A New iPhone or Another Boarding Pass?
And why AirPods matter on a flight - but not as much as the flight itself.
Every September, Apple rolls out its latest line of upgrades, and every year I ask myself the same question: is this worth it, or should I spend that money on another plane ticket? Or, are we able to somehow swing both? Travel has always been my priority, but I’m also a big fan of Apple products. This year, most of the money I haven’t yet spent on exploring the world has found its way into new gear. You’re welcome, Siri.
When tech actually makes travel better
Some of the updates do make practical sense, especially when travelling. On a transatlantic flight, the new AirPods with longer battery life can carry me from Vancouver to Europe without dying halfway through my movie marathon. That makes a difference. The upgraded cameras, both in the Pro line and even the regular models, mean travel memories for sharing with friends and family will look sharper than ever. When you’re simply exploring a new city or capturing moments on the go, the (regular) iPhone is often more than enough. The camera upgrades on the Pro series is what I’m putting my money on, sometimes even for my travel photography.
But there’s a catch: these upgrades don’t come cheap. A new iPhone can rival the cost of a return trip to Europe1. That’s where the dilemma sets in. Would I rather sip espresso in Rome or take better pictures of my backyard? Run another marathon in Europe? It’s not always an easy call. But with a little planning, maybe we can do both.
Travel hacking to the rescue
The good news is, by applying the travel hacking strategies I teach in my travel book and my courses, it is possible to afford both. A free flight earned through points and perks can free up enough cash to justify splurging on new tech. But let’s be honest, whether you frame it as an “investment” or not, a new iPhone is still a steep ticket.
Still, travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer. The right tech, when it directly supports my adventures, can amplify the experience. This is why I usually upgrade my phone (for the better camera), and my watch (for my marathon running).2 It’s not about choosing one or the other. It’s about making sure the balance tips toward experiences first, and letting the gadgets play a supporting role that help you make the most of it. That doesn’t always mean you need to stay current with all the latest tech.
Status symbols versus experience symbols
There’s also the question of what we’re really buying. Apple gear has always carried a bit of a status symbol vibe, pulling out the latest colour iPhone at the café table signals something, even if nobody admits it (or knows what it is). For some, it’s about being seen with the newest model; for others, it’s about staying “current.” I get it, and I’ve been guilty as charged of staying current for the last few years. But when I look back, the shine of a new phone wears off quickly once the box is recycled and the novelty fades.3
What stays with me are the things I’d call experience symbols. The marathon medals on my office wall, the boarding passes I’ve saved from life-changing trips, the many photographs that remind me of the people and places I fell in love with. The experiences all speak louder about who I am than the device I happen to carry. Travel experiences hold their value long after the tech specs have become obsolete. Most regrets are for things people didn’t do, not for things they didn’t buy.
Get Into Action
If you’ve been eyeing the latest Apple release and also dreaming of your next trip, don’t pick just one. Learn how to stretch your budget further with the same travel hacking principles I use to upgrade my lifestyle without paying extra. Start with my Travel Revolution course and discover how to make both flights and gadgets more affordable.
Further reading
The iPhone 17 starts at CAD$1,129. A return ticket in economy on KLM from Vancouver to Rome, Italy is currently available for $654. The (new) 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max is $2,949. I’ve flown business class Vancouver - Amsterdam for less than that.
Surprisingly I found the Watch series 9 performed far better for long distance running: I’ve done up to 62km on a single charge, with some room left. A “regular” marathon (42.2km) was no issue for series 9. Watch series 10 did get me through the Amsterdam marathon when the watch was relatively new. Less than a year later, in recent months, series 10 has been down to about 20% after 32km training runs. It seems all the new features added a bigger draw on the battery for series 10, ultimately not making it a good fit for long distance running.
Often mentioned in the same breath as hardware upgrades, a lot of the new features come with the upgraded iOS operating system, which is released around the same date as the new devices every year. As long as you have a semi-recent phone, you can get that software upgrade for free.