Airport lounges and hotel rooms are some of the most convenient places to get online — and some of the least secure. Open, shared networks are a favorite target precisely because so many people connect to them without a second thought.
| Provider | Best for | Devices | Audited | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | Speed & streaming | 10 | Deloitte, 2025 | $3.49/mo |
| Surfshark | Budget & multi-device | Unlimited | Deloitte, 2025 | $2.49/mo |
| Proton VPN | Privacy & free plan | 1 free / 10 paid | Securitum, 2025 | $2.99/mo |
Lowest advertised long-term rates shown against each provider's standard monthly rate, checked August 2026. Prices change often and renew higher — check the provider for current pricing. Audit column names the firm and year of the most recent published no-logs audit. Proton VPN was recommended here, including its free plan, before we joined its affiliate program in September 2026.
The risk isn't hypothetical. On an unsecured or poorly secured network, anyone else connected can potentially see unencrypted traffic passing between your device and the sites you visit. That's a real concern if you're logging into your bank, checking work email, or entering payment details from a hotel lobby.
Why public WiFi is a bigger risk than home WiFi
- Shared network, shared risk. Everyone on the same network is a potential neighbor to your traffic.
- Fake hotspots. "Free Airport WiFi" networks are sometimes impersonated by attackers running a lookalike network nearby.
- No control over network security. You have no way to verify how well a hotel or airport actually secures its network.
NordVPN
NordVPN pairs standard AES-256 encryption with Threat Protection, which screens out malicious sites and trackers — a useful extra layer specifically for the kind of unfamiliar networks you encounter while traveling.
Get NordVPN's Latest Deal →Good habits on public WiFi, VPN or not
- Confirm the exact network name with staff before connecting — don't guess between similar-looking options.
- Turn your VPN on before you open anything sensitive, not after.
- Turn off auto-join for open networks in your device settings, so you're not connecting without noticing.
If you're covering multiple devices
Traveling with a laptop and a phone both hopping onto hotel WiFi means twice the exposure. If device count matters more to you than squeezing out the last bit of speed, our guide to VPNs for digital nomads covers the unlimited-device option in more detail.
Want the technical version?
If you're curious exactly what's happening on an unsecured network — and what a man-in-the-middle attack actually looks like in practice — see our explainer on why public WiFi is risky.
Frequently asked questions
Is airport WiFi actually dangerous?
Open networks lack the protections of a private network, making it easier for others on the same network to intercept unencrypted traffic — a VPN closes that gap.
Does a VPN still work on hotel WiFi with a login page?
Yes — once you're connected to the network, a VPN encrypts your traffic regardless of whether a login page was required to join.