How to get internet in any country without paying absurd roaming fees

Your entire itinerary lives on your phone — interactive maps, reservations, emergency protocol, daily tips. None of that helps much if you land at the airport and have no signal until you find some sketchy free wifi at a coffee shop.

The real options (not the ones the airport sells you)

International roaming from your carrier. Almost always the most expensive option per megabyte, and often with quietly throttled speeds. Only makes sense if you're going for 2-3 days and don't want to deal with anything else.

A local physical SIM. Cheap, but it means finding where to buy it, sometimes dealing with paperwork or requirements you didn't expect, and being without your own number in the meantime.

eSIM. The one we recommend for most itineraries. Activates before you even leave home, doesn't require swapping a physical chip, and you can have data working the moment you land — no lines, no hunting for a store.

How we handle it in every itinerary

For single-country trips, a local eSIM is usually the cheapest option. For itineraries covering several countries in the same region (Europe is the classic example), a regional eSIM saves you from having to activate a new one every time you cross a border.

The one we usually recommend for most international itineraries is this eSIM platform (affiliate link — swap it for your real one), for its country coverage and how easy it is to activate from the app.

One detail almost nobody thinks about

Activate the eSIM before boarding, not after you land. That way you arrive with working data the moment you step off the plane — to grab the right taxi, open the map, or just let someone know you've landed.

Like everything in your itinerary: it's not about having the most expensive option or the cheapest one, it's about the one that actually solves your specific trip. If you're not sure which one fits, just ask us directly on your alignment call.