Latest research by Saily: Americans spend over 5 hours a day online while traveling
A new study by Saily has revealed that most Americans continue to use mobile internet even when traveling to destinations where roaming fees apply. In fact, every fifth traveler spends more than five hours online daily while abroad. This trend raises some intriguing questions — how much data are the travelers using, and what are they using it for?
How many hours do Americans spend online while traveling?
According to Saily's research, 92% of Americans use the internet daily when roaming internationally and nearly one in five travelers spend over five hours online daily.
The trend doesn't stop there. About 53% of travelers are online for two to five hours daily. Meanwhile, 27% of Americans spend less than two hours browsing daily.
For many American tourists, staying connected is integral to their travel. Whether snapping photos for Instagram, calling loved ones, or navigating unfamiliar streets, staying online has become vital to the travel experience.
How much data do travelers use?
Research by Saily suggests that most American travelers burn through more than 100MB of mobile data daily while roaming internationally. Only 8% manage to avoid mobile data entirely, which indicates that using the internet while traveling has become unavoidable for the majority of people.
Many travelers use between 100 and 500MB daily, enough for light browsing, social media, and messaging. Others are even heavier users — 13% report consuming 500MB to 1GB per day, while 14% exceed 1GB daily. For context, using over 1GB of data is roughly equivalent to participating in an hour-long 720p HD video conference on Zoom.
Meanwhile, only 20% of travelers use under 100MB, typically enough for quick check-ins or running low-data apps — streaming just one high-quality song can use up to 7.5MB, and GPS navigation or translation apps can consume even more data.
For many American travelers, staying connected has become a necessity rather than a luxury, driving up their data usage more than they might want.
What is all of this data used for?
Americans aren't just using their data abroad for one particular reason — it's all about communication, information, and a bit of fun. The most popular motive for staying online is keeping in touch with loved ones. Over half of travelers use their devices to message, video call, or update friends and family back home.
Social media is another big draw, with 50% of travelers admitting they spend a significant portion of their time scrolling feeds, posting pictures, or watching reels. Social platforms seem to be as much a part of the vacation experience as sightseeing itself.
For 49% of travelers, data also serves a more practical purpose — research and planning. Finding the best local restaurants, checking out cultural attractions, or even brushing up on fun facts about the area help streamline trips.
Mobile data also powers essential tools for navigating and managing travel logistics. Many travelers use it to track their expenses, manage bookings, or use GPS apps to navigate unfamiliar terrain. Others turn to translation tools to bridge language gaps or scour reviews to discover the best tourist spots.
Of course, we can't forget entertainment. Whether streaming music, watching videos, or sneaking in gaming during downtime, data ensures travelers never experience a dull moment, even on long flights or during quiet evenings.
From practical uses to leisure activities, staying connected is non-negotiable for American travelers — even when they're halfway around the world.
Giedrė is an outdoor enthusiast who feels more at home in a tent than in a luxury hotel. She’s the type who packs her bags with a headlamp and enough snacks to survive a zombie apocalypse, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t like snapping pictures to post on her Instagram stories. For that, she’s always prepared with an eSIM card on her phone — it helps her navigate the forest, too!