eSIM by destination · 169 countries

Best eSIM for International Travel

Looking for the best eSIM for international travel? Below you will find eSIM data plans for 169 destinations, so you can pick the right one before you fly. For Italy, the UK, China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, our expert guides compare every plan in detail. No physical SIM to swap at the airport, and no roaming charges on arrival.

Choose your destination

169 destinations
  • QR code in your inbox within minutes
  • Keep your main SIM and WhatsApp number
  • No roaming charges

No destination matches your search. Try another country name.

Why no prices on the cards? eSIM prices change often, so each button opens the live plans for that country on Airalo. For Italy, the UK, China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey our guides compare every plan in detail. Visiting several countries? A regional plan is often cheaper than two single-country plans. We may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Why choose a travel eSIM?

A travel eSIM is one of the easiest ways to stay connected abroad. Instead of queueing for a local SIM card or paying your home carrier's roaming rates, you install a data plan on the phone you already own and it connects when you land.

  • Mobile data working within minutes of landing
  • No roaming charges from your home carrier
  • Keep your home number active on your other line
  • Nothing physical to collect, insert or lose
  • Regional plans available for multi-country trips
  • Prepaid, so there is no bill to come back to

How to choose the best eSIM for travel

Every trip is different, so the right plan depends on where you are going, how long you are staying and what you actually do on your phone. Check these six things on the provider's page before you buy.

  • It covers your exact destination, not just the region
  • The data allowance matches your real usage (see the table below)
  • The validity period, and whether it starts on install or on first use
  • The network generation where you are going (4G or 5G)
  • Hotspot and tethering support, if you travel with a laptop
  • How to reach support, and in which languages

How much data do you actually need?

Most travellers overbuy. A week of maps, messaging, boarding passes and the occasional search runs on very little. Video is what consumes a plan: one evening of streaming can use more than the rest of the trip combined.

Approximate mobile data use abroad, by activity
What you do on your phoneA typical dayOne week
Maps, messaging, email200–400 MB1.5–3 GB
Add social scrolling Most trips600 MB–1 GB4–7 GB
Add video calls or streaming2 GB or more15 GB or more

Approximate figures. Actual use varies a lot with app settings and video quality. Treat them as a starting point, then check your phone's mobile data settings after a day or two abroad to see where you really sit.

Buy for the middle row and top up if you need to. Most providers let you add data to a plan you already have without reinstalling the eSIM, so the cheaper plan plus a top-up usually beats guessing high at the start.

Two settings worth changing before you fly: turn off video autoplay in your social apps, and set streaming apps to download over Wi-Fi only. Between them they account for most of the gap between the first row of the table and the last.

If your eSIM doesn't connect when you land

Work through these in order. The first one fixes it far more often than the rest combined.

  1. Turn data roaming on for the eSIM lineIt sounds wrong, but your travel eSIM is a foreign profile on your phone, so it needs roaming enabled to attach to a local network. Leave data roaming off on your home SIM, which is the line that would actually bill you.
  2. Check the eSIM is selected as your data lineInstalling a plan does not switch your phone over to it. In your mobile data settings, set the eSIM as the line used for data.
  3. Restart the phone onceNetwork attachment often completes only after a reboot, particularly after a long flight in airplane mode.
  4. Select the network manuallyIf automatic selection keeps failing, open network selection and pick a local operator from the list yourself.
  5. Confirm the plan's start dateSome plans begin on a date you chose at purchase rather than on first use. If that date has not arrived, the plan will not connect no matter what you do.

Still nothing after all five? Contact the provider you bought the plan from. They can see whether the profile activated on their side, which no setting on your phone will tell you. Have your order reference ready.

Ready to stay connected anywhere?

Find your destination among 169 countries, check the live price and data allowance, and install your eSIM before you fly.

Find my destination ↑ Browse all plans on Airalo →

💡 Common Questions

A travel eSIM is a digital SIM that allows you to connect to mobile networks without using a physical SIM card.

For short trips, usually. There is no queue at an airport counter, no passport registration, and no risk of losing your home SIM. A local physical SIM can still work out cheaper for stays of a month or more, and it gives you a local number for calls, which an eSIM data plan does not.

The best eSIM depends on your destination, data needs, and budget. Comparing plans helps you find the best option.

Almost. You need Wi-Fi to install the eSIM, so do that at home or at the airport before you fly — not after you land. Once installed, most plans activate when the phone first connects to a network at your destination, and you are online within a minute or two of switching off airplane mode.

Most modern phones support eSIM (many iPhones, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel models). Check your device’s eSIM compatibility before purchasing.

You can install it before travel, then activate it on arrival (recommended) to avoid using data early. Some plans activate immediately after installation.

Yes. Many phones allow dual SIM (physical SIM + eSIM). Keep your main number for calls/SMS while using the eSIM for mobile data.

Not on the eSIM itself — you have prepaid for data in that country. The risk is your home SIM: if you leave its data roaming switched on, it can connect in the background and bill you at roaming rates while your eSIM sits unused. Before you land, set the eSIM as your data line and turn data roaming off on the physical SIM.

Yes. Choose a country plan, a regional plan (e.g., Europe), or a global plan depending on your itinerary.

You only need internet access during installation (Wi-Fi is fine). After activation, your eSIM provides mobile data normally.

In most destinations, eSIM plans connect to local carrier networks, delivering fast and stable speeds comparable to local SIM data.
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