Looking to buy the best international SIM card for your next trip to Madrid?
Staying connected while traveling has long moved past a “nice to have” and has become a necessity. Being able to navigate and communicate thanks to your smartphone has removed so many of the stresses that come with travel.
That said, how you keep connected has become a stressful endeavor of its own.
Fortunately, there’s a super simple solution to use, and it is cheaper than buying a SIM from one of the Madrid airport kiosks!
Get your travel SIM card online in 2 minutes!
Pro tip: Download your eSIM the day before you travel. The best time to activate your plan is while you’re still at home and can connect to your internet. Then when you land, it’s as simple as switching on your eSIM line.
For years, buying local prepaid SIM cards in whatever country you were visiting was by far the most budget-friendly option, especially if you use a fair amount of data (and who doesn’t these days?).
Roaming was typically too expensive for anything other than short vacations, and international SIM cards, while costing a bit less, still weren’t exactly affordable.
Now there’s a much easier, cheaper, and more convenient solution – getting an Airalo eSIM.
An eSIM is an embedded SIM card, and that’s what the “e” stands for. So you can think of eSIM as a digital or virtual SIM that allows you to activate a cellular plan from a carrier without using a physical SIM card.
Your phone needs to have a microchip installed allowing you to install multiple eSIM profiles. It’s would be the same as having several physical SIM cards with phone numbers and data plans plugged into your phone at the same time, but without the actual physical SIM cards.
Airalo is the world’s first eSIM store with a marketplace of data packages for travelers who regularly visit other countries. Airalo now has eSIM cards for 190+ countries and regions around the world.
With Airalo, you can have the peace of mind that you’ll stay connected wherever you might be in Madrid, or even Spain.
You can also renew or top up an existing eSIM card, or buy a new one as needed.
The main downside is that it works only if your phone supports it.
Here’s a list of phones that support this technology.
One other important thing to check is that your device is unlocked by your carrier. Many carriers lock devices that are on a monthly payment plan.
If you have an iOS device (like an iPhone), you can go to Settings > General > About. Scroll down a bit and you should see “Carrier Lock” – if it says No SIM restrictions, you’re good to go!
Another disadvantage is that most of the packages Airalo offers, don’t come with a local phone number: they’re data-only.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t make calls – you can call and text on WhatsApp, Telegram, iMessage, and FaceTime. But it does mean that people can’t call you on a local number.
Unfortunately, this eSIM does not allow you to share data or use a hotspot with other devices.
Go online. Buy an Airalo eSIM. Press a few buttons. Done.
This is how easy nowadays you can get internet abroad. The best part being that it works in almost every country around the world, plus you can continue using your mobile number.
The first thing you need is an eSIM compatible device or Airalo compatible phone.
If you have it, then follow these steps:
Installing the Airalo eSIMs is very easy.
If you purchased your Airalo eSIM card on another device than your phone, follow these steps.
If you get lost, there are easy-to-follow instructions to install and switch between SIMs.
If you purchased your Airalo eSIM card on your phone, follow these steps.
Your internet connection just stops working.
At this point you can either top up your eSIM or buy a new one.
Open the Airalo app. From there you can manage all of your eSIMs, top them up with data, and order new ones.
Depending on the eSIM you purchased, sometimes top ups aren’t available, and then the only option is to buy a new eSIM. If you need to get a new one, you should remove the old eSIM first, or to name the new one differently, to avoid any possible future confusions.
Recharging your Airalo eSIM is super easy.
However, only rechargeable eSIMs can be topped up. So check whether the eSIM is rechargeable or not under the “Additional information” tab before you purchase it.
After your purchase, you can find the “Top up” option available for rechargeable eSIMs under the “My eSIMs” tab.
If you plan to travel not only to Spain, but to other European countries as well, you should consider buying Airalo’s Eurolink (Europe) regional travel package.
This regional plan keeps you connected throughout 39 European countries, which is helpful if you’re on a multicountry trip. You could be using the Eurolink plan while traveling from Spain to France, and the moment you land, you’ll be updated by the same data pack.
That makes your local planning much easier when you have fast data at your fingertips.