Seasoned travellers often pack two phones. The main handset carries photos, banking apps and everyday life, while a second phone handles the practical side of a trip: a spare in case the main one is lost, a dedicated device for navigation in a hire car, or a handset for a child on their first trip abroad. That second phone needs a working line, but it rarely needs a large allowance. A SIM for a second phone with 5GB to 12GB of data keeps it ready without adding much to your monthly costs.
Five Ways a Second Phone Helps on a Trip
- As a backup. If your main phone is lost, stolen or broken, you can still call your airline, your insurer and your family.
- As a sat nav. A spare phone on the dashboard of a hire car keeps your main phone free for calls and photos.
- As a hotspot for a tablet. A second line can keep a tablet online for children on a long drive or train ride.
- For a travelling family member. A teenager or older relative can carry a phone of their own for calls, texts and maps.
- To separate work and holiday. Leave your work line on one phone and keep the trip on the other.
The Options in One Table
These five plans cover pay as you go and pay monthly, from a 30 day plan to a two year contract, so you can match the term to how often the second phone is used.
| Plan | Data | Type | Standard price | Current offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Plan Smart | 5GB | Pay as you go, 30 days | £5 | £3.50 first month |
| UK Plan Smart 12 month | 5GB | Pay as you go, 12 months | £4.50 | No promo |
| UK Plan Smart 24 month | 5GB | Pay as you go, 24 months | £4.00 | No promo |
| 1 Month 6GB | 6GB | Pay monthly, rolling | £6 | £3 for 3 months |
| 24 Month 12GB | 12GB | Pay monthly, 24 months | £6 | £3 for 3 months |
Which Plan Fits Which Second Phone
Best for occasional trips: UK Plan Smart on a 30 day plan. It includes 5GB of data, 1,000 UK calls and texts and EU roaming, and you can stop renewing between trips. At £3.50 for the first month, it is an easy way to test whether a second phone earns its place in your bag.
Best for a spare that is always ready: UK Plan Smart on a 12 or 24 month term. The same 5GB plan drops to £4.50 a month over 12 months or £4.00 over 24 months, with no credit check, so a backup line stays active all year for very little.
Best for flexibility on a contract: 1 Month 6GB. A rolling pay monthly plan with 6GB and 2.5GB of EU roaming, which you can end after any month. It is £6 a month and half price at £3 for the first three months.
Best for the most data at the lowest monthly price: 24 Month 12GB. Twice the data of the rolling plan for the same £6 a month, with 2.5GB of EU roaming and the same half price offer for the first three months. It suits a second phone that does regular work, such as a family member’s handset.
Any of these low data SIM only plans can run alongside your main plan, and eSIM is available for phones that support it. If you already keep a spare handset in a drawer at home, adding a second line SIM is the only step between it and a working travel backup. Once it is active, keep it charged and slip it into your hand luggage before every trip, so it is always with you when you need it.
Quick Tips for a Travel Second Phone
- Save emergency contacts, your travel insurance number and your hotel address on both phones.
- Charge the second phone fully before every journey and pack a cable for it.
- Turn on data roaming before a European trip so the spare connects when you land.
- Check the EU roaming allowance on your chosen plan if the second phone will be used heavily abroad.
In Summary
A second phone is only useful if its line is ready when you need it. For occasional trips, the 30 day 5GB plan keeps things flexible; for an always-on backup, the 12 and 24 month 5GB terms keep costs low; and the 6GB and 12GB pay monthly plans suit a phone that works harder. Choose your term and add a travel backup phone SIM to your packing list.
All five plans come from Lyca Mobile. Off somewhere soon? Find packing ideas and destination tips on Onthevacation.
