Airalo is a mobile app that lets you get a SIM card and 1GB of data in the USA (and anywhere else) for as little as $1.50 before you land. There’s no need to visit a store and no need to physically swap the SIM card in your phone. Airalo works like an eSIM – you choose the desired package in the app, pay and activate it with a few clicks. I’ve been using Airalo on the road for a while now, and I describe my experience in this article.
-
Table of Contents
How Airalo eSIM Works and Why It’s Worth It
Having constant access to the internet while travelling is now a necessity to be able to deal with accommodation or use services like Uber on the go. Years ago, I solved my mobile data problem outside the EU by buying a prepaid SIM card right at the airport upon arrival. It worked, but I had to carry a needle to open the SIM card drawer, and in some countries prepaid packages were expensive. With Airalo, both worries are eliminated.
💡 How Airalo eSIM Works
The Airalo app offers virtual SIM cards to more than 200 countries around the world. You can buy a SIM card for a specific country (USA), for a specific region (North America) or worldwide. In most countries, two SIM card variants are available.
The first includes only mobile data in the amount that can be used in a given number of days (usually 7, 15, or 30). The second option adds a bundle of a few minutes of calling and texting. I always buy a pure data SIM card.
You install the Airalo app, buy the data package of your choice, and activate the eSIM when you arrive in the country. The phone logs into the local network and from then on you can draw mobile data.
👍 Why Airalo Is Worth Using
You can conveniently buy the SIM card and data in the app. You don’t have to visit mobile operator stores and you don’t have to physically swap anything on your phone. Once you’ve used up your package, you can simply buy data in the app.
Airalo works in more than 200 countries. If you return to one regularly, simply keep your eSIM activated and just buy data on your next visit.
❓ Does My Phone Support eSIM?
In order to use Airalo, it is absolutely essential that your phone supports a virtual SIM card (eSIM). Most new phones support it, just dial *#06# on your device to verify. If you see “EID” among the codes displayed, your phone supports eSIM. In this case, you can use Airalo.
-
Cost of Mobile Data With Airalo eSIM
The price of Airalo eSIM varies depending on the country you choose and the size of your data package. The larger the package you buy, the more days you have to use it. The price per 1 GB of data also decreases with the size of the data package.
🏷️ Current Airalo eSIM Prices 2024
The easiest way to find out the current prices of data packages is to install the Airalo mobile app, you don’t have to buy anything. To get a better idea of the prices, I’ve picked out a few tariffs for different countries. I last updated the prices on May 1, 2024.
Country Carrier Data Limit Number of Days Price USA Change 1 GB 7 Days $4.50 USA Change 2 GB 15 Days $8.00 USA Change 3 GB 30 Days $11.00 USA Change 5 GB 30 Days $16.00 USA Change 10 GB 30 Days $26 USA Change 20 GB 30 Days $42 Canada Tuque Mobile 1 GB 7 Days $6.00 Canada Tuque Mobile 5 GB 30 Days $18.00 Worldwide Discover 1 GB 7 Days $9.00 Worldwide Discover 20 GB 365 Days $69 -
How to Buy Mobile Data With Airalo eSIM
The whole process will take about 10 minutes the first time, but from the second purchase onwards it will be a breeze. I recommend arranging Airalo a few days before your flight. Although the SIM card will only be active once you have logged into the network in that country, some countries’ legislation requires additional user verification. This can take a day or two in some cases, so don’t waste your time.
1️⃣ Download and Install the Airalo App
To use Airalo, your phone must support eSIM. If it doesn’t have this feature, the app won’t let you buy any packages. So you don’t have to worry about losing money.
The Airalo app is available for both Android and Apple, you can download it via the following link. The advantage is that you get a discount $3.00 on your first purchase. The cheapest 1GB data package for the USA, for example, will only cost you $1.50.
2️⃣ Create a User Account
After installing the app, create a user account and enter your credit card. I recommend using Revolut or Wise cards, which offer better exchange rates than traditional bank cards.
The Airalo eSIM is tied to a specific device; once purchased, the data package cannot be transferred to another phone.
🎁 Airalo Promo Code 10-15% for the Whole Year 2024
Until 31 December 2024, you can use the Airalo promo code for new and existing customers. The code “NEWTOAIRALO15” will discount new eSIM customers by an additional 15%. The promo code “AIRALOESIM10” is for existing customers and will discount their order by an extra 10%.
3️⃣ Choose and Buy a Package
On the home screen of the app, select the relevant country you are travelling to view the available offers. If you know you’ll be visiting multiple countries soon, it may well be worth buying a Regional eSIM or Global eSIM. For example, the Regional SIM works throughout North America, while the Global eSIM can be used in 125 countries.
When choosing a particular package, consider two things. The cheapest packages usually have a validity of 7 days, so for a two-week trip you are forced to buy a larger package to be online all the time.
The second consideration is the amount of data you transfer. If you have no idea how much data you use, check your phone’s network usage statistics. To use data just to find hotels, read articles and navigate, an estimated 250 MB per day is enough. But you need to turn off data backup to the cloud, app updates, and forget about playing videos.
4️⃣ Activate Your eSIM
After purchasing the package, you need to install and activate the eSIM on your phone. The app guides you through the whole process and sets everything up itself, even the first time it was easy for me.
You can have multiple eSIM cards downloaded on one phone at the same time. This is especially handy if you travel frequently or will be switching between different countries.
Legislation in some countries requires more thorough identity verification. So you’ll need to upload a copy of your passport to the app before activating your SIM card, for example. You don’t have to worry about possible misuse of the document, as the authentication is done by a trusted company and the data transmitted is encrypted.
Passport verification can take a few hours to a day, for this reason I recommend buying Airalo in advance a few days before departure.
⚠️ You Need an Internet Connection to Activate Airalo eSIM
Activating a purchased eSIM requires an internet connection, so I usually activate it at the airport before departing for the destination. The validity of the eSIM usually starts when it is first logged into a supported network. The exact terms and conditions are available in the app. Just click on the package detail and then on the Plan Type before you buy.
5️⃣ eSIM Will Be Active After Logging Into the Network
You can buy a package and set up your Airalo eSIM before you fly, however, mobile data will only become active after you first log into the local network. I was a bit confused at first. I had everything set up, but the SIM card didn’t want to work at the Prague airport. After landing in New York City, however, the setup was completed and the phone connected to the T-Mobile USA network.
6️⃣ You Can See the Current Data Usage in the App
You can see your current data transfer volume right in the Airalo app. If you run out of data, you can start saving more or simply buy another package. The price is the same as the first purchase.
-
My Review of Airalo, AKA What Works for Me
The biggest influence on using Airalo is how much data you transfer while abroad. Are you going to save data, or do you want to put no limits on the amount of data you transfer? I’m somewhere in between, the following tips have worked well for me. I’d be happy for you to post your experiences and tips in the discussion below this article.
🎁 Discount $3.00 On First Purchase
When you sign up for Airalo via the following link, you will get a $3.00 discount on your first eSIM purchase. The discount is tied to the user account, if you were to purchase a second SIM card from the same email, you will no longer get the discount. However, you can still get, say, 1GB of data in the USA for 7 days for just $1.50.
To get the discount, you must leave the promo code “PETR7251” in the registration form.
♻️ Airmoney Loyalty Program
Airalo users automatically become members of a loyalty program where a percentage of the purchase value is automatically added to their account in the form of an Airmoney cashback. The credits can be used to buy additional eSIMs. The more money you spend on Airalo, the higher the value of the cashback. It starts at 5%, and up to 10% of the purchase value is returned to your account once you reach $200.
💰 How to Save Data in Countries Where It’s Expensive
I have unlimited data on my mobile plan. So, by default, my phone has instant photo backup to the cloud via my mobile network, even when I’m abroad. If I’m traveling to a country where data is expensive, even with Airalo, I only enable backup over wi-fi. Photos and videos are the biggest eater of the data package.
You can save data while traveling by downloading Google maps to your device. You can also download Netflix movies or YouTube videos in advance.
⛔ Why I Don’t Buy Calls and Texts
Airalo offers bundles with free calling minutes and SMS to local phone numbers in some countries. From my point of view, this is a waste.
SMS is an obsolete thing. Like calling, they can almost always be replaced by WhatsApp. If I need to call a local phone number, I use the Skype app for that, where I have free credit to call landlines and mobiles anywhere in the world. This happens to me on average once a year.
⚠️ eSIM Can Only Be Installed Once
You can only install each eSIM once on your phone. If you remove it completely, you will lose it and with it any unused data. You can install multiple eSIMs at the same time on most phones, so there’s no reason to delete them right away. There may be one or two active at any one time, but that’s okay.
-
Airalo FAQ
Is It Possible to Share Airalo eSIM Data Over a Hotspot?
Yes, it is possible.If you are travelling in a group, only one of you can buy an eSIM and share the internet between the others via a mobile hotspot. Similarly, you can create a hotspot to connect your laptop, for example. Just keep in mind that the more devices you connect to the internet, the faster the data will disappear from the package.
Does Airalo eSIM Support 5G Networks?
It depends on the specific country and operator.Airalo itself supports 5G, however it always depends on what the signal coverage is in that country. To check, just click on the package detail in the app and look under More Info for Network. If the partner operator supports 5G, a label will appear there. In general, the bottleneck is always the infrastructure in the country you are visiting.
How Is an eSIM Better Than a Traditional Plastic SIM Card?
The advantage of the eSIM is practicality and ease of use, especially when travelling. There is no need to insert any plastic card into the phone, activation of the eSIM is done via the Airalo app. The disadvantage of eSIM is that it is not supported by some older phones.Can I Get a Local Phone Number With Airalo?
It depends on what package you buy.If you choose mobile data only, you won’t get a local phone number because the SIM card doesn’t allow calls. To get a local phone number, you must choose a plan that includes free minutes for calls.
Does Airalo Offer a Subscription Plan?
Airalo does not offer any subscription or plan that can be used long term at this time. You can purchase the Discover global eSIM, which gives you the option to pump up to 20GB of data over 365 days. There’s also a 200 call minutes and 200 SMS option available. Both services can be used in 125 countries around the world.
Contribute with Your Question or Personal Experience