags, which also work with Apple's "Find My" system.
They're made out of 100% recycled ocean plastic, available in four colours, don't need a tag holder, and are $30 at London Drugs.
41) If you have an iPhone and are going travelling, you can use it to pay for transit in most cities, and skip having to buy a transit card
If you add a credit card (or cards) to an iPhone Apple Wallet, you can do more than just use your iPhone to pay for purchases without the merchant getting your card number.
You can also designate one credit card to be your Express Transit Card, and then you can just tap your iPhone to ride Translink/SkyTarin/SeaBus in Greater Vancouver, for example, instead of having to buy and load a Compass Card. Same for Seattle instead of buying an Orca Card, or a BART card in San Francisco, or a PRESTO card in Toronto, or a Tube card in London, et cetera, worldwide.
To designate a credit card which you've added to Apple Wallet as your Express Transit Card, go to Settings, Wallet & Apple Pay, and scroll down to and tap on Express Transit Card.
Tap on the card you want to use for transit, and confirm it's you with your face or fingerprint, and a checkmark will appear next to that card.
The credit card which you select (no debit cards) will now work automatically without requiring face ID or your fingerprint or passcode; just hold your iPhone near any supported transit reader.
This does NOT yet work here in Victoria, where you currently pay for transit rides via the UMO app or a UMO card, but we're told tap-to-pay is coming here in the future, too.
42) United Airlines is adding free Starlink Wi-Fi to all of its planes
In a partnership with Elon Musk's Starlink, United Airlines will be offering free WiFi to passengers in all classes on all its planes starting next year.
Starlink says it'll be able to provide 220Mbps service to planes, which United says should allow passengers to do pretty much anything on flights that they can do on the ground.
Westjet has announced plans to test Starlink WiFi on some of its planes next year as well.
43) Going to Europe? You now won't need an ETIAS VISA Waiver till next year.
ETIAS waivers were supposed to be required starting January 1st of this year, but that requirement has now been postponed till 2025.
ETIAS stands for the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, and the EU created it in an effort to identify any risks associated with visa waiver-exempt visitors — including Canadians —travelling to Europe.
An ETIAS Visa Waiver will cost €7 which is about $10 CAD.
Canadians under the age of 18 or 70 years of age and older will not have to pay for an ETIAS Visa Waiver, but will still need to get one before travelling to Europe.
However, the start-up of the program has now been delayed until 2025.
