When should I buy and activate my eSIM?
Your plan’s validity does not start at purchase — it starts the first time the eSIM connects to a mobile network at your destination. That’s why we recommend this timeline:
Buy the plan the day before you travel
Buy your eSIM plan the day before departure — or at the latest before your flight. It arrives instantly by email, and it’s safe to buy ahead: the validity clock does not start yet.
Install the eSIM right away — ideally at home on Wi-Fi
Scan the QR code from your email and install the eSIM while you still have a good connection. Installing does not start the validity — it just gets the eSIM onto your phone so everything is ready.
See setup instructions for iPhone and Android →Keep the eSIM line switched off until you land
After installing, keep the new line off: Settings → Cellular → select the eSIM line → turn off “Turn On This Line”. This matters especially if your plan also covers the country you are in before departure (e.g. regional plans) — otherwise the eSIM could connect to a network at home and start the clock early.
Before takeoff: turn off data roaming on your main SIM
To make sure your main SIM (your phone number) doesn’t rack up roaming charges abroad, turn off Data Roaming for it before you fly.
See guide: How to avoid roaming charges on your main SIM →When you land: switch on the eSIM
Turn on the eSIM line, select it as your data line (“Cellular Data”) and make sure Data Roaming is ON for the eSIM — that’s required, and costs nothing extra on the eSIM. Your phone connects within a few minutes, and only then does the validity start counting.
Good to know: If your plan only covers your destination country, the eSIM can’t connect to a network at home — so the validity definitely won’t start until you land.