1a) Heading to the USA? Delete any content critical of the Trump admin. before you get to the border, or you could get turned away
In light of numerous recent incidents in which Canadians have been denied entry to the USA, and some have been detained before being deported, Global Affairs Canada has updated its advice for Canadians going to the USA…
Travel.gc.ca on Twitter / X
We have updated sections of our travel advice for the #UnitedStates with information on screening at the border, carrying proof of status, and instructions on visa applications. Read our full advice here: https://t.co/fvcboq8f0a pic.twitter.com/nz33MpaRT3— Travel.gc.ca (@TravelGoC) April 4, 2025
Global Affairs Canada points out that individual US Homeland Security border agents have "significant discretion in making those determinations" and may "strictly enforce entry requirements". This includes denying entry to anyone whom an agent feels is a critic of the policies of the new Trump administration.
The updated Travel Advisory stresses that Canadians should expect scrutiny at ports of entry, including their electronic devices. US border agents can search them and don't need to provide a reason when requesting a password to open your device (laptop, cell phone, tablet, etc).
If you refuse, authorities may seize your device(s), or they may deem you inadmissable, and detain you until you're deported. Global Affairs Canada now suggests you put your device(s) in airplane mode to "ensure remote files don’t get downloaded accidentally". An example of that would be texts or emails from friends or family which are critical of the Trump administration.
As there have been some instances where US border guards have denied entry to Canadians who simply have apps on their phones such as left-leaning MSNBC, or the New York Times, some border security experts are suggesting that before you get to the border or head into airport screening, you make sure your phone is fully backed-up, and then delete any social media, Messaging, or news apps that might have content unsupportive of the Trump administration, and then reload them once you're in the USA and connected to Wi-Fi.
If you're planning to be in the USA for more than 30 days, you must pre-register with the US government and get an I-94. But, even if you have an I-94, you can still be denied entry, and if that happens at a land border, you could be detained for hours or days before being deported.
CBC
Canadians required to register with U.S. government if in country at least 30 days | CBC News
Beginning Friday, Canadians over the age of 14 who will be in the United States for 30 days or longer will have to register with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Trump administration says it's just enforcing laws that essentially have been on the books for decades.
As a result, immigration experts suggest those Canadians going for more than 30 days, instead of driving, fly into the US by plane from a major airport such as Vancouver, where you'll undergo US Immigration pre-clearance before boarding your flight. That way, if you're denied entry, you can just turn around and leave, because you're still in Canada.
1b) Updated: Heading to the USA by vehicle for more than 30 days? You now have to pay $6 USD to register before you get to the border
The new requirement is spelled-out in an Executive Order signed by US President Donald Trump, harshly entitled, "Protecting The American People Against Invasion" (linked below).
Since it was signed, US Homeland Security has exempted Canadians going to the USA for more than 30 days from the fingerprinting requirement that most others will be forced to submit to, but Canadians going into the USA by vehicle for more than a month do now still have to apply in advance for an I-94 permit, and carry proof of approval with them at all times while in the USA.
Applying for an I-94 costs $6 USD, and requires you to fill out an online form which includes questions around your past addresses, criminal record if any, and what you plan to do during your extended stay.
You must apply online for an I-94 within seven days of your intended date of driving into the USA, and no earlier, and paying the $6 USD fee is not a guarantee that you will be admitted.
The link to apply is below (click on the "Apply for new I-94" link on the website)…
1c) Heads-up if you want to take a dog into the USA: paperwork is now required
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.
As a result, immigration experts suggest those Canadians going for more than 30 days, instead of driving, fly into the US by plane from a major airport such as Vancouver, where you'll undergo US Immigration pre-clearance before boarding your flight. That way, if you're denied entry, you can just turn around and leave, because you're still in Canada.
2a) 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.
2b) Updated: Canadians can now (finally!) renew their passports online, and so can Americans
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is now allowing Canadians to renew their passports online, as long as you can wait three weeks to get it. This is a new service, and capacity is limited, while they make sure the system doesn't crash.
Who can renew their passport online
- You’re applying to renew your own passport.
- Your home and mailing address is in Canada.
- Your current passport:
- is a regular (blue) passport
- was valid for 5 or 10 years
- shows your place of birth
- was issued when you were 16 years of age or older
- was issued in the last 15 years and
- is expired or
- will expire in the next 6 months
- You’ll use the same name, date of birth, place of birth and gender identifier on your new passport.
- You don’t have any observations in your current passport. (Observations are notes some people have on a separate page of their passport to explain special circumstances (like a name that was too long to be printed in full or if you have a diplomatic passport). Most people don’t have observations in their passport.)
You'll also need to go to a photographer who knows about, and can meet, the requirements for a digital passport photo.
You can create an account and start your application until they reach their daily limit. The limit resets at 4am and 4pm Pacific time each day. If you can’t create an account when you try, try again when the limit resets.
You new passport will be mailed to you, or you can pay an additional fee and pick it up at a Service Canada office. The link is below…
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 […]
3) If you're heading to the UK, you now need a £16 online ETA to get into England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland
An ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) is a new digital travel permit that is mandatory for citizens of countries that can visit England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland without a visa for short trips. This includes Canadian citizens.
ETA's started being required on Jan. 8, 2025, and getting one went up in price on Apr. 9, and now costs £16 (about $30 CAD).
A UK ETA is valid for multiple visits for either two years, or when your passport expires — whichever comes first.
Applying for a UK ETA is entirely online and paperless. Canadian applicants can complete the application in less than 20 minutes. You do not need to visit consulates or visa offices for an in-person interview or to submit documents. Important note: in order to get a UK ETA, your passport must not expire within six months of your expected departure from the UK.
It usuallly takes three days to process an ETA application. You'll receive a decision, whether approved or rejected, via the email address you provide when applying. Most airlines flying to the UK now require you to provide proof that you have an ETA (unless you have a British or Irish passport), before they'll let you check-in. Check-out the info below, and then you can apply for an ETA online at the lower link…
Update: several listeners have said that they needed TWO apps to do this on a smartphone: ID Check and UK ETA. Others have said they gave up and did it on their computer.
4a) Going to Europe? You now won't need an ETIAS VISA Waiver till the last quarter of 2026.
ETIAS waivers were supposed to be required starting last year, but that requirement has now been postponed till late 2026.
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.
The start-up of the program has now been delayed until late next year (six months after the launch of the new "EES" — EU Entry/Exit System now set to begin in October of this year), and when it kicks-in, there'll be a six-month transition period during which an ETIAS Waiver will not be mandatory, but will be strongly encouraged, with express clearance lines for those who have one.
If you're going to Europe this fall, you'll get an EES only if you leave one European country and go to another. You don't need to apply for it in advance the way you will have to for an ETIAS.
4b) You now need to show proof that you have travel health insurance before you can enter most European countries
More and more countries are now requiring you to show proof that you have Travel Health Insurance before they'll let you enter.
Some European countries such as France, Spain and Italy, which in 2024 were still exempting visitors who are allowed to enter without a VISA, have now removed that exemption, and will not let visitors enter without proof of valid travel health insurance.
More info on what amount of travel health insurance you need for each country is below…
5a) Carry-on luggage sizes have now been standardized for most of the world, but 60% of popular carry-on's will be a bit too big
The good news is that with the start of 2025, airlines here in North America and Europe (and also more and more other countries) have finally agreed to standardized carry-on luggage size limits, so if your carry-on fits on one airline, it'll fit on all of them.
The bad news is that the new standardized size — 56cm x 40cm x 23cm (22" x 16" x 9") is a slight bit smaller than about 60% of carry-on's in use today.
If your carry-on is too big, airlines will start requiring you to pay to have it checked, although initially, they'll likely check it for free till the new size limits become commonly-known.
In addition to the new standardized size limit, the carry-on weight limit is also being standardized: 10kg (22 pounds). If your carry-on is heavier than that, you may be required to either remove some items, or pay to have it checked.
Here are the old size and weight limits for 64 airlines prior to the standardization…
The new standardized carry-on size and weight limits are the only change for travellers in 2025.
5b) Rules governing pocket power-banks and portable electronics carried onboard planes (in carry-on's or personal items) have also been standardized
- The new rules require that all portable electronics must have enough power to be turned-on if requested by security screening staff. If your laptop or tablet doesn't have enough power to be turned-on, you can be required to leave and charge it up and return for re-screening, or to leave it behind.
- There's a new 20-device limit on portable electronics being carried aboard per person
- According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), power banks with a capacity of up to 100 watt-hours (Wh) are allowed in carry-on baggage. Most power banks of 20,000 mAh or less will be within this limit. (Read on for the formula to use to be sure.) Spare batteries are strictly prohibited in checked luggage for safety reasons. These guidelines align with the regulations set by the FAA and TSA for domestic flights, ensuring consistency in safety measures.
- If your power bank exceeds 100 Wh but is within the 101-160 Wh range, you can carry up to two spare batteries in your carry-on, though airline approval may be required.
- Batteries larger than 160 Wh are not permitted in either carry-on or checked baggage and must be transported as cargo in compliance with IATA’s Dangerous Goods Regulations.
To check if your battery pack complies with regulations, you need to convert mAh to Wh using a simple formula: Watt-hours (Wh) = (Voltage (V) × mAh) / 1000
For example, most power banks use lithium-ion batteries with a typical voltage of 3.7V. If you have a power bank with a capacity of 10,000 mAh, the calculation would be:
Watt-hours = (10,000 mAh × 3.7 V) / 1000 = 37 Wh
So, yes, you can bring a 10,000 mAh power bank on a plane, as it falls below the 100 Wh limit.
Similarly, if you have a 20,000 mAh protable charger, it would be approximately 74 Wh. This is also within the allowed range for carry-on luggage.
6) If you're flying somewhere — 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.
8) 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 include Canada/USA/Mexico calling and data roaming in all their plans…and are also including a bonus 8GB/month of data if you sign-up for their $39, $49, or $59/month plan this Lunar New Year weekend…
The 60GB plan with "Roam Beyond" now includes 5GB of data and unlimited talk and text good in 103 countries beyond Canada/USA/Mexico, while the 8GB plan includes 15GB of data and unlimited talk and text good in 103 countries beyond Canada/USA/Mexico, and their new 100GB plan includes 25GB of data and unlimited talk and text good in 103 countries beyond Canada/USA/Mexico. You have to stay 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 two new budget plans, all of which include Canada, USA and Mexico, with the best deal being the $25/month 3GB 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...
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.
9) Freedom Mobile has expanded its no-extra-cost "Roam Beyond" service to include countries in Central America and South America
This has been a great service for travellers, nd now it's even better…
If you have multiple trips planned, Freedom's top four plans, in addition to including no-charge national calling, and calling back to Canada, also now include data-roaming in 106 countries.
The service has just been expanded to include Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Peru and Uruguay. A PDF showing all the countries where "Roam Beyond" will work is here…
If you have only one or two trips planned beyond Canada, the USA and Mexico, you can go on a cheaper monthly plan, and buy a 30-day "Roam Beyond" pass…
The passes 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 5GB good in 106 countries. If where you're headed is not included in the 106-country list, there's also a 115-country Roam Beyond pass ($30 for 1GB or $50 for 5GB) which adds service in 9 more countries: Belarus, Cyprus, Denmark, Malta, Mauritius, Mongolia, Montenegro, Pakistan, and the UAE.
If you want to see who the raming partner carriers are in each country, a Reddit user (Kaiustechtok) has kindly created a spreadsheet showing many of the roaming partners…
10) 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…
11a) (updated yet again) Update the phone #s in Contacts to include +1 for North America and + and the Country Code for overseas
Especially if you're going travelling, but even if you're not, make sure the numbers in your Contacts for people you're going to call are saved with a +1 before the area code and number if they're here or in North America, or in some cases, you won't be able to call them.
Update: We had previously suggested just a 1 for North American numbers, but we've discovered that because of the myriad of phone carriers here in Canada, the USA, and Caribbean, some calls cannot be completed unless there's a +1 in front of the area code and number.
If you're going overseas, many of you have switched to Freedom Mobile to take advantage of their "Roam Beyond" plan, which let you use your phone in dozens of countries around the world at no extra cost. Or, you may be using the Airalo app to add an overseas number via an eSIM.
But, either way, in order to call people in a foreign country when you're there, you must save their phone number beginning with + and the country code.
If you don't do that, depending on the carrier, your call either won't go through, or you'll get billed for an international call as it'll be routed back through Canada, or the first digits of their phone number will be interpreted as a country code and you'll get billed for a call to Russia or Finland or some other country!
On home phones, you have to dial 011 and then the country code and their number, but on mobile phones, you just need + and the country code and their number.
"Tech Talk" listener Vivien recently returned from England and Italy and found $80 in extra charges on her Freedom Mobile bill, even though she'd switched to them for their "Roam Beyond" coverage. When she contacted Freedom Customer Care, they explained that those charges were because she dialled numbers in England without putting in the country code, so those calls were routed via Canada. As a goodwill gesture, they removed those charges from her bill this one time only.
Regardless of which carrier you're on, we recommend you go through your contacts and, one-by-one, add a +1 in front of their number if they're in Canada, the USA, or the Caribbean — even if it's a local number — and add + and the Country Code if they're overseas. You can find a full list of Country Codes at CountryCode.org
Note that Caribbean country numbers use the North American calling format, so you just need a +1 in front of their area code and number.
11b) If you're going traveling outside Canada, make sure you turn your WiFi Calling off before you leave, to avoid roaming charges
WiFi Calling is a great feature on newer phones which lets your phone route calls over WiFi when the cell signal is weak. This not only saves battery, but also makes your calls sound much clearer.
However, if you leave WiFi Calling on and leave Canada, even if you have a plan that includes data roaming in the country where you're going, you'll get dinged for international phone calls if you make phone calls to/from numbers outside Canada while connected to WiFi in the foreign country.
If you're in, say, Spain and calling a number in Spain, if you're on WiFi Calling, that call is routed back through Canada, and thus it becomes an international phone call which you'll get charged for per minute, even if your plan includes roaming in Spain.
So, if you're going traveling outside Canada, make sure you turn your WiFi Calling off before you leave, to avoid hefty international calling charges!
We recommend you also put a reminder into your calendar for the day you return to Canada, to turn WiFi Calling back on once you're back home.
13) 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.
14a) 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…
14b) 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.
16) 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.
18) Air Canada is adding fast, free Wi-Fi on all North American and sun destination flights - for Aeroplan members
2025 will see Air Canada scrap its free beer, wine and and snack service which it introduced earlier this year to match Porter Airlines, but will also see the introduction next May of fast, free onboard Wi-Fi on North American and sun destinationflights in partnership with Bell.
The only catch is, you have to be an Aeroplan member, but that's not a big catch, because Aeroplan membership is free.
Air Canada says it plans to extend the free Wi-Fi service to overseas flights in 2026.
Air Canada says 85% of its aircraft will be connected on day one, and it'll bring the remaining aircraft online throughout 2025. Free Wi-Fi will be available on Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge and “most” Air Canada Express planes.
22) 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.
25a) 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!
For many years, the info on your card has been encrypted and useless to anyone who holds a scanner near it. While its technically true that someone with a handheld payment terminal could trigger a transaction and hold it near your wallet to trigger payment, they'd have their terminal deactivated as soon as the fraud was discovered, and you wouldn't lose any money.
25b) Tap and Chip functions are now at opposite ends of some credit and debit cards
Tapping is a more-secure way of paying with your credit- or debit- card, because there's no way for anyone to see what your PIN code is.
Debit cards are limited to a maximum transaction of $100, while credit cards will allow taps of up to $250 on all cards, and higher on some cards at some stores.
But if your card doesn't always work for Tap-to-Pay, it may not be the card — it may be how you're holding it!
On most cards, the Tap-to-Pay symbol (which looks like a WiFi signal icon on its side), is right next to the Chip which you insert into a payment termanal when paying with your PIN.
But on more and more newer cards, the Tap icon is now at the other end of the card, and sometimes on the back.
If that's how it is on your card, hold the card by the Chip end and tap the Tap-to-Pay icon on the payment terminal.
28a) Use the Find My Car app to find your way back to any spot
If you want to be able to easily find your way back to some spot, use the free Find My Car app.
You don’t need to actually have a car; if you want to find your way back to your hotel or AirBnB, for example, set the location of your "car" when you leave, and off you go.
You can even snap a picture, and add notes to the saved location.
When you want to find your way back, tap the "Find my car" button in the app, and choose whether you want walking, driving, or transit directions back to that spot.
28b) If you have an iPhone, ask Siri to remember where you parked
A new update to Apple's Siri digital assistant eliminates the need for the Find My Car app.
Now, when you've parked (or when you're leaving some location without a vehicle), just say, "Siri, remember where I parked my car".
When it's time to return to you car (or the location without a vehicle), simply ask, "Siri, where did I park my car?" and you'll see the same dialog box to guide you to where you parked.
29) 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!
30a) 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…
30b) To track someone's plane flight(s), try FlightRadar24
There are numerous free flight-tracking apps, but the one which currently gets the top ratings is FlightRadar24, which is available both on Apple and Android mobile devices, and on the web.
FlightRadar24 lets you search by flight #, by airport, by route, and even by tail number.
It's especially useful in finding and tracking the plane that's scheduled to be your departing flight, so you can get an early-heads-up if your flight is going to be delayed.
If you want, you can upgrade to the paid version to get rid of ads and to access additional features such as custom alerts for up to 10 flights, and 90 days of flight history for $18/year.
32) 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.
34) If you're a VISA card-holder, check to see if you can use the 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
36) 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…
37) 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.
39a) 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, and now there are rechargeable credit-card sized trackers for your wallet or purse!
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
39b) Find your wallet or purse with new ultra-thin and rechargeable credit-card-sized item trackers
These SEINXON credit-card-sized trackers are the first ones we've found which you can recharge, and wirelessly, so they can be ultra-thin (about the thickness of a credit card) because they don't need to have a power jack. They work with Apple's "Find My" system, as well as with Seinxon's own app.
They're waterproof and can work for up to eight months on a charge, and you can also hold your finger on the power logo to power them off if you won't need to track an item for a while.
They're currently $28 on Amazon…
39c) Find your wallet, keys, and other items with Eufy SmartTrack Link item trackers -- they work with iPhones and Android phones
Eufy 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 at Best Buy stores.
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 on sale for $20 (save $10) at London Drugs.
40) You can now temporarily share the location of an AirTag, to help get you reunited with your misplaced or lost item
A new feature introduced to iPhones and iPads with iOS/iPadOS 18. 2 is the ability to temporarily share the location of an AirTag with someone you trust — like airline baggage people — so they can easily locate your misplaced item and get it back to you…
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 this 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) iPhones can now support up to 8 eSIMs — but only two can be active at any one time
If you have an iPhone, you're doing a lot of travelling, and have different SIM cards for different countries, you can now keep up to 8 phone numbers from around the world on your phone.
But, only one of them can be a physical SIM card; the others have to be eSIMs, and only two of the numbers can be active at any one time. So to start using a third number, you'd have to turn off one of the other active numbers.
Most carriers allow you to convert your current SIM to an eSIM, so you can use the SIM card slot for a physical SIM if you travel to one of the few countries, such as China and Turkmenistan, that do not yet use eSIMs.
Most Android phones can only support two numbers — either one SIM and one eSIM, or two eSIM's.
Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra allows you to have three numbers — omne SIM and two eSIM's, but only two of the three can be active at a time.
44) If you use Uber outside Canada, there's a small but important change to make to avoid a higher currency exchange rate
Uber has added a new "preferred currency" setting, which is set by default to ensure your ride fare is charged in Canadian dollars. But, there's catch — Uber adds a 1.5% currency exchange premium for that convenience!
To avoid paying that extra fee, open the Uber app, tap on Account at the bottom-right, tap on Wallet at the top-centre, scroll-down to the Preferred Currency section, change the setting to Always pay in local currency, and at the bottom, Confirm.
