Press releaseAmericans are now more fearful of their monthly phone bill than they are of catching a virus or falling ill while abroad, reveals a study from travel eSIM app Saily. As the summer travel season heats up, the potential surprise cost of a little bit of doom scrolling is a major source of pre-trip stress for many U.S. travelers.

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About 31% of travelers report that they are concerned about illness and injury when traveling, while the survey revealed 74% of Americans say they’re stressed about roaming charges.

“Staying connected has moved from a luxury to a basic travel necessity, but the legacy of high roaming fees has created a unique form of anxiety,” said Vykintas Maknickas, Saily’s CEO. 

“We’re seeing a trend where the fear of a $500 phone bill is more worrying to travelers than the statistical likelihood of getting sick.”

Around 24% of Americans report having faced health issues while traveling abroad, the fear of the unknown costs of connectivity remains a more frequent stressor. 

At the same time 90% of American travelers encounter unexpected mobile data charges when abroad, making a financial “accident” statistically more likely than a medical one.

For many, the mental health benefits of a vacation are being eroded by cost-related anxiety. In fact, 50% of travelers say the overall cost of travel is actively harming their mental well-being.

Despite the CDC and other health organizations noting that international travel is inherently stressful due to health variables, Americans consistently rank cost as their No. 1 hindrance to traveling more.

Maknickas advised American travelers to try adopting new strategies to eliminate the roaming anxiety and keep their trips within budget:

  • Switch to an eSIM before you fly. With most travelers having faced unexpected charges, locking in local data rates before departure has become the first line of defense against bill shock.
  • Choose prepaid over postpaid. Know exactly what you’ll spend. Prepaid data packages prevent surprise billing.
  • Budget connectivity like you budget flights. Treat your mobile connectivity needs with care, as you would with your flights.
  • Stay connected to stay safe. Reliable data access means GPS, translation apps, and digital health records are always available, which can be critical tools if you end up facing health issues abroad.