Got big 2026 travel plans? Here’s the tech you’ll want for your big adventure

(Image credit: Yesim)

Remember when travel tech was purely gimmicks wrapped in fancy technical names?

Back in 2020, the category was full of white noise. Smart suitcases were pulled from flights due to non-removable batteries, translation apps mistranslated menus into nonsense, portable chargers promised laptop power but died mid-journey, and mobile data abroad cost up to £10 a day in roaming fees.

#1 Reliable Connectivity: eSIM Technology

Google Maps, mobile payments, ride-hailing apps, translation tools, luggage tracking, digital boarding passes – none work without reliable internet.

Many traditional UK operators charge daily roaming fees for international connectivity, and costs add up quickly on longer trips. Outside the EU, rates become particularly steep for popular destinations like Japan, the USA, or Australia.

Buying a local SIM involves airport queues, language barriers, and time-consuming activation, while eSIMs solve this with instant activation on landing, affordable rates, and dual-SIM compatibility.

eSIMs as a solution

eSIMs are embedded chips in modern phones – iPhone XS and newer, Samsung Galaxy S20+, Google Pixel 3+ all support them. That means no physical swapping is needed; just choose a data plan then activate on landing, all whilst keeping your UK number active.

There are plenty of options, but with Yesim you get multi-country coverage, app-based control, and flexible pricing. That includes:

Coverage across 170+ countries through 800+ local operator partnerships
Automatic switching to the strongest available network
Quick setup before travel
£0.45 trial pack (500 MB, 50+ countries) to test before committing
Flexible plans: Pay & Fly pay-as-you-go or fixed prepaid packages

Setup takes under five minutes – just download the app over Wi-Fi, select destinations, and activate on arrival. Plus, first-time users get an extra 15% off with code GETYESIM15.

For example, for a two-week trip to Japan with moderate data usage:

Traditional operator daily passes may cost £70–110 for this duration
Yesim 15-day unlimited: £35.10
Or 20 GB prepaid package: £19.80
Or, for a month-long remote work trip to the USA:
Traditional operator charges can exceed £200 for extended trips
Yesim 30-day unlimited: £38.70

#2 AI Translation Earbuds

Travelling means experiencing new cultures, languages and food. Without communicating with locals or understanding signage, you're left seeking directions constantly.

Translation apps remain cumbersome, time-consuming and often wrong. AI translation earbuds changed this – they're instant, accurate, and require no extra effort. Some of these devices can handle dozens of languages with cloud processing and on-device AI, and there are even some with offline support for major languages, allowing you to have low-latency and accurate conversations

Of course, we know solutions like Google Translate and native phone apps can help with this, but if you’re working, travelling solo or have accessibility issues, a pair of these buds can be a gamechanger for travel.

#3 Smart Luggage That Airlines Actually Allow

SITA's 2025 Baggage IT Insights revealed 36.5 million bags were mishandled globally in 2024. With a smart suitcase, that becomes less likely, thanks to the addition of GPS tracking (or smart luggage tag integration). Plus, many also feature rechargeable batteries for keeping juiced up on the go.

However, a lot of early "smart luggage" was banned for non-removable batteries, but thankfully, now we’re seeing better devices with TSA guidance in mind.

Whether travelling alone or with family, losing track of belongings or losing charge on your devices is nightmare fuel. Smart. Luggage is travel-friendly, airport-friendly, and solves both problems.

#4 Portable Power Banks

Long-haul flights, remote work requirements and device-heavy travel push power bank necessity higher. Even with a smart suitcase, your laptops, phones and cameras will all need charging, often simultaneously.

At this point we all know and love portable power banks as the solution to our charging woes, but what many don’t realize is that the technology has come much farther than offering a single charge for your phone.

Now, some power banks can handle dual laptop and phone charging loads, all while remaining airline-compliant (under 100Wh) with enough capacity to recharge a MacBook Pro more than once.

#5 Noise-Cancelling Earbuds

Engine noise and cabin din can irritate the ears, especially on long flights. If you’re a light sleeper who needs peace and quiet, it can be detrimental for your sleep schedule, too.

While many of the best wireless earbuds feature active noise cancellation, few effectively block the noise from wide-body aircraft engines. For that, you’ll want to look for noise reduction of 40dB or higher.

Make sure to pick out a pair with ample battery life (a good baseline is 8 hours for the buds, 20+ hours for the case) and consider whether you need features like multipoint Bluetooth if you’re likely to need to use multiple devices concurrently.

Travel tech in 2026 is less flashy and more practical than ever. eSIMs like Yesim’s eliminate roaming anxiety. Noise-cancelling earbuds make long-hauls bearable. Power banks replace wall sockets. Smart luggage brings peace of mind.

Even these small investments can transform travel from stressful to seamless.