Planning your trip to Israel and flying to Tel Aviv Airport and wondering if you can buy a local prepaid sim card at Tel Aviv Airport in 2024?
This is a complete guide for buying a prepaid sim card at Ben Gurion International Airport. Don't get stuck with high roaming costs, local prepaid sim card are pretty cheap and you can also find amazing e-sim card deals for Israel on the internet.
Find out where to buy a sim card, the best prepaid sim cards as per April 2024, the best 4G/5G network and everything else you need to know about buying a sim card for Israel at Tel Aviv Airport.
Buying a sim card on arrival in a new country is the first thing I do myself and that is how I already wrote more than 200 guides for buying local sim cards in many places around the world: USA, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Brazil, Thailand, Vietnam, South Africa, Jordan, London, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam and many more.
RELATED: 33 Things To Do in Israel in 2024! With hot air ballooning in the Negev Desert, boat ride on the Dead Sea, ATV riding in Makhtesh Ramon and much more.
Why buying a sim card for Israel
For many reasons I would encourage you to get a local sim card for your trip to Israel. But most of all we don't want to end up with excessive high data roaming charges or slow overseas data plans when traveling to Tel Aviv.
Life with a working data connection is so much more convenient. Think about ordering an Uber on the streets, getting directions from Google Maps or finding a nearby restaurant with good reviews.
Also don't rely on public WiFi. Yes, most places in Tel Aviv have free public Wifi, but what if the signal in your hotel room is weak, or the WiFi is too slow to upload anything? When you get a sim card for Israel you can rely on 4G and even 5G these days.
Be aware that public WiFi is through an UNSECURED network so it is recommend to use a VPN to protect your data if using public WiFi.
Buying a local sim card in Israel is fairly easy. Buy a sim card at the airport, put it in your phone, wait till it is activated and you are online within a couple minutes. Prepaid sim cards with data are cheap in Israel, but at the airport of Tel Aviv they charge tourist prices.
The easiest, fastest and most convenient place to buy your Israel sim card on arrival is of course at the airport. Keep in mind though that for this convenience you pay a couple extra dollars. The sim card for tourists at Tel Aviv Airport are overpriced.
In Tel Aviv city center you can find much better sim card deals, check out my article with the best Israel prepaid sim cards in 2024.
That said, there is no easier way to get connected when traveling to Israel then an e-sim card and Traveltomtom will also discuss e-sim cards for Israel in this guide. More about it later.
If you are not a fan of swapping sim cards and your phone is not e-sim compatible then have a look into a pocket WiFi. Personally, I am not the biggest fan but these portable WiFi devices do work. Check out my HONEST review in my article about how to get WiFi when traveling.
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends buying a sim card for Israel ONLINE and NOT at Tel Aviv Airport. Ordering a sim card for Israel is the easiest and cheapest way to stay connected: 150 GB starts from $25 USD onwards or what about an e-sim card for Israel for just $4.5 USD?
Buying a sim card at Tel Aviv Airport will cost you much more!
However, if you have no other choice than buying a sim card at Tel Aviv Airport Traveltomtom recommends a Partner sim card at the Steimatzky book store in the Arrival Hall. You will get a physical prepaid sim card with 25 GB for $48 USD.
Another great alternative is a world sim card with global coverage. You can find some good deals among these sim cards specially designed for world travelers. Check out my comparison of the best international sim cards in 2024 and find the one for your trip to Israel.
Traveltomtom also wrote a complete guide for the best Israel sim card for tourists in 2024.
Related: Everything to know when you travel to Israel in 2024.
Buy a sim card for Israel online (cheaper than Tel Aviv Airport)
SIM to Israel
The cheapest way to stay connected in Israel is buying a sim card for Israel online. You already get 150 GB from $25 USD onwards including UNLIMITED calls to USA and Canada.
That is an absolutely amazing offer and much cheaper than the sim card deals you find at Tel Aviv Airport.
The following sim cards from Sim to Israel are available as physical prepaid sim cards as well as e-sim cards:
- 150 GB data + unlimited calls in Israel and to USA & Canada for 7 days = $25 USD
- 150 GB data + unlimited calls in Israel and to USA & Canada for 10 days = $29 USD
- 150 GB data + unlimited calls in Israel and to USA & Canada for 21 days = $39 USD
Click here to order your physical sim card or e-sim card for Israel via Sim to Israel.
Airalo
Airalo is a reliable e-sim provider and these are their Israel e-sim card plans for 2024:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.50 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $5.50 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $7 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $9.50 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $13.5 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $17 USD
Click here for more info or to order an e-sim card for Israel via Airalo.
The above data-only e-sim cards for Israel are from Annatel and they do not support calling and texting. Data is only valid in Israel and they operate on the 5G network of Partner network. The Annatel e-sim card for Israel is 5G ready.
SimOptions
SimOptions is another reliable e-sim provider that sells e-sim cards from pretty much every country in the world. Traveltomtom has been using SimOptions sim cards for more than 5 years now without a problem. Here are the SimOptions e-sim card plans for Israel in 2024:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $5.50 USD
- 3 GB data for 15 days = $9.5 USD
- 5 GB data for 15 days = $13.50 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $19.90 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $34 USD
Click here for more info or to order an e-sim card for Israel via SimOptions.
Traveltomtom has used SimOptions e-sims in more than 50 countries around the world, but their Israel e-sim card plans are much more expensive than Sim to Israel and Airalo.
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv
The main hub for traveling to Israel is Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. It is an easy to navigate airport and there is only one big arrival hall. After going through immigration this is where you will walk into. The arrival hall at Ben Gurion Airport is a huge open space and there are a couple sim card shops.
Where to buy an Israel sim card at Ben Gurion Airport
As soon as you walk into the arrivals hall after immigration you will see shops straight ahead of you and on your left hand side. There are only two shops that sell an Israel prepaid sim card for tourists: 019 Mobile and the Steimatzky book store. They both have big signs saying Israel sim card for sale!
Prices sim card Tel Aviv Airport in 2024
Prices below are in Israeli Shekel as well as USD. As per April 2024: $1 USD = 3.7 ILS and 1 ILS = $0.27 USD.
One of the things I learned from my first trip to Israel is that Israel is an expensive country! Unfortunately buying a sim card at Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv is not cheap. Expect to pay a lot for your Israel sim card when buying it at Tel Aviv Airport.
019 Mobile Tel Aviv Airport
All the 019 Mobile Israel sim cards you can buy at Tel Aviv Airport come with unlimited calls all over the world, so at least that is a great thing. Plus they are flexible in how many days you travel to Israel.
- $45 USD= 8 days - 10 GB
- $54 USD = 8 days - unlimited data
- $49 USD = 20 days - 2 GB
- $69 USD = 20 days - 20 GB
- $75 USD = 20 days - unlimited data
- $69 USD = 35 days - 5 GB
- $99 USD = 35 days - 30 GB
- $109 USD = 35 days - unlimited data
The cheapest 019 Mobile sim card for Israel at Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv is $45 USD and then you get 10 GB data for 8 days.
Remember that ordering an Israel sim card online via Sim to Israel starts from $25 USD and you get 150 GB data and unlimited calls to the USA and Canada! Just saying... ;)
Steimatzsky Tel Aviv Airport
The Steimatzky shop is actually a book shop that sells Israel sim cards, but the guy was very helpful and knowledgeable. All the Israel sim card sold at this shop are from the mobile internet operator Partner.
Partner Israel sim card for 7 days
- 175 NIS ($50) = 500 minutes + 500 sms + 40 NIS ($11) international calling credit + 15 GB data valid for 7 days.
- 185 NIS ($52) = unlimited minutes & sms + 30 NIS ($8) international calling credit + 50 GB data valid for 7 days.
- 170 NIS ($48) = 1500 minutes + 1500 sms + 30 GB data valid for 7 days.
Partner Israel sim card for 10 days
- 180 NIS ($51) = 1500 minutes + 1500 sms + 30 GB data valid for 10 days.
- 230 NIS ($65) = unlimited minutes & sms + 150 GB data valid for 10 days.
Partner Israel sim card for 30 days
- 235 NIS ($67) = unlimited minutes & sms + 200 GB data valid for 30 days.
- 269 NIS ($77) = unlimited minutes & sms + 110 NIS ($31) international calling credit + 200 GB data valid for 30 days.
Data only Partner Israel sim card
- 169 NIS ($48) = 25 GB valid for 30 days.
In case you already have an Israel sim card, prices are significantly cheaper, see the first column on the picture above. This also counts for ordering your Israel sim card online. You can simply top up online too. Super affordable!
Best sim card at Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv in 2024
It depends for how long you intend to visit Israel. Personally I pretty much only use data and make phone calls over the internet through WhatsApp, Viber or Skype so a data only sim card for Israel is perfect for me.
The best Israel sim card at Tel Aviv Airport can be bought at the Steimatzky book store. Here a Partner Israel sim card will costs $48 USD and you get 25 GB valid for 30 days!
In case you want (international) minutes in your package plus data then buy a 019 Mobile Israel sim card at Tel Aviv Airport.
However, a last reminder that ordering a sim card for Israel online is much cheaper than the sim card deals at Tel Aviv Airport.
When looking for ways to stay connected when traveling to Israel then seriously just order an Israel sim card online. It will on average save you around $20 USD per sim card, no jokes. The cheapest sim card online already gives you 150 GB data and costs only $25 USD.
It works great all over Israel with a super fast 4G/5G connection!
Click here to order a prepaid or e-sim card for Israel via Sim to Israel.
How to get from Ben Gurion Airport to Tel Aviv
A taxi from Ben Gurion Airport to Tel Aviv will cost you around $30 to $50 depending where in the city you are going to. But there are cheaper options to get from Tel Aviv Airport to Tel Aviv. There are regular busses that take about 30 minutes into the city and they cost only $8 USD. But the train is my favorite way to get from Ben Gurion Airport to Tel Aviv: the 15 minutes journey costs only $4 USD.
I hope all the above info about buying a sim card at Tel Aviv Airport was helpful and saved you money before you even started traveling to Israel. If you have any more questions please leave me a comment. I am happy to help you out with Israel travel tips as well as questions about Israel sim cards.
Still not sure about which is the best sim card for Israel travel in 2024 then click on this link and read my comparison of 9 different Israel prepaid sim cards. In case you need some unusual things to do in Israel, check this link or read my article with 24 reasons to visit Israel or all my Israel travel tips.
Curious what it looks like to travel to every country in the world? Check out my Instagram profile @traveltomtom and get fuelled by wanderlust. As of April 2024 I have been to more than 155 countries.
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Enjoy your trip to Tel Aviv!
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