I am going to take a quick break from writing about health and wellness to tell you about a travel app that I now depend on when I travel. After all, one of the benefits of keeping yourself fit and active is that you can enjoy all kinds of exciting adventures, exploring this big beautiful world we live in. Not to mention the mental health benefits of traveling and new experiences!
But I digress!
I am not a big app person when it comes to travel. I will download airline apps and if a city has a really good public transit app, I’ll download that so I can take advantage of local transportation when I travel. But the one app that has taken the top spot in terms of usefulness is Airalo.
What is Airalo?
Airalo is an eSIM app. It allows you to search through over 200+ destinations to find an eSIM to suit your needs when you are traveling abroad.
I am from Canada, which means that when I travel outside of Canada, it costs me $15 per day to use my phone. This means that just a week away adds over $100 to your phone bill. For example, when I went to Croatia in 2022, I came home to an additional charge of $105 on top my already expensive phone bill.
In the past I had purchased local SIM cards, but I have been in situations where I don’t have time to wait at a kiosk, or I worried about losing my SIM card from Canada, so I would be stuck using the roam like home services.
But then, along came Airalo. As so many great products are discovered, I first came across Airalo on TikTok. A creator talked about how you just download an app, pick a plan, activate it, and voila! You’re connected to the internet for a fraction of the price.
Then my sister’s father-in-law mentioned that they were going to use Airalo for a trip to Palm Springs. If our parents’ generation is using eSIMs, then they must be simple enough to use.
So when I was going to Mexico for a friend’s wedding, this was my opportunity to test the eSIM experience. After all, we were going to be there for 10 days, so I could pay an additional $150 to use my roam like home plan, or I can spend $15 to get 3GB for the trip – just enough to cover my data needs when I was off the resort wifi or when the wifi was weak.
How Does Airalo Work?
Since first discovering Airalo, I have actually started working for them (yes, I believed in the product that much that I got a job there). One of the most common questions is “How easy is it to install?”
A fair question, in my opinion. I remember my first time buying and activating an eSIM, I was worried I would do something wrong. eSIMs sit in a weird area of being a simple solution, but still be tech-y enough that it can be daunting to go through the installation process for the first time. We’ve all had experiences or have known someone who has made one small mistake with their phone and all their contacts or images are erased.
Thankfully, the Airalo process has been designed to be as user-friendly as possible.I’ll break down the basic steps below, and then I’ll also share some really helpful resources so you can become a master eSIM user and enjoy the savings and seamless connectivity that Airalo offers!
Step 1: Downloading the app
You can access Airalo on desktop, but since you are ultimately going to be using the eSIMs on your phone, it is best to download the app. Having the app on your phone will allow you to take advantage of the direct installation option, and you can monitor your data usage directly from within the app.
You can download the app from the App Store here or from the Google Play Store here.
Step 2: Create Your Account
Once the app is installed, you’ll be taken through the sign-up process. They’ll just need a few pieces of information to get you started, including a verification email. So make sure you have access to your email when you are signing up so you can verify your account and start using the app right away.
When you sign up, you will also receive a referral code. This code allows you to earn Airmoney when you share it with friends and family, and they make their first eSIM purchase within the app. Airmoney is an in-app currency that can be used towards future eSIM purchases. You can learn more about the referral program here.
Step 3: Choose Your eSIM
You have an account, and you have an international destination in mind. It is time to choose your eSIM! As long as you are traveling within 90 days from the day you purchase your eSIM, you can buy an eSIM long before you travel. Most people typically purchase their eSIM right before they travel, but if you are someone who likes to be prepared well in advance, then you have that option as well.
The app is really easy to navigate. The image below shows you what you’ll see when you first login to the app. You have a selection of top destinations, you can see your Airmoney balance at the top, and you can also see your profile and current eSIMs by choosing from the options at the bottom of the screen.
You can search just about any destination in the world, and you will be able to find an eSIM for your trip.
I am going to to Portugal in the fall for 7 days, so I searched lisbon, and was shown the Portugal eSIM page. I’ll be there for a week, so I could go with a 7-day plan, but I like the 15 day plan because it gives me more than enough data at a really reasonable price. So I decide to go with the option below.
When I hit “Buy Now” I am taken to a page that shows me more information about the eSIM I am going to buy. The below screenshots show you the various pieces of information you’ll see:
I always encourage people to really look through all the info before moving on to the buy screen. You want to make sure the eSIM is going to cover what you need. Clicking on the “More Info” button will give you all the information you need to understand what you can do with the eSIM. For example, this eSIM is data-only and does not require eKYC. There are other eSIMs for different locations that include call and text, require eKYC, and there are some eSIMs that don’t have a top-up option.
Step 4: Purchase Your eSIM
Once you are clear on the eSIM you are going to buy for your upcoming trip, it is time to make the purchase. By clicking on the Buy button at the bottom of the screen, you’ll be redirected to this page:
Here, you can choose what type of payment you would like to use. There’s plenty of options and the app is also offered in a number of currencies so you can really understand what you are paying for your eSIM.
This is also where you can paste a promo code or apply Airmoney towards your purchase.
Once you have applied your codes, Airmoney, or are simply ready to make your purchase, it is time to finalize your purchase by clicking the purchase button. The button changes depending on the payment method you select, so don’t be alarmed if your button doesn’t say “Pay” like the screenshot above.
Congratulations! You’ve bought your first eSIM!
Step 5: Installing Your eSIM
As soon as you complete your purchase, you’ll be re-directed to a page that confirms you purchased the eSIM, and will redirect you to the installation instructions:
When you are ready to install your eSIM, which should only be done right before you leave for your trip to ensure your eSIM is valid for the duration of your trip, click on the View Instructions button. If you bought your eSIM in advance of your trip, you can find all of your purchased eSIMs by clicking on the My eSIMs button at the bottom of the app.
When you are on the instructions page, you have 3 different installation options. This is what the iOS experience looks like. If you are on another type of phone, the Airalo Help Center has a handful of great articles that walk you through the installation process.
Manual is the most complicated, QR code is a great option if you have purchased an eSIM for a friend, and Direct is the simplest way to get the eSIM installed on your phone. Simply click on the “Show Step-By-Step Guide” button to begin the installation process.
I’ve recorded that step-by-step guide so you can see how simple it is. When you are ready to install, the app will make it very clear when your eSIM has successfully been installed and what you should do next to activate the eSIM.
Tips for Success with Airalo eSIMs
eSIMs can be incredibly useful and will save you money, but there are some pro-tips that will make the experience even better, making your money and efforts go further, while keeping you connected.
After purchasing many eSIMs and also working with several partners who use eSIMs every day, I have compiled a short list of pro-tips to help you make the most of your eSIM experience:
- Make sure you have a messaging app that can be used with just internet, like Whatsapp, Instagram or Facebook messenger. My iMessage does work when I am using an eSIM, but it appears to work best when I am messaging people who have my icloud account saved and vise versa. Messaging with Whatsapp means that I am getting all of my messages while I am away. I can make video calls as well, which is nice when you’re traveling on your own and want to check in with friends back home.
- Always double-check that you’ve turned on data roaming on the eSIM line. I was on a flight recently and a bunch of people on the plane were trying to figure out why their eSIM wasn’t working and by simply switching on data roaming, the eSIM started to work as expected.
- Check out the Global eSIM that Airalo offers. It covers over 140 countries, and if you are traveling enough, it means you just have to install it once and top it up whenever you are traveling. No need to go through the installation process over and over again. Just install once, use your data and top up when needed. You can get a global eSIM with just data, or you can get one with talk and text, where you’ll receive an Austrian phone number to go with your data plan.
- If something isn’t working as expected, take advantage of the different support options available in the app. There’s an in-app chat bot, Whatsapp, and a support email available to you. It sometimes just takes a few tries to really start feeling comfortable with the app, and the support team is there to help make the experience better for you.
Final Thoughts on Airalo eSIMs
As a woman who has traveled alone before and had experiences where my roam like home wasn’t working, or the physical SIM I purchased wasn’t working, I know it can be really unnerving to feel disconnected in a new place. eSIMs are affordable, convenient, but most of all they add an additional layer of security to my travels.
I never have to worry about trying to find a cafe with free wifi, or only being able to call the uber from the hotel, but not being able to track the trip once I’m out of the wifi zone. The safety that something like this offers is super valuable to solo female travelers.
Again, I now work for Airalo, so there may be some bias here, but because Airalo was the first eSIM company, they have been listening to the needs of people traveling for years. That much experience with customers who use eSIMs means that they can offer what we actually need. From support in 53 languages, multi-currency, and from free eSIMs to unlimited data packages, they remain ahead of the curve and will offer you a great eSIM experience.
Let me know in the comment section below if you’ve ever used Airalo before or another eSIM brand. Would love to know your thoughts on this tech and if you plan to get an eSIM for your next trip!