Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Jordan
- NETWORKS
- Umniah Mobile Company, ZAIN
- PLAN TYPE
- Data only
- IP ADDRESS LOCATION
- United Kingdom
- DELIVERY
- QR code by email
How it works
- 1Choose a plan and pay.
- 2Scan the QR code we email you. You can install it before you fly.
- 3When you land in Jordan, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Questions about the Jordan eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Jordan?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Will I have signal inside Petra?
Is there mobile data in Wadi Rum camps?
Why did my phone connect to a different country's network at the Dead Sea?
Can I use Uber or Careem outside Amman?
Do I need to show the Jordan Pass on my phone?
Jordan eSIM guide: mobile data for Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea and Aqaba
Jordan is compact enough to see a great deal in a week, and most itineraries follow a similar line: Amman and the Roman city of Jerash in the north, the Dead Sea and the baptism site in the Jordan Valley, the Desert Highway or the older King's Highway south to Petra, a night under the stars in Wadi Rum, and the Red Sea at Aqaba. Many visitors drive themselves, others travel with a driver or a tour. In both cases mobile data helps with navigation, bookings, translations and keeping in touch.
This guide explains how a Jordan eSIM from Spidot compares with roaming and a local SIM, how much data a typical trip uses, what to do on arrival at Queen Alia International Airport or Aqaba, and what coverage is like in the cities, along the highways, at Petra and in the desert. It also covers payments, the Jordan Pass and trips that continue to Israel, Egypt or the Gulf.
Your options for mobile data in Jordan
The choices are roaming on your home SIM, a local prepaid SIM bought on arrival, or a travel eSIM installed before you leave.
Roaming on your home SIM
Roaming is easy but Jordan is outside the cheaper roaming zones of most providers, so daily fees or per-megabyte rates can be high. EU roaming rules do not apply. Check your provider's terms before you travel.
A local prepaid SIM
Local SIMs are sold at the airport and in phone shops, and you will need your passport to register one. A local number can be handy for long stays or for calling local businesses. For a short trip, swapping SIMs means texts to your own number, including bank codes, will not reach you while the local SIM is in the phone.
A Spidot eSIM
With a travel eSIM you buy a plan online, receive a QR code by email and install it at home, so you are connected when you land and can skip the queue at the airport kiosks. Plans for Jordan start from $17.90. Your own SIM stays active for calls and texts. Plans are data-only unless you choose Data + calls. Hotels, drivers and desert camps in Jordan widely use WhatsApp, so data covers most contact.
How much data a trip to Jordan uses
A week in Jordan usually means several long drives, a lot of photography and evenings in hotels or camps where Wi-Fi may be limited. The figures below are rough estimates for planning, not exact measurements.
- Navigation while driving: roughly 5 to 10 MB an hour.
- Messaging with photos and voice notes: often 50 to 200 MB a day.
- Uploading photos and videos from Petra and Wadi Rum: a few MB per photo, much more for video.
- Social media with video: often 300 MB to 1 GB an hour.
- Video calls home: roughly 500 MB to 1 GB an hour.
- Streaming music on long drives: about 40 to 150 MB an hour.
Choosing a plan
For a week-long trip with navigation, messaging and moderate social media, a mid-sized fixed data plan is often enough. If you share photos all day, make video calls or use a hotspot for several people in the car, choose a larger plan or an unlimited plan priced by the day; speed may slow after heavy use. Frequent visitors can use a no-expiry plan so unused data carries over. See the prices page for current options.
Install the eSIM before you fly
Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi so you can navigate from the airport or contact your driver straight away. Make sure your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked; dialling *#06# shows an EID on most eSIM phones. Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel.
- Label the new line Jordan or Travel.
- Set the Spidot line for mobile data and keep your home SIM for calls and texts.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM.
- Download offline maps of the whole country, including the desert areas.
- Download an offline Arabic language pack in your translation app.
- Save your Jordan Pass or tickets, car hire documents and hotel and camp addresses offline.
Arriving at Queen Alia or Aqaba
Most international flights land at Queen Alia International Airport, south of Amman. Some flights, including seasonal and low-cost routes, use King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba, which is convenient for Wadi Rum and the Red Sea.
- Turn off flight mode after landing.
- Turn on data roaming for the Spidot line; the data roaming guide shows where the setting is.
- Give the phone a minute to find a network, and restart it once if nothing happens.
- Check data works before leaving the terminal.
From the airport
From Queen Alia, airport buses and taxis run into Amman, and car hire desks are in the arrivals area. Many visitors are met by a driver arranged through their hotel or tour company. The drive to the Dead Sea or towards Madaba is also straightforward from the airport, without going into Amman.
Coverage: cities, highways and the desert
Coverage is good in Amman, Aqaba and other towns and generally available along the main highways, with gaps in deep valleys and remote desert areas. Your eSIM uses local partner networks; for this plan they are Umniah Mobile Company and ZAIN. The phone chooses automatically.
Amman, Jerash and the north
Amman is built over many hills, and coverage is good across the city. Jerash, Ajloun and Umm Qais in the north are generally connected. Signal may be weaker inside castles and some archaeological sites.
The Dead Sea and the King's Highway
The Dead Sea hotels and the road along the shore are generally covered. The King's Highway winds south through Madaba, Mount Nebo, Karak, the deep Wadi Mujib canyon, Dana and Shobak. It is more scenic but slower than the Desert Highway, and signal can drop in valleys and canyons. Near the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley your phone may also pick up networks from across the border, so check which network you are connected to.
Petra and Wadi Rum
Wadi Musa, the town next to Petra, is well connected. Inside the ancient city, signal is often available along the main route but can weaken in the narrow Siq and on climbs to the Monastery and the High Place of Sacrifice. In Wadi Rum, many camps have some signal, but coverage in the open desert varies with the terrain. Download offline maps and agree meeting points with your guide or camp.
Road trips and getting around
Driving is a popular way to see Jordan, and the main roads are well signposted in Arabic and English. Navigation apps work well on the highways, but keep offline maps for the desert and mountain areas. Ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem operate in Amman, and JETT buses connect Amman with Petra, Aqaba and other destinations.
- Speed bumps and police checkpoints are common; carry your passport and car hire documents.
- Fill up with fuel before long stretches on the Desert Highway and around Wadi Rum.
- If several people share a car, one phone's hotspot can serve everyone, but each device adds to the total.
- Avoid driving long distances at night where possible, especially on unfamiliar roads.
Payments and practical tips
The currency is the Jordanian dinar. Cards are accepted in hotels, larger restaurants and shops, especially in Amman and Aqaba, while small shops, taxis, local restaurants and Bedouin camps often prefer cash. Many visitors buy the Jordan Pass online before travelling, which combines entry to Petra and many other sites; keep the confirmation saved on your phone.
- Carry some cash in small notes for tips, drinks and souvenirs.
- Friday is the main weekly day off, and some shops and offices close or have shorter hours.
- Summer is very hot in Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea area. Heat drains phone batteries, so keep your phone out of direct sun and carry a power bank.
- Ask before photographing people, especially women, and avoid photographing military sites.
- Dress modestly outside beach resorts and hotels.
Hotspot use and Wi-Fi
Hotels in the cities generally offer Wi-Fi, but in desert camps and some smaller guesthouses it may be limited or only available in a common area. Your eSIM can provide data for a laptop or a companion's phone through Personal Hotspot (iPhone) or Mobile Hotspot (Android); pause cloud sync and automatic updates while tethered.
- Use mobile data rather than public Wi-Fi for banking and payments.
- Check network names before connecting.
- Turn off auto-join for open networks.
- Avoid entering passwords on pages without https.
Combining Jordan with other countries
Jordan is often combined with Israel, across the land borders in the Jordan Valley or near Aqaba, and with Egypt, reached by ferry from Aqaba to Sinai or by air. Many travellers also connect through Gulf hubs such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, or continue to Saudi Arabia. A Jordan plan is designed for use in Jordan, so for a multi-country trip the simplest approach is one eSIM per country, installed before you leave so you can switch the active data line at each border.
Keeping track of your data
You can check how much data is left at any time and add more data to the same eSIM. Top up before you head into the desert, while you still have a strong signal. If data stops working, check that data roaming is on for the Spidot line and that the phone has not connected to a network across the border, then restart it. For other problems, email support@spidot.com with the email address you used to order.