If you don’t want to go without mobile internet while traveling, ESIM is the easiest solution. I have tested Airalo in the US myself and share my personal experience here, with step-by-step instructions for activation and helpful tips for your next trip.
I’ve been using it on both the East and West Coast for a long time, so this is a real life report.
My conclusion: Airalo is set up quickly and certainly works, but there are a few things to keep in mind! I’ll show you what they’re here.
by the way: There will also be a comparison of the new ESIM USA. This comparison compares the most well-known providers.
What is Airalo and how does ESIM work?
Airalo is one of the most famous providers of digital SIM cards, known as ESIM. But what Is it actually esim?
At home, there is probably one mobile phone plan to use to make calls and For mobile internet. However, these tariffs are often not particularly attractive overseas – no good offers or simply It’s very expensive.
Where is this exactly? Airalo’s ESIM Appears: Airalo is easy for you to get Affordable data planning for your destinationfor example US, Canada, Europe, or Asia. This means you can get online as soon as you land. Perfect for Google Maps, WhatsApp messages and calls, YouTube, Netflix and Facebook, Instagram and more.
At home
For example, use
- Telekom, O2 etc. for making calls
- For surfing and whatsapp
Both together at one customs duty. When traveling, it’s not:
When traveling
You need it
- Telekom, O2, etc. for making calls.
- With ESIM, you Please don’t Using the data volume of your mobile provider,
- but, Airalo Data Planin many cases it’s rather cheap and more flexible.
Important to know: Airalo Esim is Mobile data only,that’s why Cannot be used to write phones or SMS. Nevertheless, you can reach normal with normal numbers, for example through WhatsApp, Imessage, FaceTime.
My Tips
When you arrive at your destination, the first thing you need to do is activate your Airalo ESIM for your mobile data. From that moment on, you will no longer use your previous provider. This is important as previous providers could be twice as expensive as they would charge their mobile data overseas.
Everything can be prepared in advance, making it quick and easy to set up. After that, simply activate two things on your phone during your vacation. You can see exactly how it works in me Step-by-step guide to setup Airalo Esim.
Airalo Esim in the US: My Practical Test
So how exactly did I test it? esim? Last summer I went to Sensational Road trip through the US(You can check out the details on YouTube!). In New York City, then Denver, Rocky Mountains, Arches National Park, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Palm Springs, Los Angeles and San Diego on its itinerary.
I’ve had it for a long time 3 different (self-funded) ESIM and SIM cards With three different smartphones. All trips, Google Maps, WhatsApp, YouTube, Spotify, Co. I used and surfed the internet a lot.
But what’s wrong Airalo fares compared to other ESIM providers? The data volume was sufficient, how did the setup go compared to Holafly? I’ll talk about it in the next section.
My Airalo Esim experience
As you can see from my route, it Combination of metropolitan and territory. What is my conclusion? I really recommend Airalo Esim for America! If I hadn’t had a reception, it wasn’t because of ESIM – simply nothing (for example, to the Grand Canyon)! Here, three smartphones with Holafly ESIM and classic SIM cards were searching the network.
That was positive
- I can recommend them to you as much as Holafly Esim.
- The price performance ratio is amazing.
- The setup went smoothly.
Things you definitely need to keep in mind
- The data volume is limited. There is no flat rate like HolaflyESIM.
but: A limited data volume (1 GB to 20 GB) is not a problem if you know most of the amount of data you want to use, mostly if you go on city trips and have Wi-Fi in your hotel.
Additionally, it is updated regularly with emails about previous usage so you won’t be left without any sudden, unexpected data. It looks like this:
My tip: In me ESIM comparisonshowed how many GB you can expect depending on your phone and app use.
Active in Airalo ESIM: Step-by-step method: Here’s how to do it
Installing Airalo ESIM is very easy. There are two options. Directly from order confirmation via the Airalo app or directly via QR code. This will be received as an attachment after purchase.
After purchase, you will receive instructions and QR code in PDF format.
Step 1: Install the app
Once you have installed the Airalo app (free), open a confirmation email on your smartphone you will use on your days off.[ESIMのインストール]Click the button.

Step 2: Add ESIM
This will show the ESIM in the app, but it has not been activated yet. Tap “show instructions”, then “Install esim” (in gray at the bottom of the second screen), then “Allow”. ESIM connects to your mobile phone.
Step 3: Airalo actually installs itself
Next, Airalo Esim adds itself as a customs duties on your phone. There’s no need to do anything else. Just hold on (this takes 2 minutes and then you’ll see “Completed Mobile Configuration”.
Tap “DONE” and the app will show you the new status of Green’s Airalo ESIM. It is installed successfully.
Very important: Customs only Added but not activated yet. It is only active when you arrive at your destination.
The process is very well done and very fast.
Additional Tip: Give the SIM and the new ESIM a proper name.
why? So it can be easily identified later. Simply go to Settings and tap “Mobile” to see both cards. Tap ESIM to rename (I named it “Airalo” because of my lack of creativity). that’s it! Changing the name of the customs duties is really helpful!
Step 4: Once you reach your destination
Once you arrive in the US, activate Data Roaming on your smartphone and select the Airalo data plan you previously set up. end!
You can purchase the Airalo ESIM here.

Activate Airalo ESIM via QR code
It’s easy to install via QR code, but I recommend running it directly via the Airalo app. That way you can see your current usage at any time!
When should I activate Airalo Esim?
Everything can be prepared in advance as shown in my instructions (until step 3). However, when you arrive at your destination, you only need to do the last step (activation). From that point on, ESIM is valid as long as you book it!

Questions about aero?
Are you still not sure, or do you have a question? Please contact me directly at steffen@loving-newyork.com!
Airalo vs Holafly: Which is better?
Airalo and Holafly are both the most popular ESIM providers for travelers. So I had them on a trip to the US. However, there are some important differences:
What is my conclusion?
If you know exactly how much data you need and look at the price, Airalo is the better choice.
You can purchase Airalo ESIM here.
If you don’t want to worry about data restrictions and want to be on the safe side at all times, Holafly is better. In my experience, it runs out quite a bit of data, especially with long trips and intensive use.