Key facts
- COVERAGE
- United States
- NETWORKS
- AT&T, Verizon Wireless
- PLAN TYPE
- Data only
- IP ADDRESS LOCATION
- Fixed data: Puerto Rico, USA · Unlimited: Poland
- 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 the United States, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Questions about the US eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a US phone number?
Can I use it outside the United States?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Will I have signal in Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon?
Does a USA plan cover Hawaii and Alaska?
Can I receive SMS verification codes with a data-only eSIM?
Can I use my eSIM as a hotspot in a rental car?
I am also visiting Canada. Can I keep both eSIMs on my phone?
Can I top up during a long road trip?
USA eSIM guide: mobile data for travellers in the United States
The United States is huge, and most trips are a mix of very different places. New York, Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami are dense, busy cities where you will use your phone for everything from subway directions to restaurant reservations. Then there are the road trips: Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway, the national parks of the South-West such as the Grand Canyon, Zion and Arches, Yellowstone and Yosemite in the mountains, the Florida Keys and New England in autumn. Hawaii and Alaska add island and wilderness trips of their own.
A Spidot eSIM gives you mobile data in the United States from the moment you land, without a stop at a phone shop. You install it before you fly, turn it on when you arrive and keep your usual SIM for calls and texts. This guide covers how an eSIM compares with roaming and a local prepaid SIM, how much data a US trip needs, and what to expect from coverage between big cities and the vast national parks.
eSIM, roaming or a local SIM in the USA
Visitors to the United States have three realistic choices, and the distances involved mean you may rely on your phone more than you expect.
Roaming with your home SIM
Roaming in the US depends on your home operator. The EU's "Roam like at Home" rules do not apply, and many European, Asian and Australian operators charge separately for North America, either per day or per megabyte. Canadian and Mexican plans sometimes include the US, but not always. Check your operator's terms for the United States before you go.
A US prepaid SIM
Prepaid SIMs are sold in phone shops and some large stores. They come with a US number, which can help for long stays or if you need to receive text messages from local services. On a short trip, finding a shop and setting up a plan takes time you might rather spend elsewhere, and you need a free SIM slot or eSIM space.
A Spidot eSIM
A Spidot eSIM adds a data line alongside your home SIM. You buy a USA plan online, receive the QR code by email straight after payment and install it at home. Plans start from $2.90. Most plans are data-only and do not include a US phone number, so your messaging apps stay on your normal number. If you need to call US numbers, for example motels, tour operators or restaurants, see our Data + calls plans.
How much data to plan for
US trips tend to be data-hungry: navigation on long drives, ride-hailing, mobile tickets, restaurant apps and plenty of photos. These figures are rough and approximate:
- Maps and navigation: a few megabytes per hour, more with live traffic and satellite view. On a road trip this can run for hours a day.
- Ride-hailing and transit apps: light per use, but frequent in cities.
- Music streaming in the car: moderate; downloading playlists before you leave saves data.
- Social media and photo sharing: moderate to heavy, especially video.
- Video calls: usually several hundred megabytes per hour.
- Streaming video: heavy, often more than a gigabyte per hour in high definition.
Typical choices
A long weekend in New York or a week in one city with good hotel Wi-Fi can work with a small or mid-sized fixed data plan. A two- or three-week road trip, where navigation and music run all day, is more comfortable with a larger plan.
Families sharing data through a hotspot, and remote workers, often prefer an unlimited plan, although speed may slow after heavy use. A no-expiry plan suits people who visit the US several times a year. You can check how much data is left and add more data whenever you need to.
Before you go
Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi. First check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked, then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel.
Label the line "USA", keep your home SIM as the default for calls and texts, and set the Spidot line for mobile data.
- Install the eSIM a day or two before you fly.
- Keep the QR code email somewhere you can open it without internet.
- Download offline maps for national parks and long rural drives.
- Install and sign in to ride-hailing, airline and transit apps at home, since some send a verification code to your usual number.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM before departure.
Arriving in the USA
Most international visitors land at major gateways such as New York JFK and Newark, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago O'Hare, Washington Dulles, Atlanta, Boston, Seattle or Orlando. Immigration and customs queues can be long, so having data ready as soon as you are allowed to use your phone helps you message whoever is meeting you.
When you land, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line; our data roaming guide shows where to find it. It can take a minute or two to register. If not, turn flight mode on and off once.
Leaving the airport
Most large US airports have dedicated pick-up zones for ride-hailing, signposted separately from taxis, and many have train, subway or bus links. Data lets you book a car to the right zone, check the train to Manhattan or downtown, and find your rental car shuttle.
Arriving by land from Canada or Mexico
If you cross the land border, switch mobile data to the Spidot USA line once you are in the United States. Near the border your phone may still see networks from the other side, so check that the correct line is in use.
Coverage in cities, on highways and in national parks
In cities and suburbs, and along interstate highways, mobile data generally works well. You may connect through AT&T and Verizon Wireless; your phone selects the strongest network automatically.
The US is very large, and many of its most famous landscapes are remote. Coverage gaps are common in:
- National parks: large parts of Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Grand Teton, Death Valley, Big Bend and the backcountry of the Grand Canyon have limited or no signal. Visitor centres and lodges may have coverage or Wi-Fi.
- The desert South-West: long stretches of Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico between towns can have gaps, including on some scenic byways.
- Mountain roads: in the Rockies, the Sierra Nevada and the Appalachians, signal often drops in valleys and on passes.
- Coastal highways: parts of the Pacific Coast Highway, especially Big Sur, have long stretches without signal.
- Alaska and remote Hawaii: outside towns, coverage can be sparse; check coverage for your route before you rely on it.
Planning around gaps
Download offline maps for every park and long drive, set your route before you leave signal, and fill up with fuel when you can. Tell someone your plans before hiking, and do not rely on your phone as your only safety tool in the backcountry. Your eSIM reconnects automatically when you return to coverage.
Data on trains, subways and road trips
In New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Boston and San Francisco, public transport is a practical way to get around, and many systems accept contactless card or phone payments at the gate. Signal on underground sections varies by city and station. Amtrak runs intercity trains, including the busy Northeast Corridor between Boston, New York and Washington, and long-distance routes across the country where signal comes and goes in remote areas.
Elsewhere, most visitors drive. Rental cars are widely available at airports, and ride-hailing apps operate in most cities and many smaller towns.
Road trip tips
Navigation and music streaming use data for hours at a time. Download playlists and podcasts before you set off, use offline maps as a backup, and carry a car charger. In remote areas, check the distance to the next fuel station before leaving town.
Flying within the US
Domestic flights are common for crossing the country. Airline apps handle boarding passes and gate changes, so keep mobile data on in the airport and switch to flight mode as instructed.
Sharing data with a hotspot
On a family road trip, your phone's personal hotspot can keep tablets and a second phone connected in the car. It uses whichever line is set for mobile data, so make sure that is the Spidot line.
Hotspot use adds up quickly, especially with video on tablets. Download films and shows before the trip, turn off automatic updates on connected devices and keep an eye on your remaining data. A larger or unlimited plan suits regular tethering.
Using public Wi-Fi safely
Free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, hotels, airports, libraries and many shops. It is useful, but open networks can be insecure, and fake hotspots imitating hotel or airport names exist.
- Use your eSIM data for banking, card payments and logins.
- Check the exact network name with staff before connecting.
- Turn off automatic joining of open networks.
- Update your phone and apps before you travel.
Practical tips for the USA
A few details that make a working data connection more useful:
- Payments: cards and phone wallets are accepted almost everywhere. Some small businesses still prefer cash, and tips are often paid by card.
- Tipping: tipping is customary in restaurants, bars, taxis and for many services. Prices are usually shown before sales tax, which is added at the till and varies by state and city.
- Verification codes: some US apps and services send codes by SMS. Keep your home SIM active for text messages so you can receive them.
- Time zones: the mainland spans several time zones, and Hawaii and Alaska add more. Your phone updates automatically when it connects.
- Units: distances are in miles, temperatures in Fahrenheit and fuel in gallons. A conversion app helps.
- Weather: summer heat in the deserts and winter storms in the mountains can be serious. Keep a weather app with alerts turned on.
- Emergency number: 911 is the emergency number throughout the US.
The USA on a multi-country trip
Many US trips include Canada or Mexico, or a Caribbean extension to Puerto Rico, the Bahamas or the Turks and Caicos Islands. Some Pacific itineraries stop in Guam.
Spidot does not sell a North America regional plan, so the simplest approach is one eSIM per country or territory. Most eSIM phones can store several; install them all before you travel and switch mobile data to the right line when you cross a border or land.