United States eSIM
Stay connected across United States. Install before you fly.
- 5G on T-Mobile and Verizon
- Instant on arrival
- Refund if it doesn’t activate
Choose your plan
All prices NZD7 days
15 days
30 days
3 days
7 days
15 days
30 days
365 days
Good to know
Calls and texts
Some United States plans include calls and texts as well as data. They are on the Calls & SMS tab.
Your phone
It needs to support eSIM and be unlocked. Check your phone
Refunds
If your eSIM doesn't activate, we'll replace it free or refund you in full.
United States eSIM plans at a glance
Cheapest
1 GB for 7 days, $4.92
Best value
20 GB for 30 days, $45.47, about $2.27 a gigabyte
Unlimited
From $14.13. Cheapest per day is 15 days at $3.77 a day
Network coverage in the United States
The United States has dense, fast mobile coverage across every major metro and along interstate highways. Your Travelren USA eSIM roams on T-Mobile as the primary network with Verizon as a fallback.
Keep reading
T-Mobile's 5G reaches 98% of the population and its low-band Extended Range 5G stretches into rural towns and highway corridors in most of the continental 48 states. Typical download speeds sit between 80 and 250 Mbps on 5G in cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Miami. Coverage in national parks is a different story — mountain interiors in Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, and the Grand Canyon still have large dead zones, and the rural Midwest and deep Appalachians can drop to 4G or lose signal entirely. Alaska and Hawaii are covered but speeds are lower outside Anchorage and Honolulu.
- Networks
- T-Mobile, Verizon
- Speeds
- 5G
- Spark roaming
- $2.14 a day
What works in the United States
Works well
- Google Maps and Apple Maps turn-by-turn navigation
- Uber and Lyft in every major city
- iMessage, WhatsApp, Signal, FaceTime over data
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- Airline apps for real-time gate and delay updates
- Apple Pay and Google Pay at virtually every retailer
- Streaming on 5G — Tokyo-class speeds in Manhattan and downtown LA
- Tethering a laptop for remote work from cafes and hotels
- Tap-to-pay for NYC subway, Chicago Ventra, DC SmarTrip, SF Clipper
Watch out for
- National park interiors (Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Zion, Grand Canyon) have extensive dead zones — download offline maps before you hike
- Rural stretches of Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and the Dakotas can drop to 4G or lose signal entirely on T-Mobile
- Some regional US apps require a US phone number for SMS verification; tourist-facing apps generally accept international numbers
- Calling from the US to most international numbers requires a separate plan or an app like WhatsApp or Signal
Arriving in the United States
Free airport WiFi is available at all major US airports. SFO consistently ranks among the world's fastest with speeds of 30 to 50 Mbps and no time limit.
Keep reading
JFK, LAX, ORD, and MIA all offer free connections capped at a few hours per session with variable speed. Tipping culture runs 18 to 22% at restaurants and 15 to 20% for rideshare drivers. Taxes are added at the register, not shown on the shelf price — a $10 menu item can ring up at $11 or more depending on state and city. Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted almost everywhere; contactless on your eSIM connected phone covers NYC subway (OMNY fully replaced MetroCard in January 2026), Chicago (Ventra), Washington DC (SmarTrip), San Francisco (Clipper), and Los Angeles (TAP). Tourist SIMs at US airports are rare — the market skews toward prepaid carrier stores in cities rather than airport kiosks.
Installing your United States eSIM
Install your USA eSIM at home on your own WiFi before you fly — it takes about two minutes. On iPhone: Settings → Mobile Data → Add eSIM, then scan the QR code from your email. On Android: Settings → Connections → SIM Manager → Add eSIM.
Keep reading
Leave your home SIM as the primary line for calls and SMS. Switch the USA eSIM on for data only when you land. Your home number stays active throughout the trip. If you forget to install before departure, most US airport terminals have free WiFi good enough for a two minute install — SFO, JFK, LAX, ORD, and MIA all work.
Common questions
Which carrier does Travelren use in the USA?
Your eSIM connects to T-Mobile as the primary network with Verizon as a fallback. T-Mobile covers 98% of the US population on 5G. Your phone selects the strongest signal automatically. No APN configuration or manual network switching is required.
Will my eSIM work in national parks?
Major entrances and visitor centers usually have signal, but deep inside Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Zion, and the Grand Canyon you should expect large dead zones. T-Mobile is rolling out satellite connectivity for remote areas, but it isn't universal yet. Download offline maps on Google Maps or AllTrails before you leave civilisation.
Can I tap my phone to pay for subways and buses?
Yes in most major cities. New York's OMNY fully replaced MetroCard in January 2026 — tap your phone or contactless card at any turnstile. Chicago Ventra, Washington DC SmarTrip, San Francisco Clipper, and Los Angeles TAP all accept Apple Pay and Google Pay at the gate. Philadelphia and Boston are rolling out the same. Uber and Lyft work everywhere for door-to-door rides.
Does the USA support eSIM?
Yes. T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T all support eSIM. iPhones from the XS onwards, Google Pixel 3 and later, and most recent Samsung Galaxy models all work. Important exception: iPhones purchased in mainland China do not include eSIM hardware even if the model number looks identical. Use travelren.com/device-check to confirm your phone in 30 seconds. Check your phone
Show 4 more questions
Will my eSIM work on domestic US flights and at airports?
Yes. Every major US airport has strong T-Mobile and Verizon coverage through terminals, baggage claim, and rideshare pickup zones. Your eSIM activates the moment your phone connects to a US network — typically before you leave the jet bridge. For transit between airports, in-flight WiFi is a separate service you buy from the airline and isn't covered by your eSIM.
How much does roaming cost without a Travelren eSIM?
Telstra charges AUD$10 per day to the USA (Zone 2) with a 2 GB daily cap. EE offers UK Full Works plan holders Zone 1 roaming at no extra cost; other EE customers pay £5 per day. Spark NZ charges NZD$30 for a 14 day Roaming Pack. One NZ charges NZD$10 per day. Travelren plans are typically cheaper on a per-day basis without the daily data cap or midnight reset.
Is free airport WiFi in the US reliable?
It varies. San Francisco (SFO) is among the fastest in the world with no time limit. JFK and LAX offer free access but with hourly session caps and inconsistent speeds. Chicago O'Hare and Miami International are usable but slow during peak hours. For anything beyond checking arrivals or booking an Uber, install your Travelren eSIM before you fly.
Do I need a US phone number to use tourist apps?
Most tourist-facing apps work fine with an international number or email signup. Uber, Lyft, Google Maps, Yelp, OpenTable, Hopper, and every major airline app accept international accounts. A few regional services — local banking, some delivery platforms, some DMV-linked services — require a US number, but none are tourist essentials.
Nearby destinations
Not flying yet?
Tell us when you go and we’ll email you a reminder to set up your United States eSIM three days before you fly. One email. That’s it.