This post is about a three-day trip to Hong Kong in November, using the five free roaming days Rogers Bank credit cards offer with Rogers wireless (Roam Like Home Free Days).

I usually worry about roaming charges before an international trip, and I often look at a local SIM or an eSIM in advance. With the Rogers Bank roaming perk, this trip was easy and cheap, and using my phone abroad felt simple.

Requirements

The requirement is simple: you are a ROGERS BANK cardholder and the Rogers wireless account holder (the names must match):

  • After you activate the card, follow the steps to link it to your Rogers phone account
  • Once linked, the Rogers account screen shows five Roam Like Home free days each year
  • The reset date follows the anniversary of when you got the Rogers Bank card
  • Data used abroad comes out of your regular Rogers plan allowance

(The screenshot above is mine, taken before the trip, with all five days unused.) If your Rogers account already shows Roam Like Home benefits days, you can just take your phone and go.

This blog also has a full write-up of the card:

🇨🇦 Rogers Red Mastercard

Little setup

  • Before you leave, log in to your Rogers account and confirm. You do not need to call support.
  • No extra settings on the phone. After you arrive, turn on data roaming. Calls, texts, and data work; the network picks it up.
  • After you get home, check the bill on your statement date. Roaming days were identified automatically and accurately, with no extra charge.

Speeds were fine

Over three days in Hong Kong I mainly used maps, payment apps, social posts with photos, and regular messaging. It felt as smooth as Rogers at home in Canada, and I even noticed Hong Kong 5G+ speeds.

  • Solid signal downtown, on the MTR, and in malls
  • Video calls and navigation worked
  • Social apps and short videos were easy to use in downtime

My bill cycle had just started, so I had not used data in Canada. The three days in Hong Kong used a little under 1.3 GB.

No added cost

Paid Roam Like Home on a regular Rogers plan is usually $16–$18 CAD a day (depending on the region). Three days in Hong Kong at $18 × 3 = $54. Because the card perk was linked, this trip was completely free. The bill detail above really did waive the roaming charges and cut a noticeable chunk of travel cost. Paid travel eSIMs I have used before also run a few tens of dollars. For a short trip of five days or less, this is a strong perk.

⚠️ Roaming days end at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time after the network sees you abroad. If you are in a different time zone, count the days carefully.

⚠️ Roam Like Home also has limits. It currently covers 185 countries. For a less common destination, check the official site first.

Takeaway

This was a pleasant trip. For a short visit to a common destination, you can skip the extra roaming bill and keep your Canadian number working. If you already have a Rogers credit card and a Rogers phone line, this is a perk worth knowing.