The US is a classic example where operator roaming gets expensive. A travel bundle is almost always cheaper.
Budget more data than you think
Road trips mean hours of navigation, playlists on the way and lots of photos. For two weeks of driving, plan on 10 GB or more, or pick unlimited straight away.
Coverage outside the cities
In national parks and on long highways the network can drop, whichever provider you use. Download your route offline before you go.
Practical points
- Your own number keeps working for bank and airline SMS codes
- Many services ask for a local number, use your email address instead
- Hotels and cafes usually offer free wifi, handy for large downloads
Several countries in one trip
Combining the US with Canada or Mexico? A regional or worldwide bundle is usually cheaper than three separate ones.