Airalo eSIM: How We Deal with Traveling Abroad Without Expensive Roaming

In the past, travelers often had to deal with getting a classic local physical SIM card upon arrival. Today, there’s a much simpler option: the eSIM. We use Airalo, where we can buy a data package even before our trip and simply activate it after landing. This means we don't have to look for a booth at the airport, swap out a physical SIM card, or deal with the expensive roaming fees of our home mobile provider.

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What is Airalo?

Airalo is a service where you can purchase an eSIM for traveling abroad. An eSIM works just like a traditional SIM card, except it isn’t physical, meaning you don’t have to insert anything into your phone. You buy the data plan online, install it onto a compatible phone, and use it in the respective country or region.

On Airalo, you can find options such as:

• eSIMs for individual countries
• Regional eSIMs covering multiple states
• Specific global packages

For us, the biggest advantage is its simplicity.

Why We Use an eSIM Instead of a Traditional SIM Card

Mainly for convenience.

When we land in a foreign country, the last thing we want to worry about is:

• Where to buy a SIM card
• How much it will cost
• How to activate it
• Whether someone at the airport is overcharging us

With an eSIM, we have our internet ready in advance.

Before the trip:

We choose the country.

We select the data package.

We buy the eSIM.

We install it on the phone.

Once we land, we simply activate it according to the conditions of that specific package, and we're good to go.

Why Internet Access on the Road is Crucial

We don't just use data for social media. Quite the opposite. On the road, we need it mostly for practical purposes.We regularly use it for:

• Google Maps and road trip navigation
• Booking.com and Airbnb
• DiscoverCars
• Transit timetables
• Translators
• WhatsApp and email
• Mobile banking
• Looking up restaurants and opening hours
• Booking tickets and tracking traffic updates
• Managing reservation changes

Mobile internet is incredibly useful, especially during a road trip. When we are trying to find our way to an accommodation or need to change our route, we don’t want to be entirely dependent on hotel Wi-Fi.

How We Use Airalo

The process is fairly straightforward. First, we select the country we are traveling to, and then we check the available packages.

These packages can vary based on:

• Data allowance
• Validity period
• Price
• Supported networks
• Other specific conditions

We select a package based on the duration of our trip and how much data we expect to consume, and then we install the eSIM on the phone.

Tip: We highly recommend doing the installation at home before your flight, where you have a stable Wi-Fi connection and time to double-check everything.

How the eSIM Works Upon Arrival

After landing, you usually need to turn on the respective eSIM as your primary source for mobile data. Depending on the specific package, you might also need to turn on data roaming specifically for this eSIM.

Don’t worry—this does not mean you are using the expensive roaming of your domestic provider. The data runs entirely through the international eSIM plan you purchased.

However, you should always follow the step-by-step instructions provided for that specific eSIM.

Watch Out for Your Home SIM Card!

In our opinion, this is one of the most critical steps. If you keep both your regular home SIM and your travel eSIM active in your phone simultaneously, double-check which SIM card is selected for mobile data.

Otherwise, your phone might start using roaming data through your home provider. That’s why we always verify our mobile data settings immediately upon arrival. We might leave our home SIM active for SMS or calls, but we strictly set mobile data to run through the eSIM.

How Much Data Do We Need?

That depends heavily on your travel style. If you use the internet mostly for maps, messaging, email, reservations, and looking up quick information, your data usage won’t be that dramatic. However, if you plan to watch videos, upload large amounts of photos, use a mobile hotspot, or stream YouTube and Netflix every day, your data will disappear significantly faster (in which case, you should look for unlimited data options). We try to handle heavy data transfers over Wi-Fi and use mobile data primarily for practical tasks during the day.

Google Maps Can Save a Lot of DataBefore your trip, we recommend downloading offline maps of the areas you’ll be traveling through. We do this especially for road trips. The navigation then doesn't have to constantly download map layouts. Plus, an offline map can save the day in areas with weak or no mobile signal. An eSIM obviously doesn't guarantee a perfect signal everywhere; your coverage still depends entirely on the local mobile networks.

Airalo is Not the Same as Unlimited Roaming

This is important to know before making a purchase. With most travel eSIMs, you are buying a specific amount of data for a set timeframe—for instance, a few gigabytes for a few days or weeks. Therefore, we recommend checking exactly:

• How much data you are purchasing
• How long it is valid for

The cheapest package might not be the best choice if you run out of data halfway through your trip.

Individual Country eSIM vs. Regional Package

It all depends on your route. If we are traveling to just one country, it usually makes the most sense to look at a package directly for that specific state. However, if we are crossing multiple borders during a single trip, a regional eSIM can be a much more attractive option—for example, when traveling through several European or Asian countries. The upside is that you don’t have to install a new eSIM every time you cross a border. Just be sure to always compare the price and the amount of data included.

The Advantage of eSIMs During LayoversAn eSIM can also be incredibly practical during long journeys with layovers. If you land late at night or early in the morning, you don't have to worry about whether an airport SIM card shop will be open. You just land, turn on your data, and go.This is one of the things we appreciate most about eSIMs. After a long flight, the last thing we want to do is stand in a long line at a mobile operator’s kiosk.

Airalo vs. Buying a SIM Card at the AirportA traditional SIM card can sometimes turn out cheaper or offer more data. We are definitely not claiming that Airalo will always be the cheapest option available. The main difference lies in the convenience.

Airalo

Pros:

• You buy it before your trip
• No need to swap physical SIM cards
• You can have internet access virtually the instant you land
• You handle everything online
• You can easily compare multiple packages

Cons:

• It might not always be the absolute cheapest option
• Your phone must support eSIM technology
• Some packages are data-only (no local phone number)

Local SIM Card

Pros:

• Sometimes comes with a very low price tag
• Often offers large amounts of data
• Sometimes includes a local phone number

Cons:

• You have to find a place to buy it after arrival
• Registration might be required
• You have to swap physical SIM cards
• Airport offers can often be overpriced

We now mostly prefer the convenience of an eSIM.Airalo vs. Domestic Roaming

Within the European Union, the situation is obviously different since we can use our regular data plans in most cases. However, outside the EU, roaming data can get exponentially expensive. And that is exactly where an eSIM starts making the most sense.

Before any trip, we always recommend checking your domestic operator’s roaming rates and comparing them with the price of an eSIM.

Does Airalo work on every phone?

No.Your phone must support eSIM technology. Newer iPhones, Samsungs, Google Pixels, and many other smartphones support it, but this might not be the case for older devices.

Therefore, always check the compatibility of your specific phone model before making a purchase.

Don't just assume that because your phone is relatively new, the eSIM will definitely work.

When to activate the eSIMWe highly recommend paying close attention here

Installation and activation are not always the same thing.

With some eSIMs, the validity period starts running only after connecting to a supported network in your destination country. With others, the conditions might differ. That’s why we always read the instructions for each specific package carefully. Generally, our preferred method is:

• Install at home → Activate upon arrival according to the instructions.

Is Airalo suitable for a road trip?

In our experience, absolutely. A road trip is exactly when we use mobile internet the most—for navigation, accommodations, restaurants, gas stations, route changes, parking, or looking up points of interest. When you travel to a different place every single day, you cannot rely on hotel Wi-Fi alone. For us, having our own data connection is a mandatory part of the journey. How we save data abroadWe follow a few simple rules:

• We download videos and large software updates only over Wi-Fi.
• We download offline maps in advance.
• We turn off photo cloud synchronization unless connected to Wi-Fi.
• We occasionally check how much data we have left.

Thanks to these steps, we usually don't need an extremely large data package.

What to watch out for with Airalo

Before purchasing, we recommend checking the following details in particular:

• Supported countries
• Data allowance
• Validity period
• Phone compatibility
• The exact moment of activation
• Supported mobile networks
• Whether the package is data-only or includes other services

And just like with booking accommodations or renting a car, the same rule applies here: don't automatically pick the cheapest option.

Choose a package that truly fits your itinerary.

How satisfied are we with Airalo?

We use Airalo mainly because it simplifies one of the tasks we would otherwise have to deal with right after landing.

• We don't have to look for a mobile operator's store.
• We don't have to take out our regular physical SIM card.
• We can have mobile internet ready practically from the very start of our trip.

For us, this sheer simplicity is the primary reason we use an eSIM.

Who would we recommend Airalo to?

It is ideal for travelers who:

• Want to have their internet ready before their flight
• Are traveling outside the European Union
• Do not want to hunt for a physical SIM card upon arrival
• Heavily rely on navigation and apps while traveling
• Are visiting multiple countries during one trip
• Want to keep their regular home SIM card active in their phone

If your phone supports eSIM technology, we would definitely recommend at least comparing this option with classic roaming and local SIM cards before your next trip.

Need internet for your next adventure?

On Airalo, you can compare available eSIMs and data packages based on your destination country.

If you make a purchase through our link, WandersKaty may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

For us, the bottom line is simple: we handle the eSIM at home, and upon landing, we can dive straight into using the internet instead of searching for a local SIM card.