United Arab Emirates Travel eSIM
Data for Dubai and Abu Dhabi — metro tunnels, malls and the desert highways.
Plans & prices
Buy now — the plan activates when you land, not when you pay.
- Fast delivery
- Check your device
- Secure payment
United Arab Emirates
Nationwide data coverage
- 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 profile attaches to a national network on arrival; we don’t lock plans to one named operator.
A week in Dubai usually fits inside a small plan, partly because hotel and mall Wi-Fi here is genuinely good. The working number is 100–200 MB a day plus roughly 1 GB per hour of video — go a size up if you’re hotspotting a laptop or staying longer.
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. On 5G-marked plans, 5G is the default rather than the exception in the cities.
Continuing around the Gulf? The Middle East plan page shows the regional profiles, up to 13 destinations, or pair this with Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Not booked the trip itself yet? Our partners at Holiday Bazaar put together tailor-made Dubai and Abu Dhabi itineraries.
How to install it
- 1
Buy in a minute
Pick a United Arab Emirates plan and pay. Your QR code arrives by email within minutes — 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 up to 13 countries from $6.49 — worth it from the third border.
- Middle East from $6.49 · up to 13 countries
- Global from $11.99 · up to 173 countries
-
Bahrain
from $5.49 -
Iraq
from $6.49 -
Israel
from $4.49 -
Jordan
from $6.49
Planning a multi-country trip? Find the plans that cover every stop →
United Arab Emirates eSIM questions
Which network does the UAE eSIM use?
A major UAE network — the profile attaches on arrival under a roaming agreement, and coverage across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah is essentially total, including the metro tunnels, the malls and both airports. We don't lock plans to one named operator; you get a national network rather than a fringe one.
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 — on plans marked 5G 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?
A small plan 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 a size up if you're working, or a mid-size plan if you're hotspotting a laptop through a longer stay. The rule of thumb is 100–200 MB a day plus about 1 GB per hour of video.
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 a national network under a partner agreement, so there's nothing to register.
Will it work in Oman or Saudi Arabia?
Check the coverage list on the plan you pick — many plans covering the UAE are regional and include the neighbouring Gulf states, which is what a multi-country Gulf trip needs. Otherwise the Middle East plan page shows the regional profiles, up to 13 destinations, and 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.