The Best eSIM For New York City - Airalo eSIM Review 2026

Last Updated on 13th April 2026

Disclaimer: this post about the best eSIM for New York City is written in collaboration with Airalo, but I have been a paying customer of Airalo eSIMs for a number of years now, therefore, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. Please see my disclaimer for more.

Are you planning a trip to NYC, but you’re not sure which is the best eSIM for New York City? Luckily, I’ve tried and tested numerous eSIMs over the years, and in my guide below, I’ll be sharing all the details about the best New York eSIM provider!

As someone who visits New York City multiple times a year (for “research” purposes for my blog and NYC Facebook Group 😉), as well as numerous other states and cities in the USA to visit various family members who live there, I have to make sure that I stay connected as easily, conveniently, and affordably as possible.

In my role as a travel writer, I’ve used numerous eSIM providers over the years in an attempt to find the best one, and I’m here to tell you all about my favourite eSIM for New York City.

Enter Airalo; the world’s first (and, in my opinion, best!) eSIM store, designed to eliminate high roaming costs by giving you access to digital SIM cards (also known as eSIMs). Airalo is trusted and used by over 20 million users and they provide eSIM packages in over 200 countries and regions, allowing you to stay connected wherever you are in the world.

If you’re heading to NYC and looking for the best eSIM for New York City, my comprehensive guide below covers everything you need to know about how Airalo eSIMs work, how to install them, the pros and cons of using an eSIM, and even an exclusive Airalo eSIM discount code!

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NEW YORK ESSENTIALS
🏩 Accommodation: Booking.com
🚇 Transport: NY Subway
🗽 Activities/tours: Get Your Guide
🎟️ New York Pass: Go City Pass
📱 USA eSIM: Airalo
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Airalo eSIM discount code

Use the discount code NYC2026 for 10% off all eSIMs!

Airalo eSIM review – best eSIM for New York City

At the time of writing this Airalo review in April 2026, I have used Airalo eSIMs in ten different countries, including the USA, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore , UAE, Thailand, Macao, China, Vietnam, and Australia.

I have also used an Airalo USA eSIM on seven (!!!) seperate trips to the United States, so when it comes to checking whether Airalo eSIMs are any good, I think I’ve got it on good authority to say that yes, they absolutely are!

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive in my New York Facebook Group is “what is the best eSIM for my trip to New York?“, hence the title of this guide! If you’re planning your trip to NYC and need advice on how Airalo works, how to install an eSIM, and how to choose the best eSIM for your trip, I’ve got you covered!

What is Airalo and how do eSIMs work?

First of all, you may be wondering what even is an eSIM? An eSIM is simply a digital “embedded SIM card” that allows you to stay connected online by downloading regional or global eSIM data packs directly to your device, rather than using your current SIM card, or purchasing a new physical SIM card.

You may be aware of data roaming charges when travelling, especially if you’re travelling from the UK to the USA, where most UK mobile data plans do not work properly in the US (or rather, they charge extortionate data roaming fees), eSIMs allow you to use data just like you would at home, without the inflated roaming charges.

Airalo is one of many eSIM providers, but they’re my personal favourite eSIM store as they offer eSIMs for 200+ countries, and offer unlimited data options, and they have worked seamlessly for me in all ten countries/regions I have used them in so far (including New York City!).

How to check if your phone supports eSIMs – iPhone devices

If it’s your first time using an eSIM and you’re not sure if your phone supports an eSIM (some devices don’t, unfortunately!), you can easily check if your phone is compatible before you purchase by checking in the Airalo app.

If you have an Android device, you can check whether your phone is compatible with eSIMs by using Airalo’s helpful guide.

How to check if your phone supports eSIMs - iPhone devices

How to use an Airalo eSIM for your trip to New York City

Download the Airalo app (available on iOS and Android).
Choose and purchase an eSIM plan – in this case, if you’re planning to use your eSIM in New York, opt for one of the ‘United States eSIMs‘. You can get unlimited data for 3 days for £9 (or just £8.10 when you use my discount code NYC2026).
Install the eSIM – you will need to be connected to Wi-Fi to do this and you must do this before you fly to NYC; the Airalo app provides detailed instructions on how to install your eSIM, and you can also use the Airalo guides for both iPhone and Android installations.
Activate your eSIM – Activate your eSIM once you land in New York City and you’ll instantly be connected to the internet; ready to let your loved ones know you’ve arrived, find your way around the city using Google Maps, and share all your travel pics to Instagram!

USA Airalo eSIM packages – how much data will I need?

There are many eSIM data packages to choose from with Airalo, including 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB, 50GB, and even unlimited data packages!

Choosing the best data package for your trip to New York depends on how many days you’re going for and how much data you’re likely to use.

You’ll most likely be using data for:

Google Maps for the subway/navigating your way around the city.
Booking Ubers/Lyft (if you decide to use them at night, for example).
Mobile tickets (Broadway tickets, GetYourGuide attractions, Go City New York Passes).
WhatsApp/Facebook Messenger to stay connected with family back home.

For example, if you’re going to NYC for three days, you’ll likely opt for the 3 day data package, and you can get 1GB, 3GB or unlimited GB of data during this time.

My recommendation for a 3 day trip to NYC would be the 3 days unlimited USA eSIM data package for £9 (just £8.10 when you use my Airalo discount code – NYC2026!). This is just £2 more than the 3GB data plan for unlimited data, so you won’t be worried about running out of data while you’re out and about.

Use my Airalo discount code NYC2026 to get 10% off Airalo eSIMs!

When to buy your Airalo eSIM for New York City

You need to be connected to Wi-Fi in order to install your eSIM, so you should purchase and install your Airalo eSIM a day or two before you travel to New York City. This way, it will already be installed on your device, and when you land in NYC, all you’ll need to do is simply activate it. If you forget you can do it at the airport or when you land, but the sooner the better!

What data carrier does Airalo use in the US?

Airalo currently uses T-Mobile 5G and Verizon 5G as their main data providers in the USA, so you can almost guarantee that you’ll always receive a good signal throughout the city (I have personally never had any connectivity issues).

What happens to your UK phone number?

Airalo eSIMs work alongside your UK physical SIM card, so your current SIM stays active and you can still receive calls and texts on your UK number (although they will cost more since you are abroad), but your data will be provided by your Airalo eSIM.

Data, calls, and texts with Airalo eSIM

While many eSIM providers offer data-only packages, Airalo also offer eSIMs that come with data, calls, and texts, meaning you can use your phone pretty much exactly the same as you would at home, only you won’t have to pay extortionate roaming charges! I used the USA eSIM with data/calls/texts on my honeymoon in Hawaii in February 2026 as we needed to make a call while we were there and it worked perfectly!

You can find out more about getting an eSIM that also supports phone calls and texts on the Airalo FAQ guide.

Pros and cons of using an Airalo eSIM for New York City

Pros

Avoids hefty data roaming charges while travelling or hunting for public Wi-Fi.
Can be installed and used alongside your current physical SIM – no need to swap them out.
Prices start at just £3.50 – Airalo eSIMs are amongst the most affordable.
They offer unlimited packages so you never need to worry about running out.
Super quick and easy to set-up through the Airalo app.
Excellent 24/7 customer support from the Airalo team.

Cons

Some devices are not compatible with eSIMs.
Can be more expensive than local physical SIM cards in some countries.
Not all eSIMs offer calls and texts as part of their plan.
The unlimited data plans come with a “fair data usage policy”, meaning you will get lower speeds after 3GB of usage per day.

Use the code NYC2026 to save 10% off Airalo eSIMs!