I Only Found a Travel Hack That Is Completely Free and Can Save You Time and Money on International Trips.

I’ve been traveling around the world for a month and a half, and one of my favorite money-saving go exploits is using an eSIM. &nbsp,

An eSIM is a modern SIM installed on your phone that enables you to access a wireless network without a real SIM card, if you’re not familiar with the concept. Using an eSIM for all my mobile data worldwide means I don’t have to worry about pricey roaming charges from my US cellular company or buying a real SIM for a local community every moment I enter a new land. &nbsp,

I was intrigued when I learned that GigSky, an eSIM service, was providing a pleasant 15-day, international data plan to qualified Visa cardholders. I hadn’t seen this present frequently discussed in the credit card rewards circle, nor had I heard of GigSky before. This might be a worthwhile, completely gain that I’d add to my list of preferred credit card benefits. It might be a two-week hazard with no information and technical issues. &nbsp,

There was only one way to learn.

I went to GigSky’s web after my past eSIM program expired and grabbed my reliable Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, the Visa Signature card I’d be using to access this present. &nbsp,

What should I hear about the GigSky Visa promotion?

Valid Visa Signature and Visa Infinite users can now get a complimentary international mobile information plan through GigSky that gives them access to wireless data in more than 175 nations from now until Nov. 15, 2027. &nbsp,

A Visa Infinite card offers a 3GB/15-day program, while a Visa Signature card offers a pleasant 1GB program that is valid for 15 weeks. You’ll also receive an ongoing discount on all paid plans after your complimentary plan expires, including 20 % off Visa Signature users and 30 % off Visa Infinite users. You can unlock a pleasant plan after per calendar year.

You may use your card as your default transaction process in the GigSky application to receive the pleasant data program and the discount. &nbsp,

Eligible cards

This offer applies to all US Visa Signature and Visa Infinite cards, as well as a few other Visa cards issued in Latin America and Canada. &nbsp,

Popular Visa Signature cards include:

Popular Visa Infinite cards include: &nbsp, &nbsp, and

My experience utilizing and claiming my free GigSky eSIM

Claiming the offer

I began by going to the details page on the official offer page. I also noticed that everyone who had a Visa card is eligible to receive a free 100MB trial eSIM. If you don’t qualify for the Visa offer, it’s worth checking this one out.

I read through the Visa offer’s terms and conditions. There were no hidden “gotchas” or red flags, and the terms were clear. Satisfied, I downloaded the GigSky app to claim the offer. &nbsp,

On the app’s home page, I immediately saw a link to check my eligibility for the Visa offer. &nbsp,

To verify eligibility, I had to enter my card number after clicking the link. I entered my Chase Sapphire Preferred card number and was told I was eligible for a 1GB/15-day complimentary data plan and a 20 % discount on all paid plans. I liked how they first explained the details so there wasn’t any confusion about what I was getting.

I created an account and made Chase Sapphire Preferred the default payment method after the app’s instructions. The app sent me back to the home page, where I now saw a link to redeem the offer tied to my specific card. I chose the complimentary plan, checked out, and made sure the total order value was$ 0.

Setting up the eSIM

I’ve used a lot of different eSIMs, but GigSky was by far the easiest to set up. &nbsp,

My new eSIM was located under the GigSky app’s” My Plans” tab. It wasn’t activated yet. You have up to a year after redeeming your complimentary data plan, according to the terms, before it will automatically activate.

I selected the” Install eSIM” link, then selected “yes” in the confirmation pop-up. It took about a minute for the eSIM to download. I was then asked to select a new primary SIM card ( because it’s a dual-SIM phone ) and restart. Although my previous eSIMs from other companies had required some extra setup steps, it appeared GigSky could be installed with a single download, which surprised me.

After restarting my phone, the new eSIM didn’t immediately have a signal, which was normal. It typically takes a few minutes for a newly installed eSIM to connect to the network, in my opinion. My phone restarted once more before being able to connect to GigSky’s network. I checked that my primary eSIM for mobile data access was set to GigSky instead of my US service provider, turned on my data, and that was it– I was online.

Using an eSIM

Despite a few hiccups, I used the eSIM for the entire 15 days of the complimentary plan. &nbsp,

When I downloaded the eSIM, which was located in Hanoi, Vietnam, it immediately started working perfectly. &nbsp,

Speeds were mostly 4G/LTE or 5G, and I could access mobile data whenever I needed without issue. Google Maps, YouTube, and sporadic videos loaded quickly. &nbsp,

I could check how much time and data remained on the plan through the GigSky app. Additionally, there, I was able to purchase additional plans with a 20 % Visa Signature discount. &nbsp,

But a few days later, my data suddenly stopped working. On my phone, I was informed that I was connected to a” H” network, which I later learned was a different type of 3G network and was about one-tenth of the way in terms of internet speed. The web page I was trying to access simply wouldn’t load, despite the fact that I was technically connected to data. After returning to my hotel, I checked the GigSky app and confirmed that my plan was still active and I had plenty of data left.

For the next two days, my data connection was intermittent, working occasionally and not always. I tried turning the eSIM on and off, restarting my phone, and turning off and turning on and off airplane mode, but I was unable to come up with a workable solution. This on-and-off situation went on for about two days before I was again able to consistently access data every time I tried. I haven’t identified the exact cause, but I’ve also had other eSIMs intermittently stop working, so I don’t believe this is a GigSky issue. Sometimes you just have to accept that technology isn’t perfect.

I traveled from Hanoi to Cat Ba, an island on the coast of Vietnam, during the second half of my 15-day plan. I was concerned about my mobile signal there because Cat Ba is a little more distant. The way everything worked out perfectly surprised me. I consistently had 4G/LTE or 5G data and never had trouble connecting to the internet when I needed to.

Offer ends at offer

Just in case one of those “free trial turning into auto-renewing subscription unless you cancel” situations, I paid special attention when my complimentary plan expired. ( The terms and conditions suggested nothing of this sort, but in a world of subscription creep, I’ve developed a healthy vigilance. )

I’m happy to report that this wasn’t the case. That was it when my plan came to an end. I could no longer access data despite the eSIM remaining on my phone, and whenever I tried, I received a notification letting me know my plan had expired. My credit card was never charged, and I wasn’t automatically enrolled in a new, paid plan. &nbsp,

I could see my original plan details in the app, as well as purchase a new plan if I so desired. &nbsp,

My 1GB of data lasted me until the 15-day plan’s end. I used data sparingly, keeping my mobile data off by default and only turning it on when I needed it for navigation, web searches, or checking messages or email on the go. I connected to Wi-Fi whenever I could, but I only ever used mobile data to watch videos or scroll through social media. The complimentary 1GB data plan should be sufficient for short vacations if your habits are similar to mine. &nbsp,

The GigSky eSim, would you suggest it?

I’m glad Visa has partnered with GigSky to offer cardholders this benefit because eSIMs are so valuable when traveling abroad. Although it’s probably not the most monetarily valuable perk from my Chase Sapphire Preferred— a 1GB worldwide data plan similar to the complimentary plan normally retails for$ 20 through GigSky– it’s definitely one of the more practical ones.

The complimentary plan can save you money on one extra cost while allowing you to access the internet wherever you go. I like the number of options GigSky offers, including data plans in more than 175 countries and cruise packages. The service on GigSky is as good as any other eSIM I’ve used. &nbsp,

However, GigSky has a price disadvantage. Prices for GigSky are higher than those for the eSIM market and a little more expensive than the eSIM service I’ve been using ( EscapeSIM). Because of that, I ended up not renewing my GigSky plan. Any eligible Visa cardholders traveling abroad for a short vacation who has access to the complimentary plan are absolutely welcome. However, if your data requirements or travel schedule require purchasing a paid plan after the trial, I would suggest comparing costs between various providers before choosing one.