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The Cheapest (and Best) Way To Get Cell Phone Service Internationally

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Brett Holzhauer
Brett Holzhauer's image

Brett Holzhauer

Content Contributor

78 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 22U.S. States Visited: 29

Brett is a personal finance and travel junkie. Based out of Fort Lauderdale, he's had over 100 credit cards and earned millions of credit card rewards.
Edited by: Michael Y. Park
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Michael Y. Park

Senior Editor & Content Contributor

28 Published Articles 484 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 60+U.S. States Visited: 50

Michael Y. Park is a journalist living in New York City. He’s traveled through Afghanistan disguised as a Hazara Shi’ite, slept with polar bears on the Canadian tundra, picnicked with the king and que...
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Jestan Mendame

Compliance Associate

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Since 2016, he has embraced the life of a digital nomad, making the world his office. He has built a career in social media marketing and blogging for various travel brands, which is also his bread an...
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One of the first issues to arise when traveling internationally is phone connectivity. As someone who works remotely and travels frequently, I’m regularly looking for the most cost-efficient and seamless phone connection.

As I started traveling more, I discovered eSIMS, which are electronic SIM cards that can be downloaded remotely. This is far different from physical SIM cards, which you insert into your phone. In the past, you needed to find a store that sold physical SIM cards.

Here was my experience purchasing and installing an eSIM, and how to protect your phone in the process.

How eSIMS Work

To get an eSIM, your phone must be unlocked. This means that your phone is no longer tied to a specific carrier, and you can switch carriers as you see fit. Your phone will be locked if you haven’t paid off the phone itself. This was the situation I found myself in.

The easiest way to see if your phone is locked or unlocked is to use the carrier’s website to plug in your International Mobile Equipment Identity, or IMEI, number. I used AT&T’s website and quickly found my phone was locked, as I’ve been paying it off monthly. From there, I paid off my phone in full to unlock it. I used the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Premier Visa Signature® Credit Card, as I’m trying to earn the welcome bonus offer.

iPhone 15 Pro Blue Titanium
iPhone and eSIM, ready to go. Image Credit: Chris Hassan

Once I paid off the phone, I requested the phone to be unlocked. AT&T said it could take up to 48 hours, but roughly 1 hour later, I received a notification that my phone was unlocked. At this point, I was able to install an eSIM.

I downloaded the Airalo app and was able to purchase an eSIM. I found the cheapest way was to buy a local eSIM that covered the countries I was visiting (Iceland, Ireland, Germany, and Portugal). The eSIM was $37 for 10 GB of data, good for up to 30 days. This didn’t cover phone calls or traditional text messages. So, since it was limited, it was helpful to connect to Wi-Fi when I could to save data.

This solution for me was much cheaper than AT&T’s international plan, which costs $12 per day. A 10-day trip could cost a whopping $120, on top of my cell phone bill at home. For 21 days in Europe, my total bill will be $72.

The price varies depending on the country and provider you purchase from. For example, in Thailand, an eSIM with unlimited data and calling for 15 days costs $20.

Hot Tip:

I used to be a digital nomad, and I found the best solution to be Google Fi. However, that came with several headaches, including terrible customer service. Shortly after my travels ended, I canceled the service and went back to Verizon. With eSIMS, you can simply download them straight to your phone before you ever get to your destination — it’s quite easy and much cheaper than the plans offered by AT&T.

How To Protect Your Phone While Traveling

Just like at home, your phone can be damaged or stolen, or you can simply lose it. It can be frustrating, but depending on the credit card you use to pay for your cell phone bill at home, you could have cell phone protection and travel insurance.

However, you must use an eligible credit card to pay your cell phone service bill at home — not just for the eSIM. So if you have a traditional carrier at home, pay your bill with a card with cell phone protection to ensure your phone is covered.

I’m on a family plan with my brother, and he uses the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One. to pay the monthly bill. This card gives up to $800 per approved claim or the retail value of your phone (the lesser amount applies), with a $50 deductible for each claim. You can submit up to 2 claims for every rolling 12-month period.

So before your next trip, consider grabbing a travel credit card with cell phone protection. Here are a few:

Final Thoughts

International travel can be expensive, but there are subtle ways to save money without sacrificing much. Before your next international trip, look into your cell phone plan to see what it does or doesn’t include, and consider using an eSIM to save.


For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

For the cell phone protection benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Premier Visa Signature® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.

Brett Holzhauer's image

About Brett Holzhauer

Brett is a personal finance and travel junkie. Based out of Fort Lauderdale, he’s had over 100 credit cards and earned millions of credit card rewards. He learned the tricks of the trade from his mom, and has taken many steps forward. He wasn’t exposed to much travel as a kid, but now has a goal of reaching 100 countries in his life. In 2019, he sold all of his possessions to become a digital nomad, and he says it was one of the best decisions he ever made. He plans to do it again at some point in his life.

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