Buying prepaid SIM Card for US at LHR
May 21, 2022, 7:14 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: between MUC and NUE
Programs: BA Gold, LH Senator
Posts: 423
Buying prepaid SIM Card for US at LHR
I just realised that I left my prepaid SIM card for the US at home. Is ist possible to buy one (or a British one that works in the US) at LHR? I‘m staying there tonight and travel to the US tomorrow, so airside or landside would be ok for me.
May 21, 2022, 7:48 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 149
Are you sure you do not have a phone that takes e-sims? Downloading one from an app like Airalo is much easier, and you can set it up that data goes through that sim, while still having your main number active to receive calls if needed.
May 21, 2022, 7:48 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold-GGL
Posts: 1,185
There are some SIM card vending machines, if I remember correctly, but I tend not to pay much notice to them so can't offer much more help than that. Hopefully someone more useful will be able to tell you more!
May 21, 2022, 8:13 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Birmingham
Programs: BA Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 294
May 21, 2022, 10:50 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+
Posts: 3,654
Any UK SIM will work in the US but the cost will make you cry. I cannot believe that you will have a problem buying a local SIM at the airport in the US. Even the poorest/least developed countries in the world can manage that.
May 21, 2022, 10:52 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: between MUC and NUE
Programs: BA Gold, LH Senator
Posts: 423
May 21, 2022, 11:19 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: LHR
Programs: BA GGL, HH Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 375
If you can buy and top up a 3UK sim card at LHR it should let you roam for free within your allowance as long as it’s activated first in the UK. This may not be the best option for traditional calls and texts but I tend to just use data so it works fine for me.
May 21, 2022, 1:44 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,061
New joiners to 3 no longer receive free roaming. Existing customers keep it but only until they move (or are moved) onto a new contract.
May 21, 2022, 1:49 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL (for now) and Lifetime Gold, Marriott fan thanks to Bonvoy Moments
Posts: 5,115
May 21, 2022, 1:55 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: UA GS, AA ExP
Posts: 124
You'd think that right 😁 I haven't seen a SIM card shop at Chicago O'hare nor recall seeing the same at other big US airports.