Does Your Gym Membership Work Abroad?

It is one of the first questions people ask when they book a trip: will my gym let me train there? The answer depends on three things: whether your chain has clubs in that country, whether your membership tier includes them, and whether the club itself honours visiting members. Some chains are built around travel. Others do not even let you use a branch in the next town.

We went through each big chain's own membership pages and FAQs to find out what they actually promise. Here is the summary, then the detail, then what to do if your membership does not travel.

Chains that cover you worldwide

Anytime Fitness

Anytime Fitness is the closest thing to a travel gym membership. Its FAQ describes worldwide club access as part of the membership, and its AF Access Pass covers more than 6,000 locations. Most clubs are open 24 hours, so you can train when jet lag wakes you at 4am.

If you spend a long time somewhere, the membership can follow you. Anytime Fitness transfers memberships when you use another club more than your own, or when you move more than 10 miles away, and it does not charge a transfer fee. Your dues may change to match the new club's price, though, so a long stay in an expensive city can cost more.

The clubs are individually owned franchises, which means equipment and facilities vary a lot from one to the next. Some are excellent; some are a small room with a few machines. Check reviews before you plan a trip around one.

Snap Fitness

Snap Fitness works in a similar way. Its Australian and New Zealand FAQs promise access to all Snap Fitness clubs worldwide, and its Irish site puts the network at more than 1,000 gyms. Like Anytime Fitness, your membership automatically moves to the club you use most, which is handy if you relocate but worth knowing if you spend three months in one place abroad. Your card is for you only: guests cannot use it.

Regional chains: Europe and Asia

Basic-Fit (Europe)

Basic-Fit has clubs across several European countries, and whether you can use them depends entirely on your tier. The Comfort membership only covers clubs in the country you joined in. Premium and Ultimate include access to every Basic-Fit club in Europe, including its 24/7 clubs. If you are on Comfort and have a trip coming up, upgrading for a few months is usually far cheaper than paying for day passes.

Fitness First (Southeast Asia)

Fitness First in Asia sells an International Passport as an add-on to its Passport membership. It covers more than 91 clubs across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, with up to 30 visits a year at clubs in the same tier as yours. Higher-tier clubs are available at half the day pass price.

You cannot just turn up, though. You apply at your home club's front desk with your travel dates, it takes up to 3 business days, and it has to be active before you leave. Sort it out a week before you fly.

PureGym (UK, Denmark, Switzerland and more)

PureGym operates in several countries, but its membership works within each country's network and your price tier, not across borders. A UK membership will not get you into a PureGym in Copenhagen. Your app or online account lists the gyms your membership includes. If a gym is not on that list, assume you are paying as a visitor.

Class studios: F45

F45 Passport is one of the better deals for travellers who like classes. It is included with Unlimited memberships, and lets you book up to 6 classes a month at almost any F45 studio worldwide at no extra cost. Classes beyond 6 cost half the studio's normal drop-in rate, and you can redeem loyalty points for a couple of extra visits a month.

• Book through the app, using the Linked Studios option. Booking opens 24 hours before class.
• No-shows count against your 6 visits, so cancel if your plans change.
• Some studios are excluded. Studios that do not run on Mindbody are not in the scheme, and busy studios can limit Passport bookings at peak times.
• Not on Unlimited? Ask your studio about upgrading before the trip.

US chains: Planet Fitness, Gold's Gym and Equinox

Planet Fitness says Black Card members get reciprocal use of all Planet Fitness locations, while Classic members can usually use other clubs for a small fee. That is great for a road trip across the US, but Planet Fitness is mostly an American chain, so it rarely helps on an international holiday.

Gold's Gym and Equinox both have clubs outside the US, but travel access depends on your membership tier and, for franchised Gold's clubs, on the individual owner. Equinox sells multi-club tiers, and which cities they include depends on the tier you pay for. In both cases, ask your club exactly which locations you can use and get it in writing, because the front desk abroad will not always know your home club's rules.

When your membership does not travel

Most people belong to a local gym or a single-country chain, so the honest answer is usually no. That is not a problem. There are several good options, and some of them get you a better gym than the one at home.

Buy a day pass or a week pass

Almost every gym sells day passes, and many sell weekly or monthly passes aimed at visitors. In travel hotspots like Bali, Phuket and Chiang Mai, a week pass is often cheaper than a few days at home. Our guide to buying a gym day pass abroad covers prices, what to bring and how to avoid paying tourist rates.

Ask about the HFA Passport Program

The Health & Fitness Association Passport Program, formerly the IHRSA Passport, gives members of participating clubs discounted guest passes at other participating clubs when they are at least 50 miles (80 km) from home. The discount is commonly around 25% off the guest fee. It is not a free pass, but it is worth asking your gym whether it takes part.

Use ClassPass

ClassPass lets you use your credits in any city it operates in, and it covers dozens of countries. It is best for classes, but some gyms list open gym time too. Credit prices vary by region, so the same number of credits can buy more or less depending on where you are. Check that your destination is covered before you count on it.

Train at the best local gym, not the nearest chain

Being tied to a chain can mean settling for a mediocre club because it is free. Independent gyms in travel destinations are often far better equipped, from strongman yards to rooms full of Panatta and Hammer Strength machines, and they are used to visitors. We make the case in why local gyms beat chain gyms. Search the GymMaps map for where you are staying and compare day pass prices, equipment and reviews from other travellers.

Is it worth joining a chain because you travel?

Only if you travel often to places where that chain is strong. Work out how many days a year you train away from home, multiply by a typical day pass price where you go, and compare that with the extra you would pay for a travel-friendly membership. A frequent business traveller doing the same routes every month will often come out ahead with Anytime Fitness, Snap Fitness or a Basic-Fit Premium plan. Someone taking two holidays a year usually will not, and gets to try more interesting gyms by paying as they go.

Whatever you decide, plan the gym before you book the accommodation if training matters to you. Our guide to finding gyms on holiday walks through how.