How to Use Hotel and Airport Wi-Fi Without Handing Over the Keys

1. Before you leave, update, back up and lock the device

CISA's travel card starts at home: keep the operating system and apps updated, back up photos and contacts, and get in the habit of locking the device when you step away. A strong passcode or PIN is part of that. If photos matter for the trip, finish the backup before you pack. A photo backup guide is coming soon.

2. Stop the phone from joining networks on its own

The FCC says to adjust your phone so it does not automatically connect to nearby Wi-Fi that is not on your short list of trusted networks. CISA says the same in fewer words: stop auto connecting, and turn Bluetooth off when you do not need it.

On an iPhone, go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap Ask to Join Networks, and choose Notify or Off. Off means you pick the network yourself. Known home and work networks can still join automatically.

On Android, look in the Wi-Fi or connection settings for any switch that auto-joins open or suggested networks, and turn that off. Labels vary by maker, so use the one on your Settings screen rather than a path we have not checked for every brand.

3. Confirm the real Wi-Fi name with a person, not with the lobby list

CISA is specific: before you connect to a public hotspot in an airport, hotel, train station or cafe, confirm the name of the network and the exact login steps with the appropriate staff. The FCC says that if more than one hotspot seems to belong to the place you are in, check with staff so you do not join an imposter.

That means the front desk, the gate agent, or a printed card the hotel handed you at check-in, not a friendly poster on a pillar and not a network named "Hotel_Guest_Free" that is one letter off. If the login wants a surprising app download or a payment page that does not look like the hotel, stop and ask again.

4. Keep banking and shopping off the public Wi-Fi

Both agencies agree on this part. CISA says not to do online shopping, banking or sensitive work on a public wireless network, and that your mobile network connection is generally more secure. The FCC says the same for sensitive information: using the phone's data plan instead of Wi-Fi may be more secure.

If you only need the map, the boarding pass already in the airline app, or a weather check, the hotel Wi-Fi is usually fine once you have the right name. If you need to look at a bank account or type a password into a work tool, switch to cellular, or turn the phone into a personal hotspot and put the laptop on that instead.

When you do use the public network, the FCC says to make sure sites where you exchange information start with https://. Log out when you are done. Skip the hotel business-center PC for anything you would not want a stranger to type over; CISA notes those shared computers may not be updated and may have been tampered with.

5. If you use public Wi-Fi often, use a real VPN, not a pop-up ad

The FCC says that if you use public hotspots regularly, consider a virtual private network, which encrypts the traffic between your device and the internet. Work often provides one. If you buy one yourself, pick it on purpose and install it from the company's own site or store listing. If you use the Proton VPN link in Helpful gear at the end of this page, I earn a small commission, and you pay the same price. Do not treat a random "Free VPN" button on the hotel or airport sign-in page as a recommendation.

Apple's iCloud Private Relay can also hide some Safari browsing if you already pay for iCloud+. That is Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Private Relay, and it is not available in every country. It is a browsing feature, not a full replacement for a work VPN.

On an iPhone you can also turn on Private Wi-Fi Address and Limit IP Address Tracking for a network: Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the information button next to the network, and use those switches. They help a little. They do not make a public hotspot private.

Do that, and the trip Wi-Fi is a convenience again, not an accidental confession of your passwords to the room next door.