What is Verizon TravelPass?

Verizon TravelPass is the carrier’s premium roaming service, giving customers the ability to take their cell phone plans with them when they travel abroad. With TravelPass, you’ll gain near unlimited access to all your plan’s features, allowing you to talk, text, and use data like you would back in the U.S.

In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about Verizon TravelPass, including how to turn it on, how to use it while traveling, and whether or not it’s worth the daily price.

How Does Verizon TravelPass Work?

Verizon TravelPass gives users access to their cell phone plans while traveling outside the country. Customers who pay the flat fee ($12 in over 210 countries; $6 in Canada and Mexico) will be able to make calls, send texts, and use their monthly data for a 24-hour period. If they use it after those 24 hours, they’ll activate another 24-hour TravelPass. For postpaid customers, these charges appear on the next month’s bill. For prepaid customers, these charges will be deducted from their account balance.

For the most part, Verizon TravelPass allows users to use their phone like they would at home, though there are some catches. The first is that using more than 5GB of data during a 24-hour TravelPass session will throttle the data to 3G speeds for the remainder of that session. The second is that the quality of your service will depend on where you’re visiting; Verizon doesn’t technically offer coverage abroad, so your connectivity while traveling will be provided through partnerships with local carriers, whose service can vary.

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Verizon Travel Pass is available in over 210 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. Coverage is particularly strong in Europe, with 5G and 4G LTE coverage in most European Union countries. 

TravelPass also offers strong coverage throughout Asia and Australia, with significant pockets of 5G in India, Thailand, Japan, and Australia’s metropolitan areas, like Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

How to Turn On Verizon TravelPass

If you want to turn on Verizon TravelPass, you first need to enable roaming data. 

Here’s how to turn on roaming on an iPhone:

1. Go to Settings. 
2. Tap Cellular.
3. Tap Cellular Data Options.
4. Flip the Data Roaming to the right. (It will turn green.)

Here’s how to turn on roaming on an Android phone:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap Connections.
3. Tap Mobile Networks.
4. Flip the Data Roaming to the right.

After you’ve enabled data roaming, all you need to do is use your phone and Verizon TravelPass will automatically switch on. After two hours, Verizon will text you to let you know when your 24-hour TravelPass will conclude. If you use your phone after that end time, you’ll activate another 24-hour TravelPass.

If you want to make sure you’re able to use TravelPass before you leave the country, you can text the word “TRAVEL” to 4004 to confirm that you’ll be able to access the TravelPass while abroad. 

There’s no need to disable the Verizon TravelPass—if you don’t want to be charged, simply turn off data roaming, enable Airplane Mode, and save all phone usage for WiFi. So long as you don’t use your phone while roaming, you won’t be charged for a TravelPass. Likewise, there’s no need to turn off TravelPass when you return home from your trip because you won’t be charged for TravelPass while you’re in the U.S.

Verizon TravelPass: Price, Charges, and Fees

Verizon’s TravelPass costs $12/day in most countries. It costs $6/day in Mexico and Canada, though Verizon’s unlimited plans include free roaming in Mexico and Canada. If you have one of those plans, you won’t need to pay for a TravelPass in North America.

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If you decide to opt out of TravelPass but still want to use your Verizon phone abroad, you’ll incur the carrier’s pay-as-you-go charges. Depending on how much you plan on using your phone while roaming, this could be cheaper than TravelPass, but it’s unlikely. Verizon’s pay-as-you-go rates charge over $2 for a single MB of data, which isn’t enough to navigate your way around an unfamiliar city with Google Maps.

Verizon Plans With TravelPass

Verizon TravelPass can be added to all Verizon cell phone plans, including its prepaid plans. If you have a Verizon unlimited plan, you might not need to pay for TravelPass, thanks to those plans’ generous roaming allowances. 

Verizon Unlimited Welcome and Verizon Unlimited Plus provide free roaming in Mexico and Canada, though you’ll still need to pay for a $12 TravelPass if you’re venturing outside North America.

Verizon’s premium unlimited data plan, the Unlimited Ultimate, provides free roaming in Mexico and Canada as well as free roaming in over 210 countries. In essence, the plan offers Verizon customers a free TravelPass. 

The Bottom Line

The Verizon TravelPass is a great option for folks taking short trips abroad, allowing them to bring their cell phones along for the journey. It’s easy to activate, requiring only a few basic steps to access all of your normal minutes, messages, and data. 

With that being said, it might not be the best option for travelers on extended vacations. TravelPass’s $12 daily fee cost can add up over time and, unlike similar international travel plans from competitors like AT&T, there’s no cap on the charges: Verizon charges $12/day, for as many days as you’re using your phone abroad. For customers headed out on trips longer than 10 days, we recommend Verizon’s International Monthly Plan, which provides 250 minutes, unlimited texts, and unlimited high-speed data for $100/month. You’ll avoid the carrier’s high pay-as-you-go rates and save more than using the TravelPass.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Verizon TravelPass activate automatically?

Yes, Verizon TravelPass activates automatically, though it will first send you a text to see that you would like to start the service. If you confirm, the service will automatically turn on.

Does Verizon TravelPass charge you if you only use WiFi?

No, Verizon TravelPass does not charge you if you only use WiFi, though you’ll need to turn off Data Roaming to ensure you won’t accidentally activate TravelPass via apps that use background data.

Does Verizon TravelPass or International Monthly Plan work on a cruise ship?

No, neither Verizon TravelPass nor its International Monthly Plan work on cruise ships. Verizon does offer the Cruise Daily Pass, an expensive ($30/day) low-data plan, but we recommend using your cruise ship’s on-board WiFi instead, especially if it’s free.