How to Set Up Airalo eSIM for Travel: Step-by-Step Guide

Step-by-step guide to setting up Airalo eSIM for international travel. We set it up for Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. No SIM card, no roaming fees.

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We have been using Airalo for several trips now, including Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. No issues with any of them. The setup is straightforward but there are a few steps people miss that can cause confusion. This is the full guide from start to finish.

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What Is Airalo?

Airalo is a digital eSIM store with coverage in over 200 countries. There is no physical SIM card, no going to a carrier store, and no paying for international roaming on your home plan. You buy a data package, install it digitally, and your phone connects to local networks when you land.

Step 1: Check That Your Phone Supports eSIM

Most smartphones from 2020 and newer support eSIM. If you have a recent iPhone or Android, you are likely fine. If you are unsure, search "Airalo compatible phones" and check their official list.

Also confirm your phone is unlocked:

iPhone: Go to Settings > General > About > scroll down to Carrier Lock. If it says "No SIM restrictions," you are good.

Android: Go to Settings > Network (or Connection) > SIM or Mobile Network > turn off "Automatically select network." If your phone shows multiple available networks, it is unlocked. If only one network appears, it is locked to that carrier.

If your phone is locked, contact your carrier and request an unlock. Most will do it for free once you have completed your contract term.

Step 2: Choose the Right Plan

Airalo offers three types of plans:

Plan Type	What It Covers	Calls and Texts?
Local	One specific country	No (data only)
Regional	A region (e.g., all of Asia)	No (data only)
Global	Multiple regions worldwide	Yes (included)

For local and regional plans, you get data only. You can still make calls and send messages through apps like WhatsApp, KakaoTalk, Discord, or FaceTime over data. Most travelers do not need traditional calls and texts abroad.

Example: South Korea plans

If you are visiting South Korea for one week, options include 7-day plans at 3GB, 5GB, or 10GB. If you are a content creator or use a lot of data, unlimited plans are available in select countries for durations of 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, or 30 days.

Our purchase for a Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan trip: We bought the Asia Regional plan, 20GB for 30 days. This covered all three countries under one plan without needing to buy separate local SIMs.

Step 3: Purchase and Install the eSIM

Once you buy the plan in the Airalo app:

Follow the prompts and tap Use eSIM
Read through the instructions and tap I understand
Tap Install eSIM

Three installation methods are available:

Direct (recommended, easiest)
QR code (useful if someone else is managing the account and scanning for you)
Manual (involves copying codes, not recommended unless the other methods fail)

Use the Direct method unless you have a reason not to.

Important during installation: Make sure you are on a strong Wi-Fi or 5G connection. Do not touch your phone while the installation is running. Let it complete on its own.

After installation it will ask:

Where will you use this eSIM? Select "Abroad"
What type of plan? Select "Data only" (for local or regional plans)

Step 4: Configure After Installation

This is where most people get confused. After installing, do these steps:

1. Label your eSIM Go to Cellular > tap the new eSIM > tap Label > rename it to something identifiable like "Asia Region 2025" or "Korea Nov 2025." This helps you know which eSIM to activate later.

2. Turn the line on Toggle on the eSIM line. If nothing populates after turning it on, go back one page and re-tap the eSIM. It will populate.

3. Set the data mode Choose from 5G (faster, uses more data), Standard (default, recommended), or Low Data Mode (for when you are running low). Standard works for most situations.

4. Turn on data roaming for the Airalo eSIM This is the most important step. Go into your Airalo eSIM settings and make sure Data Roaming is turned ON. Without this, the eSIM will not connect to the local network abroad.

5. Turn off data roaming on your home SIM Go to your primary SIM's settings and make sure Data Roaming is turned OFF. This prevents accidental charges from your home carrier while you are abroad.

Speed Test: South Korea

After setting up and arriving in Korea, we ran a speed test and got 300-400 Mbps. That is faster than most home Wi-Fi connections and more than enough for maps, video calls, and uploading content.

When You Run Out of Data

You can top up directly in the Airalo app without buying a new eSIM. It is the same plan, just additional data added to what you already have installed.