Landing day: how to get your travel eSIM online at the airport
The plane is at the gate, everyone is switching their phones on, and you want maps, messages and your ride sorted. This is the checklist we walk travellers through every week. Most fixes take under two minutes.
The night before you fly
- Install the eSIM at home on wifi. Our install guide covers iPhone and Android. Installing needs internet, so do not leave it for the arrivals hall.
- Name the line. Label it "RoamMore" or the destination so you can tell it apart from your home SIM.
- Expect no signal yet. Your eSIM only connects to networks in your destination, so "No Service" at home is normal.
- Check the network you will use. Your destination page lists the carrier and whether it is 4G or 5G.
- Keep your confirmation email handy. You will not need to scan the QR code again, but the email has your plan details and support links.
Your plan's days start counting when the eSIM first connects to a network in your destination, not when you install it, so installing early costs you nothing. The only exceptions are a few very small trial plans that start when installed, and their plan details say so.
When you land: five settings
On iPhone these are under Settings > Mobile Service (called Mobile Data or Cellular on some iPhones). On Android look under Settings > Connections > SIM manager or Settings > Network and internet > SIMs, depending on the brand.
- Turn off airplane mode.
- Turn on the eSIM line. Tap the RoamMore line and make sure Turn On This Line is on.
- Switch Data Roaming on for the eSIM. Travel eSIMs connect as roaming visitors, so this has to be on for the eSIM line.
- Choose the eSIM for mobile data. Under Mobile Data, select the RoamMore line.
- Turn off Allow Mobile Data Switching. Otherwise your phone may quietly use your home SIM for data, and your home carrier may charge you for it.
For your home line, leave the line on if you want calls and texts, but keep its Data Roaming off. More on that in keeping your home number.
Give it a minute or two to find a network.
Still no connection?
Work through these in order. They solve almost every landing day case we see.
- Restart your phone. It sounds too simple, but a restart forces the phone to register on the local network and fixes more issues than anything else.
- Check the five settings again. Data Roaming on the wrong line is the most common slip.
- Confirm you are in a covered country. If your flight connects through another country, the eSIM will not work there unless your plan covers it.
- Pick the network by hand. In the eSIM line settings, turn off automatic network selection and choose the carrier listed for your plan on your destination page.
- Move towards the exit. Arrival halls can have weak signal.
- Message us. Use airport wifi to reach us on WhatsApp or at [email protected]. Tell us where you are, your phone model and what the screen shows. A real person replies, usually the same day.
The one thing not to do
Do not delete the eSIM. It feels like the obvious reset, but in most cases a deleted eSIM cannot be installed again from the same QR code. Contact us first. If your eSIM does need replacing, we can reissue it and you can manage it from your account.
"Unable to activate eSIM" during install
This message at install time is different from having no signal on arrival. If the eSIM appears in your settings list, it installed correctly and the activation will happen once you are in your destination. If you are still at home, there is nothing to fix yet. If you are already in the destination and see this, follow the steps above and then message us.
Switching between eSIMs mid trip
You can keep several eSIMs installed and choose which one handles data. On a trip with two plans, turn on the line you need and select it under Mobile Data. Turning a line off does not delete it.
How to tell your phone is using the eSIM, not your home SIM
Your phone is using the travel eSIM when the RoamMore line is the one selected for mobile data, Data Roaming is off on your home line, and a web page loads with wifi switched off. Test it before you leave the terminal, because airport wifi can hide a line that is not working.
- iPhone: in Settings > Mobile Service (Cellular on some iPhones), tap Mobile Data and check the tick is beside the RoamMore line. Apple says the status bar shows the signal strength of both lines.
- Google Pixel: in Settings > Network & internet > SIMs, Mobile data under "Your primary SIMs" should name the eSIM, as Google sets out.
- Samsung Galaxy: in Settings > Connections > SIM manager, Mobile data should name the eSIM, though names vary by model and region. If Data roaming is greyed out, Samsung says to turn Mobile data on first.
The network name on screen may be a local carrier's, not RoamMore. That is normal, because the eSIM connects as a roaming visitor.
What SOS or SOS only means on an iPhone after landing
SOS or SOS only in an iPhone's status bar means the phone is not connected to a mobile network, but can still make emergency calls through other carriers' networks. It is a status label, not an alarm, and it does not by itself mean your eSIM is faulty. Apple says the label is used in Australia, Canada and the United States. Elsewhere you are more likely to see No Service or Searching, which Apple says means the iPhone is not connected to a cellular network.
On landing day, SOS usually means the phone has not registered on a local network yet. Apple's steps include restarting the iPhone and, if you are travelling internationally, turning on Data Roaming. With a travel eSIM, that means Data Roaming on the eSIM line, not on your home line.
Give it a minute or two after the restart. If SOS is still showing, work through the steps under "Still no connection?" in this guide, including picking the network by hand. Then message us and tell us exactly what the status bar says.
A carrier locked phone looks like a landing day failure
A carrier locked phone cannot use a travel eSIM, and on landing day that looks the same as a faulty eSIM. The phone may refuse the eSIM at install, or install it and never find a network. No setting in this checklist fixes it until the phone is unlocked.
Apple states that to use an iPhone with another carrier when travelling, it cannot be locked to a carrier. To check, open Settings > General > About and find Carrier Lock. Apple says the iPhone is unlocked if it reads No SIM restrictions. On Android the menu varies by brand, so ask your home carrier.
Only your home carrier can unlock the phone, and Apple notes it might take a few days. Many travellers install on the day they first connect, which leaves no room for that. Across 213 RoamMore orders from June to September 2026, 54% of connected eSIMs first connected on the same day they were installed. Check the lock before you fly.
Do you need to take your physical SIM out?
No, you do not need to take your physical SIM out to use a travel eSIM. An eSIM is built into the phone, so your home card stays in its tray. Apple confirms an iPhone with a SIM tray can use a physical SIM and an eSIM while travelling. Google says a Pixel 3a or later can run one physical SIM and one eSIM, with exceptions it lists, such as US Pixel 10 models that are eSIM only. Most eSIM phones work the same way, though the number of active lines varies by model.
Leaving the card in, with the line on, can keep your home number reachable for calls, texts and bank codes where your home carrier roams.
What decides your bill is the settings, not where the card sits. Keep Data Roaming off on the home line and the eSIM chosen for mobile data. To avoid every home carrier roaming charge, switch the home line off in settings instead of pulling the card. You will not get calls or SMS on it until you switch it back on.
What to do with the eSIM when you get home
When you get home, switch the travel eSIM line off and choose your home line for mobile data again. Nothing needs to be uninstalled or reset.
On an iPhone with iOS 26 or later this may happen by itself. Apple says the iPhone will automatically turn off the travel eSIM and turn the home SIM back on when you return, depending on your country or region. Check it anyway:
- In Settings > Mobile Service (Cellular on some iPhones), tap Mobile Data and make sure your home line is switched on and selected.
- Tap the RoamMore line and switch off Turn On This Line.
On a Google Pixel, set Mobile data back to your home SIM, then tap the eSIM and turn off Use this SIM, as Google describes.
There is no rush to delete the eSIM. Apple notes an iPhone can store eight or more eSIMs.
Does your phone support eSIM? Check before you buy
Your phone most likely supports eSIM if it is an iPhone XS, XS Max, XR or later, or a Google Pixel 3a or later. Many recent Samsung and other Android phones do too. Regional versions differ, so check the phone itself rather than trusting a list.
- iPhone: Apple lists iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR or later, and says only certain models support eSIM in China mainland.
- Google Pixel: Google lists Pixel 3a or later for one physical SIM plus one eSIM, and notes it depends on the carrier and the country of sale.
- Samsung and other Android brands: support depends on the model and the country it was sold in.
Our one minute phone check confirms it on any phone. Do it before you buy, not at the airport. Across 213 RoamMore orders from June to September 2026, 71% of installed eSIMs were installed within an hour of purchase. Most installs happen that soon after buying, so check the phone first.
Not installed yet, or your phone does not support eSIM?
Ask for a full refund within 30 days of purchase.
Prices for popular trips
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Questions travellers ask
Do I need to turn on data roaming for a travel eSIM?
Yes, for the eSIM line. A travel eSIM connects to local networks as a roaming visitor, so it needs Data Roaming switched on. Keep Data Roaming off on your home line if you want to avoid your home carrier's roaming charges.
Can I install my eSIM without wifi?
No. Installing downloads the eSIM profile, so your phone needs an internet connection. Install at home before you leave, or use airport or hotel wifi.
Why does my eSIM show No Service before I leave home?
A RoamMore eSIM only connects to networks in the destination you bought it for, so it will show no service before you arrive. That is normal and does not mean anything is wrong.
Should I delete the eSIM and install it again?
No. In most cases a deleted eSIM cannot be reinstalled from the same QR code. Contact us first. If a reissue is needed we can arrange it.
Will my eSIM work the moment the plane lands?
Usually within a few minutes of switching off airplane mode, once your phone finds a partner network. Arrival halls with thick walls can be slow, so walking towards the exit often helps.
What does Allow Mobile Data Switching (Allow Cellular Data Switching) do on an iPhone?
It lets the iPhone use data from either line, depending on coverage, and keeps data working during a call on the line not carrying it. Apple notes the in-call switch does not work while using Data Roaming. We still suggest turning it off for the trip, so data can never fall back to your home SIM and its roaming rates.
Why is Data roaming greyed out on my Samsung Galaxy?
The usual cause is that Mobile data is off. Samsung's support page says to check Mobile data is on under Settings, Connections, Data usage, then go back to Settings, Connections, Mobile networks and switch Data roaming on. Check first that the travel eSIM is the SIM chosen for mobile data. Names can vary by model and region.