Planning a trip to the United Kingdom and flying to Manchester and wondering if you can buy a sim card at the airport? This is a complete guide with everything you need to know before buying a sim card at Manchester Airport in 2025.
Find out where to buy a sim card, up to date prices as per January 2025, my recommendation, more info about UK eSIMs and much more.
In the past I always used to buy a prepaid sim card in every country, nowadays I mostly use eSIMs to stay connected when traveling abroad.
Table of Contents
- My recommendation
- Why buying a sim card for the UK
- Arriving at Manchester Airport
- Where to buy a sim card at Manchester Airport
- UK prepaid sim cards and EU data roaming
- Best sim card Manchester Airport in 2025
- Best eSIMs for the UK
Some links in this article about buying a sim card for traveling to Manchester are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using an affiliate link I will earn a small commission. This is at absolutely no extra cost to you.
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends buying a Vodafone sim card at Manchester Airport. For around $32 USD you get a sim card with 20 GB data for the UK. Keep in mind that data is only valid in the UK and not in Europe.
If your phone is eSIM compatible then simply get yourself an eSIM. So much easier and even cheaper than buying a prepaid sim card at Manchester Airport.
Via Sim Local you can get EE sim cards for the UK with 100 GB data for just $25 USD. Other recommended eSIMs for the UK are Jetpac and SimOptions.
For more detailed info check out Traveltomtom's guide about the best eSIMs for traveling to the UK in 2025, including a comparison of the best eSIMs and an answer on all FAQ about using eSIMs.
Prices for sim cards at Manchester Airport are higher than the same prepaid sim cards in phone stores in Manchester city center. Check out my guide with the best prepaid sim card for tourists in the UK in 2025.
A great alternative is a travel sim card with data and global coverage. Arrived prepared to Manchester and order your prepaid sim card online before your trip. Check out my comparison of the best international sim cards for travelers in 2025 and pick the one that suits your trip the most.
Why buying a sim card for the UK
There are many reasons to stay connected when traveling to Manchester, but the main reason is that we want to avoid high roaming charges and don't end up with a massive phone bill.
Having a data connection on our phone makes life so much more convenient. Think about ordering an Uber, getting directions from Google Maps or looking for a cool nearby rooftop bar, it is not possible without a data connection on your phone.
Also think about emergencies, checking your banking apps, etc. Don't depend on public WiFi. There is no guarantee, it can be slow and keep in mind that public WiFi is through an UNSECURED network. The use of a VPN is recommended to protect your data.
As I am also trying to visit every country in the world I constantly get to new places and therefore on Traveltomtom you can already find more than 200 sim card guides from all over the world: USA, Asia, Europe, New York, Miami, Jamaica, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kigali, Nairobi, Pakistan, Shanghai, Tel Aviv, Colombia, Turkey, South Africa and many more.
Traveltomtom also wrote specific guides on how to buy a prepaid sim card for tourists in the UK and a comparison of the best eSIMs for traveling to the UK in 2025.
So next time you are planning your adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid and eSIM advice for your next holiday destination. Bookmark me!
Arriving at Manchester Airport
There are 3 different terminals at Manchester Airport, but if you are flying in from outside Europe you will either land in Terminal 1 or 2. Terminal 3 is only used for flights within Europe. Both, Terminal 1 and 2 are easy to navigate and there are multiple options to buy a UK sim card at Manchester Airport.
Manchester Airport offers its passengers 4 hours of free wifi. Manchester Airport wifi is reliable, fast and free to access. Great service!
Where to buy a sim card at Manchester Airport
Arriving at Manchester Airport means you can buy a sim card for tourists in 4 different places:
- Sim card vending machine
- Spar Shop
- WH Smith Shop
- Currency Exchange
At Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport you will find all 4 above options to buy a UK prepaid sim card and they can be found very easily.
The Spar Shops at Manchester Airport are open 24 hours.
WH Smith Stores close at 10.00 pm every day, but is arguably the best place to buy a UK sim card at Manchester Airport in 2025.
Sim card vending machine Manchester Airport
You will find the sim card vending machines at the luggage belts in Terminal 1 and 2 so while waiting for your luggage you can already buy a sim card at Manchester Airport. Don't expect any service here of course, although the sim cards are already activated you just gotta put them in your phone. What you see is what you get:
Lycamobile UK sim card
- unlimited calls and text + 6 GB data for 30 days in all of Europe = £25 GBP - $31 USD
- unlimited calls and text + 20 GB data for 30 days in the UK = £35 GBP - $42 USD
EE UK sim card
- 150 minutes + 10.5 GB data - valid for 30 days in all of Europe = £20 GBP - $24 USD
- 250 minutes + 13 GB data - valid for 30 days in all of Europe = £25 GBP - $31 USD
Three UK sim card
- unlimited calls and text + 12 GB data for 30 days in all of Europe = £30 GBP - $37 USD
- unlimited calls and text and data for 30 days = £45 GBP - $55 USD
WH Smith Manchester Airport
All the WH Smith shops in Manchester Airport sell you the same prepaid sim cards like all over the UK.
Vodafones UK sim card
- 20 GB data + 250 minutes + unlimited sms + £5 credit - valid for 30 days in the UK only = £25 GBP - $31 USD
Reminder that there is a Jetpac eSIM for the UK with 15 GB data for just $15 USD.
EE UK sim card
- 150 minutes and 150 sms + 10.5 GB data - valid for 30 days in all of Europe = £20 GBP - $24 USD
- 250 minutes and 500 sms + 13 GB data - valid for 30 days in all of Europe = £25 GBP - $31 USD
Lebara UK sim card
- 500 minutes international (41 destinations) and 500 UK minutes + 1 GB data - for 30 days = £20 GBP - $24 USD
- 1000 minutes international (40 countries), unlimited UK minutes and 1000 UK sms + 5 GB data and £5 extra credit - for 30 days = £30 GBP - $37 USD
Spar Supermarket Manchester Airport
As it suggest the supermarkets aren't the best place for buying a sim card at Manchester Airport, but they are the only ones that are open 24 hours. So this is your last option. All UK sim cards at Spar Manchester Airport cost £2.99 GBP and there are about 10 different UK prepaid sim cards to choose from.
You will need to top up yourself as the sim cards do mostly not come with credit, but 3 GB data costs about £10 GBP. These sim cards are activated, but you will have to top up online, not convenient!
Currency Exchange Manchester Airport
Also at the Currency Exchange boots they sell UK prepaid sim cards for tourists at Manchester Airport. They one have a Lebara UK sim card on offer:
- Unlimited UK minutes and 1000 sms + 100 international minutes to 40 countries + 6 GB data (UK only) - for 30 days = £25 GBP - $31 USD.
UK prepaid sim cards and EU data roaming
Brexit changed everything regarding EU data roaming on UK sim cards.
For example Vodafone UK sim cards do NOT support free EU data roaming anymore. Three and EE sim cards still allow restricted EU roaming, even after Brexit. For more info check out my guide on how to buy a prepaid sim card in the UK.
If you are traveling onwards to other countries in Europe and want a hassle free sim card for ALL of Europe including the EU then order a sim card online listed in my article: best eSIMs and prepaid sim cards for traveling in Europe in 2025.
Best sim card Manchester Airport in 2025
For the best service you want to buy a sim card at Manchester Airport at one of the WH Smith shops. The staff is able to help you out a little.
A Vodafone sim card for £25 GBP with 20 GB data valid valid in the UK only is a great pay-as-you-go deal and considered the best prepaid sim card at Manchester Airport.
If your phone is eSIM compatible then definitely look into eSIMs. EE is regarded the best eSIM for the UK in 2025 and you get 100 GB data for just $25 USD.
For more detailed info check my comparison with the comparison with the best eSIMs for the UK in 2025.
If you wait till the city center you can get much better prepaid sim cards for the UK with more value for money. Check out my guide about buying a prepaid tourist sim card in the United Kingdom.
Best eSIMs for the UK
An eSIM is the most convenient and easiest way to get connected when traveling to Manchester in 2025. No need to visit a sim card store anymore, no need to swap physical sim cards. You arrange everything online in a couple clicks.
Unfortunately all the UK mobile internet providers do not sell eSIMs for tourists, only physical prepaid sim cards are available. But don't worry, you can easily order an eSIM on the internet through one of the trusted eSIM providers.
You order an eSIM for the UK on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a UK eSIM installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Manchester it automatically connects you to an available network and you enjoy data on your phone pretty much when the plane lands.
For all FAQ about using eSIMs check out my detailed guide with everything you need to know before ordering an eSIM for the UK.
Here are some recommendations.
Sim Local
At Traveltomtom we recommend getting an EE eSIM for the UK via Sim Local. They have the best deals for tourists. The Traveltomtom Team tested and reviewed the services of Sim Local and came back with positive feedback.
Here are the amazing eSIM deals:
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls/sms for 30 days = $19 USD
- 100 GB data + unlimited calls/sms for 30 days = $25 USD
- 200 GB data + unlimited calls/sms for 30 days = $38 USD
- Unlimited data/calls/sms for 30 days = $50.50 USD
Keep in mind that these eSIMs are only valid in the UK, there is NO free EU data roaming included.
Click here to order an EE UK eSIM via Sim Local.
Airalo
Airalo offers multiple data-only eSIMs for traveling in the UK and Traveltomtom has used Airalo lots of times without any problem.
Check out the Airalo eSIM deals for the UK in 2025:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $7.5 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $10 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $15 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $22.5 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $36 USD
Click here for more info or to directly order an eSIM for the UK via Airalo.
The above Airalo eSIMs for the UK are from Uki Mobile and are data-only. Calling and texting is NOT supported. The data allowance is only valid in the UK, there is no free EU roaming with these eSIMs. They operate on the 4G/LTE networks of O2 and Three.
SimOptions
If you are looking for eSIMs for the UK that also work in other countries in the EU then Traveltomtom recommends to check out SimOptions as they have UK eSIMs including free EU data roaming.
Traveltomtom has used SimOptions all over the world and called it a marketplace for eSIMs. Read more about it in our complete SimOptions review.
The international eSIMs from Orange and Bouygues Telecom are also rated as the best eSIMs for traveling to Europe in 2025.
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 + 30 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $28.90 USD
- 30 GB data + 120 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $49.90 USD
- 70 GB data + 120 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 28 days = $55.90 USD
Click here to order an international eSIM for the UK via SimOptions or find more info in the link.
Before buying an eSIM for the UK make sure your phone is eSIM compatible and unlocked.
Want to know more about using eSIMs when traveling to the UK then check out my complete guide in the link.
Buying a prepaid sim card for the UK online
If your phone is not eSIM compatible then you can order an international prepaid sim card for the UK.
The WH Smith shops are unfortunately only open until 10pm and it can be really busy, so to avoid all that hassle you can order your sim card for the UK and even all of Europe online.
Arrive prepared in Manchester 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 Manchester, basically when the plane lands you are instantly online.
SimOptions is the only sim card provider that sells physical prepaid sim cards for the UK:
- 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 sim card for traveling to the UK via SimOptions.
Also a last reminder that if your phone is eSIM compatible you can get connected in just a couple clicks. There are data-only eSIMs for the UK, but also eSIMs including calls and text valid in all of Europe.
Or check out my comparison of the best eSIMs for the United Kingdom in 2025.
How to get from Manchester Airport to the city
There is a Metrolink service that connects the Airport with the Cornbrook Station in South Manchester. The journey takes a little over 30 minutes and goes almost every 10 minutes. Cornbrook station is not Manchester City Center, but it's walkable distance or you could even take another short 4 minutes tram.
There is also a train station between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. There is a walking bridge in and between the terminals and the train station. There are trains running to Piccadilly Station from Manchester Airport every 10 minutes and the journey only takes you about 20 minutes.
The train is my preferred way to get from Manchester Airport to Manchester city center.
I hope this article about buying a UK sim card at Manchester Airport was helpful. Let me know if you have any more questions, I am happy to help you out. Please leave me a comment below.
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 Manchester!