Planning your trip to Greece and flying to Athens Airport and wondering if you can buy a prepaid sim card at the airport? Stay connected when traveling to Greece, either get yourself a local prepaid sim card or order an eSIM online to avoid high data roaming charges and slow overseas data roaming plans.
This is a complete guide for buying a prepaid sim card at Athens Airport with up to date prices as per January 2025, where to buy a sim card, my recommendation, info about eSIMs for Greece, a vlog with my experiences and everything else you need to know.
Looking for the best way to get connected is the first thing I do when planning my next trip. In the past I always used to buy a prepaid sim card on arrival in my destination but nowadays I mostly use eSIMs to stay connected.
Traveltomtom also wrote a complete guide for buying a prepaid sim card for tourists in Greece in 2025 and for those specifically looking for eSIMs checl out Traveltomtom's comparison of the best eSIMs for Greece in 2025.
Table of Contents
- My recommendation
- Why buying a sim card for Greece
- Athens Airport
- Where to buy a sim card at Athens Airport
- Prices sim cards for Greece at Athens Airport
- Best eSIMs for Greece
- Order a prepaid sim card for Greece online
- Vlog about buying a sim card at Athens Airport
- How to get from Athens Airport to Athens city center
My recommendation
Traveltomtom does NOT recommend buying a prepaid sim card at Athens Airport. First of all too expensive! Second, it take time. Lines can be long!
Sim cards for Greece at Athens Airport cost more than double the price than sim cards in Athens city center or eSIMs for tourists that you can simply order online. With an eSIM you are connected as soon as the plane lands. A Jetpac eSIM for Greece with 15 GB data is only $15 USD.
Check out my guide with a comparison the best Greece eSIMs for tourists in 2025.
If you want cheaper prepaid sim card deals you should wait till you get to Athens city center. Check out my guide on how to buy a prepaid sim card in Greece in 2025.
Another great alternative for staying connected when traveling abroad is a global sim card with data. In my comparison of the best international sim cards for going abroad in 2025 you will find a bunch of great sim card deals for traveling to Greece and if you are on a trip to explore several countries in Europe then definitely check out my list of the best prepaid and eSIMs for traveling in Europe in 2025.
Why buying a sim card for Greece
A very simple reason for staying connected when traveling to Greece: what if you are out on the streets and you are looking for a nearby rooftop bar or nice restaurant with good reviews? What if you want to order a taxi through an app or in case of emergencies, checking your banking apps when paying the bill?
Yes, your hotel will most probably provide free public WiFi and so do most restaurants and bars in tourist destinations in Greece, but as soon as you go out on the street or go off the beaten path WiFi is not a certainty anymore.
But why would you want to rely on (slow) WiFi from other people?
Also another reminder that public WiFi is through an UNSECURED network. The use of a VPN in these situations is recommended.
There are so many reasons to come up with to have a working data connection on your phone when traveling to Greece. Trust me it make life easier and your trip more fun.
Therefore to avoid high roaming charges Traveltomtom recommends tourists to get a local prepaid sim card on arrival or order an eSIM for visiting Greece.
As I am on a mission to travel to every country in the world and I write sim card guides wherever I go, you can already find more than 200 sim card guides on Traveltomtom from all over the world: Shanghai, Manila, Philippines, New York, Barcelona, Milan, Amsterdam, London, Istanbul, Bogota, Pakistan, Vietnam, Amman, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Bangkok, Bali and many more.
So when planning your next adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid sim card and eSIM advice for your destination. Bookmark me in your travel tips folder and let me help you save money!
Athens Airport
Although Greece is a very popular summer tourist destination in Europe, Athens Airport is pretty easy going even in the high season. The airport lies about 40 minutes away from the city center of Athens. It is very easy to navigate and only has one arrival hall for international arrivals.
Athens Airport provides free WiFi for everyone. It is easy to connect and it actually works pretty fine.
Where to buy a sim card at Athens Airport
There are 2 places where you can buy a Greece sim card at Athens Airport. One is directly after the passport control right in front of luggage belt number one. It is impossible to miss! When you get stamped into Greece and walk away from passport control you will walk right into big signs saying: 'buy your local prepaid sim card here'.
As it can get pretty busy at this sim card booth you can also pick up your luggage first and then walk through the customs baggage check into the arrival hall of Athens Airport. Then you will see on your left hand side the exact same booth selling the exact same tourists sim cards for Greece. It is not to miss, next to the kiosk there is also the tourist information desk.
Both sim card stores from Sim Local are open from 06:00 am until 10:00 pm and they accept Euros as well as credit cards.
Prices sim cards for Greece at Athens Airport
All info and prices are up to date as per January 2025. Prices are in Euros: $1 USD = €0.98 EUR and €1 EUR = $1.02 USD.
Sim Local
As Sim Local has the right for selling prepaid sim cards for Greece at Athens Airport there is not much choice. They basically offer 3 prepaid sim card deals, but two of them are completely identical. On top of that they charge an activation fee of €12.50 EUR ($13 USD) per sim card.
There are 2 Vodafone prepaid sim card deals for 30 days:
- 15 GB data in all of Europe + 200 minutes in Europe + 120 international minutes = €22.50 EUR - $23 USD
- 18 GB data in all of Europe = €22.50 EUR - $23 USD
Then there is Taza Mobile that works on the Vodafone network:
- 15 GB data in all of Europe + 200 minutes in Europe + 120 international minutes = €22.50 EUR - $23 USD
Yes the exact same however, if you download the app you get 5 GB data extra for 7 days.
Remeber that you will be charged an activation fee of €12.50 EUR ($13 USD) per sim card!
Taza Mobile is a completely new product to me and a so-called MVNO, a Virtual Mobile Network Operator. I have never tried it before so I can't tell you anything about it. I would personally just go for a Vodafone sim card if you really want to buy a prepaid sim card at Athens Airport.
Best eSIMs for Greece
An eSIM is the easiest way to get data on your phone when traveling to Athens in 2025. You can arrange everything on the internet within just a couple clicks. No more visiting a sim card store and swapping physical sim card.
eSIMs are easier, faster, more convenient and even CHEAPER than buying a prepaid sim card at Athens Airport!
You order an eSIM for Athens on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a Greece eSIM installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Athens it automatically connects you to an available network and you enjoy data on your phone pretty much when the plane lands.
Traveltomtom wrote a complete guide for using eSIMs when traveling to Greece, including a comparison of the best eSIMs, all FAQ's answered and everything else you need to know about eSIMs.
There are a lots of trusted eSIM providers, here are some recommendations.
SimOptions
SimOptions is my first recommendation for eSIMs when you travel to Europe. They sell eSIMs from Bouygues Telecom and Orange that tick all the boxes: unlimited calls, a lot of data and free EU data roaming!
Bouygues Telecom
- 15 GB data-only for 15 days = $15.90 USD
- 20 GB data + unlimited calls for 15 days = $21.90 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $32.90 USD
- 60 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $39.90 USD
Orange Holiday Europe
- 12 GB data + unlimited calls/text + 30 minutes international for 14 days = $28.90 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls/text + 120 minutes international for 14 days = $49.90 USD
- 70 GB data + unlimited calls/text + 120 minutes international for 28 days = $55.90 USD
Click here to order an international eSIMs for Greece via SimOptions.
All these international eSIMs from Bouygues Telecom and Orange come with a phone number, so incoming and outgoing calls and sms are supported.
Airalo
Airalo is the market leader in eSIMs and a very reputed eSIM provider. Traveltomtom has used Airalo in more than 50 countries around the world.
Airalo offers the following eSIMs for traveling to Greece:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $9 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $12 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $15 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $25 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $49 USD
Click here to order an eSIM for Greece via Airalo.
The above data-only eSIMs for Greece are from Meraki Mobile operate on the Nova 4G/LTE and 5G network. Yes, the Meraki Mobile eSIMs for Greece are 5G ready. Data is only valid in Greece.
Make sure your mobile phone is eSIM compatible otherwise an eSIM won't work on your device.
Want more info about using Greece eSIMs then check out my complete guide with everything you need to know before buying an eSIM for traveling to Greece in 2025.
Order a prepaid sim card for Greece online
If your phone is not eSIM compatible but you would like to order a sim card for traveling to Greece online before your trip then check out the following.
Arrive prepared in Greece with an international prepaid sim card. You order them online and a physical prepaid sim card will be delivered to your home address. You put this sim card in your phone and it automatically connects to an available network upon arrival in Greece, basically when the plane lands you are instantly online.
SimOptions is the only sim card provider that sells physical prepaid sim cards for Greece:
- 15 GB data-only for 15 days = $15.90 USD
- 20 GB data + unlimited calls for 15 days = $21.90 USD
- 10 GB data + $2 calling credit for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 10 GB data + unlimited calls/sms for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 12 GB data + 30 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $29.90 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $44.90 USD
- 30 GB data + 120 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $49.90 USD
- 60 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $51.90 USD
Click here to order an international prepaid sim card for traveling in Greece via SimOptions.
Also a last reminder that if your phone is eSIM compatible you can arrange everything directly online within just a couple minutes by ordering an eSIM for Greece directly online.
Check out Traveltomtom's complete guide with everything you need to know about using an eSIM for traveling to Greece in 2025.
Vlog about buying a sim card at Athens Airport
To make it even easier for you here is my vlog about my arrival at Athens Airport showing you what it looks like buying a sim card at Athens Airport in 2025.
How to get from Athens Airport to Athens city center
There are direct busses that take you in about 50 to 60 minutes to the city center of Athens. Just follow the signs. Ordering an Uber is also possible at Athens Airport and that will cost you a little over €40 EUR ($41 USD) depending on where in the city center you are going.
If you have Euros on you then I recommend taking a normal airport taxi as it is the exact same as an Uber and you don't have to search for your car. Airport taxis are well regulated at Athens Airport and work with a taxi meter.
I hope all the above tips for buying a sim card on arrival at Athens Airport were useful for your upcoming trip. If you still have questions please leave me a comment below and I will help you.
Curious what it looks like trying to visit every country in the world? Go check out my Instagram account @traveltomtom and follow along. As of January 2025 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go.
Enjoy your trip to Athens!