When it comes to finding a new home abroad, expenses can add up quickly. Expatriating to a new country involves so many moving pieces—visa applications, digital security, air travel, and so on. You can easily blow out your budget before you even get your feet on the ground!
We’ve partnered with a number of companies to help you make the most of your exploratory trips to new potential homes. From discounts on flights for students to virtual SIM cards for your smartphones, our guide to travel tools will keep more money in your pocket so you can embrace the expat adventure. We add new partners regularly, so be sure to bookmark this page for review throughout your experience.
Flights and Hotels
The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step (or flight). Use these resources to save on standard travel expenses like airfare, hotel, and car rental while scouting your immigration destinations.
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CheapOair offers good deals on flights, hotels, and car rentals worldwide, making them a useful partner in planning your exploratory trips to new countries. They update discount airfares constantly, so you can find new deals on CheapOair every few seconds!
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Going monitors US departure airports that you choose, emailing you when the prices drop. Most deals are 40-90% off normal prices with great itineraries from the best airlines. If it’s not an amazing deal, they won’t send it. This would work best if you’re flexible on your travel timeline. (Going was formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights.)
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Skyscanner collects flight, hotel, and car rental info from popular travel sites to help you find the best rates. Pick your preferred providers and book your trips with no additional fees.
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StudentUniverse offers discounts on travel for students under 26 years old.
Adventure Tours
Some of us get a better feel for a new country with some on-site guidance from local people. These services offer a variety of tour options to make your exploratory trips as robust as possible.
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Encounters Travel is an adventure tour operator with a wide selection of cultural and adventurous tours around the world. Committed to traveling responsibly, their tours are designed to be experiential and give the best possible ‘Encounters’ with each country, Encounters offers great value without compromising your experiences.
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Viator is a tour operator with a wide selection of cultural and adventurous tours around the world. Their offerings run the gamut from walking tours through local neighborhoods to private boating events and hosted dinners. A Tripadvisor company, Viator can provide an on-the-ground feel for your future expat home.
Other Travel Resources
Traveling abroad requires more than just a flight and place to stay. From travel visa advice to securing your personal data, these resources help you make the most of visiting your new home.
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iVisa helps users check visa needs for any country in the world. You simply enter your home country and what country you are traveling to in the visa checker tool. They update visa information in real-time, so if visa requirements change, the status is accurate.
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Faye is a new travel insurance company with the post-COVID world in mind. Opened in 2022. Faye offers real-time alerts and proactive problem-solving from your mobile app when you need it most. You don’t even have to fill out paperwork! To cap it off, Faye has live Support staff to speak to you throughout your entire journey abroad.
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Travelex Travel Insurance sells travel insurance to cover trip cancellation, emergency medical needs, and travel assistance.
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NordVPN is a virtual private network and security tool that protects your online data. This leading online security provider encrypts your data secure while using public WiFi networks, at home and abroad.
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Airalo is the world’s first eSIM store and offers eSIMs (digital SIM cards) for over 200+ countries at affordable rates. You’ll no longer have to change SIM cards or carry multiple SIM cards, wherever you may go. See our eSIM review here.
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GigSky is our recommended eSIM provider for frequent travelers. Its regional and global plans reach just about every country on Earth. They also sell standalone plans for countries that don’t fit neatly in those regional plans, such as Nepal, Taiwan, and Russia. See our eSIM review here.
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Jetpac is our recommended eSIM provider for digital nomads and other frequent travelers. Content creators who post videos to YouTube and TikTok frequently would also would also benefit from Jetpac’s heavy data use options. One bonus for frequent flyers out there: Jetpac’s eSIM users get free airport lounge access when their flights get delayed over an hour.
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Airhub is our recommended eSIM provider for budget-conscious expats. They offer data plans as short as 5 days, so it’s perfect for quick trips abroad. Airhub also offers monthly regional and single-country rates, both prepaid and monthly billing, at various price points. They can even handle your data and voice needs while you’re still in the U.S. Check out our review of Airhub and other eSIM providers on our blog.
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The Travel Hacker’s Toolkit shows you how to get the best ticket deals online. They’ve come up with the ideal process for maximizing your savings when booking a flight, no matter where in the world you’re headed.
