United Arab Emirates Travel eSIM
Etisalat coverage from $8 — and WhatsApp calls that actually connect.
Plans & prices
Selected 1 GB · 7 days 3 GB · 30 days 5 GB · 30 days 10 GB · 30 days 20 GB · 30 days
Total $8$16$24$37$61
Buy now — the plan activates when you land, not when you pay.
- Instant delivery
- Check your device
- Secure payment
United Arab Emirates
Etisalat network
- 5G ready
- Hotspot
- Top-ups
- No ID needed
Coverage & network in United Arab Emirates
The UAE is one of the best-connected places on this site — near-total 5G across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, coverage in the metro tunnels, and reliable service on the inter-emirate highways. The eSIM runs on Etisalat (e&).
Plans run from $8 for 1 GB over 7 days to $61 for 20 GB over 30 days. A week in Dubai usually fits inside 3 GB ($16), partly because hotel and mall Wi-Fi here is genuinely good.
The one thing to know before you fly: internet voice and video calling is restricted on UAE mobile networks. WhatsApp messages, iMessage, e-mail, maps and streaming all work normally; WhatsApp and FaceTime calls generally do not. This is a network-level restriction that applies to a roaming travel eSIM exactly as it applies to a local SIM — no provider can sell you around it. Locally licensed apps like Botim work, and hotel Wi-Fi is where most visitors make calls.
Coverage: total across the three main emirates and their airports, strong on the E11 and the Hatta and Fujairah mountain roads, thinner deep in the Liwa desert. 5G is the default rather than the exception in the cities.
Continuing around the Gulf? The Middle East plan covers 12 destinations from $10, or pair this with Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
How to install it
- 1
Buy in a minute
Pick a United Arab Emirates plan and pay. Your QR code arrives by email in seconds — no account, no shipping.
- 2
Install on Wi-Fi
Scan the code before you fly. The profile sits alongside your normal SIM and stays switched off until you need it.
- 3
Land connected
Turn on data roaming for the TravelNet line when you arrive. The plan starts counting down on that first connection, not at checkout.
Will my phone work?
You need an eSIM-capable, carrier-unlocked phone: an iPhone XS or newer, a Pixel 3 or
newer, or a recent Samsung Galaxy S, Z or A-series flagship. Dial *#06# — if
an EID number is listed alongside the IMEI, the phone has an eSIM.
Travelling beyond United Arab Emirates?
One Middle East plan covers 12 countries from $10 — worth it from the third border.
United Arab Emirates eSIM questions
Which network does the UAE eSIM use?
Etisalat (e&), one of the two national operators. Coverage across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah is essentially total, including the metro tunnels, the malls and both airports.
Will WhatsApp and FaceTime calls work in the UAE?
This is the question everyone actually has. Voice and video calling over the internet has historically been blocked on UAE networks — WhatsApp messaging works, WhatsApp calling generally does not. That restriction is applied at the network level, so a travel eSIM roaming on a UAE network is subject to the same rules as a local SIM. Messaging, e-mail, maps and streaming are unaffected. If a call has to happen, hotel Wi-Fi with a VPN is what most visitors fall back on, and Botim and C'Me are the locally licensed alternatives.
Is 5G available in the UAE?
Yes, extensively. The UAE has one of the densest 5G deployments anywhere — you'll be on it for most of a Dubai or Abu Dhabi trip, with 4G/LTE as the fallback in the desert and on the inter-emirate highways.
How much data do I need for a week in Dubai?
3 GB ($16) covers a normal week of maps, messaging, e-mail and social. Hotel Wi-Fi in the UAE is generally excellent and free, which keeps mobile usage down. Go to 5 GB ($24) if you're working, or 10 GB ($37) if you're hotspotting a laptop through a longer stay.
Does it work in the Dubai Metro and at DXB?
Yes — the metro tunnels and stations are covered, and both DXB and Abu Dhabi's Zayed International have full service airside and landside. Install the eSIM before you fly, then just enable data roaming after you land.
Do I need Emirates ID or a passport to register it?
No. Buying a local prepaid SIM in the UAE means presenting a passport at a kiosk. A TravelNet eSIM roams onto Etisalat under a partner agreement, so there's nothing to register.
Will it work in Oman or Saudi Arabia?
Not the UAE plan. For a multi-country Gulf trip the Middle East plan covers 12 destinations from $10, or there are country plans for Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
What about the desert — Liwa, Hatta, the dune camps?
Better than you'd expect. The main desert highways and the organised dune-safari areas outside Dubai have coverage; it thins in the deep Empty Quarter around Liwa. Hatta and the mountain roads to Fujairah are fine.
Can I tether?
Yes, hotspot is enabled on every UAE plan. Worth it if you're working from a co-working space or between meetings — 5G tethering here is genuinely fast.
Can I keep my home number active?
Yes. The eSIM is a data-only second line; your usual number stays live for SMS and two-factor codes. Turn data roaming off on the home line so it doesn't quietly pick up UAE roaming charges alongside.