Airport Wi-Fi is open by design — a VPN is what closes it
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Open networks in airports, stations and hotels carry your traffic in a place anyone can listen to. NordVPN encrypts the connection before it leaves your device — 5,400+ servers in 60 countries, independently audited no-logs policy, 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Turn it on before you connect to an open network airport, station and hotel Wi-Fi alike.
- Covers 6 devices on one subscription and unlocks home streaming abroad (Netflix, BBC iPlayer, DAZN), which is what fixes services behaving differently by country.
- Fastest in tests, with a speed impact typically under 10% on a good connection which matters once you actually use it daily while travelling.
Common questions
Why would I need one only when travelling?
Because at home your traffic crosses a network you control, and in an airport, a station or a hotel it does not. Those networks are open by design — that is what makes them convenient — and anything unencrypted on them is readable by whoever else is connected. A VPN encrypts the connection before it leaves your device, which is what closes that gap.
Is it legal to use a VPN?
VPNs are legal in almost all countries. A small number of countries restrict or ban them, so check local laws if you are travelling to Russia, China, the UAE or similar destinations. Everywhere else, the only rule is to switch it on before you connect to an open network, not after.
How many devices does one subscription cover?
Six, which in practice means a phone, a laptop and a travelling companion on the same plan. The same subscription also makes home streaming work abroad — Netflix, BBC iPlayer, DAZN — which is the everyday reason most people actually keep it on, rather than the security argument that made them buy it.
Will it slow my connection down?
With NordVPN the speed impact is minimal — typically under 10% on a good connection, and on slow hotel Wi-Fi you may not notice any difference at all. Streaming, video calls and browsing work normally, and that matters more than encryption strength once you use it daily. A VPN you turn off because it makes streaming stutter protects nothing: speed is a security feature, because it is what keeps the thing switched on.
What if I try it and do not like it?
There is a 30-day money-back guarantee: contact NordVPN support within 30 days and ask for a refund, no reason required — it is usually processed via chat within a few minutes. Two things are worth checking on any VPN before trusting it: whether the no-logs claim has been verified by an independent audit, and how many servers and countries it runs — here, an audited no-logs policy and 5,400+ servers across 60 countries.
How does home streaming work abroad?
Connect to a server in your home country and services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer or DAZN behave as if you were at home. It is one of the most popular travel uses of a VPN, and it runs on the same subscription and the same six devices as the protection on open Wi-Fi.