Planning your trip to Greece and flying to Athens Airport and wondering if you can buy a prepaid sim card on arrival at the airport Stay connected when traveling to Greece with either a local prepaid sim card or an eSIM and avoid high data roaming charges and slow overseas data roaming plans.
This is a complete guide for buying a prepaid sim card for Greece on arrival at Athens Airport with up to date prices as per August 2024, where to buy a sim card, my recommendation, the best eSIMs for Greece, a vlog with my experiences, info about international sim cards and everything else you need to know.
Looking for the best way to get connected is the first thing I do when planning my next trip. Local prepaid sim cards with data are mostly the cheapest way, but depending on the length of your trip an eSIM could be very useful too.
At most airports around the world you pay a hefty price for the convenience to get connected straight away on arrival. Or should we call it squeezing money out of unknown tourists?
Therefore I wrote this complete guide with all the up to date information and recommendations for buying a sim card at Athens Airport for your trip to Greece and help you save money.
As I am on a mission to travel to every country in the world and I write sim card guides wherever I go, you can already find more than 200 sim card guides on Traveltomtom from all over the world: Shanghai, Manila, Philippines, New York, Barcelona, Milan, Amsterdam, London, Istanbul, Bogota, Pakistan, Vietnam, Amman, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Bangkok, Bali and many more.
Traveltomtom also wrote a complete guide for buying a prepaid sim card for tourists in Greece in 2024 and for those specifically looking for e-sims checl out Traveltomtom's comparison of the best eSIMs for Greece in 2024.
So when planning your next adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid sim card and eSIM advice for your destination. Bookmark me in your travel tips folder and let me help you save money!
For most Europeans there is no need to buy a sim card for their trip to Greece as their local prepaid sim card from their EU home country will most probably includes free EU data roaming. Always ask your provider in your own country before traveling abroad.
Be aware that some UK sim cards do NOT support free EU roaming anymore because of Brexit.
My recommendation
Traveltomtom does NOT recommend buying a prepaid sim card at Athens Airport. Simply overpriced! It is the fastest way to get connected when arriving in Greece, but sim cards for Greece at Athens Airport cost more than double the price than sim cards at Athens city center or eSIMs for tourists that you can order on the internet.
So if you are not in a rush you should wait until you get to Athens city center for the best prepaid sim card deals in Greece. Check out my guide for buying a prepaid sim card in Greece in 2024 and find a physical prepaid sim card for Greece with unlimited data.
However, the easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Greece in 2024 is an eSIM. Traveltomtom recommends ordering an eSIM for Greece via Nomad, Airalo or SimOptions depending on what kind of eSIM you prefer.
Which one? Check out my guide of the best eSIMs for Greece in 2024.
Another great alternative for staying connected when traveling abroad is a global sim card with data. In my comparison of the best international sim cards for going abroad in 2024 you will find a bunch of great sim card deals for traveling to Greece and if you are on a trip to explore several countries in Europe then definitely check out my list of the best prepaid and eSIMs for traveling in Europe in 2024.
Best eSIMs for Greece
An eSIM is the easiest way to get data on your phone when traveling to Athens in 2024. You can arrange everything on the internet within just a couple clicks. No more visiting a sim card store and swapping physical sim card.
You order an eSIM for Athens on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a Greece eSIM installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Athens it automatically connects you to an available network and you enjoy data on your phone pretty much when the plane lands.
Make sure your phone is e-sim compatible before ordering an eSIM for Greece.
Traveltomtom wrote a complete guide for using eSIMs when traveling to Greece, including a comparison of the best eSIMs, all FAQ's answered and everything else you need to know about eSIMs.
There are a couple trusted eSIM providers, here are Traveltomtom's recommendations.
Airalo
Airalo offers the following eSIMs for traveling to Greece:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $9 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $12 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $15 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $25 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $49 USD
Click here to order an eSIM for Greece directly online through Airalo.
The above data-only eSIMs for Greece are from Meraki Mobile operate on the Nova 4G/LTE and 5G network. Yes, the Meraki Mobile eSIMs for Greece are 5G ready. Data is only valid in Greece.
SimOptions
SimOptions sells international eSIMs for Greece. Big plus about these eSIMs is that they are valid in more all of Europe and including calling and texting. Some are even 5G ready.
- 15 GB data + unlimited calls for 15 days = $21.90 USD
- 10 GB data-only (5G ready) 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
- 50 GB data (5G ready) + unlimited calls/text for 28 days = $59.90 USD
Click here to directly order an international eSIMs for Greece via SimOptions or find more info.
You can order the above international eSIMs through SimOptions and they all offer free EU data roaming and allow you to make phone calls and text. All these international eSIMs come with a phone number, so incoming calls are also supported.
Nomad
A third reviewed and tested e-sim provider is Nomad and they often have amazingly competitive eSIM plans and promotion deals. Here are the Nomad eSIM plans for Greece in 2024:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $8 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $14 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $19 USD
- 15 GB data for 30 days = $27 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $33 USD
Click here for more info or to order a Nomad eSIM for traveling to Greece.
Make sure your mobile phone is e-sim compatible otherwise an eSIM won't work on your device.
Want more info about using Greece eSIMs then check out my complete guide with everything you need to know before buying an eSIM for traveling to Greece in 2024.
If you are traveling to more countries in Europe check out Traveltomtom's list of the best prepaid and eSIMs for traveling in Europe in 2024. In the link you will find my comparison of the best European sim cards that you can order online.
Or check out my tips for buying a local prepaid sim card in Europe on arrival with more info about free EU data roaming.
Athens Airport
Although Greece is a very popular summer tourist destination in Europe, Athens Airport is pretty easy going even in the high season. The airport lies about 40 minutes away from the city center of Athens. It is very easy to navigate and only has one arrival hall for international arrivals.
Athens Airport provides free WiFi for everyone. It is easy to connect and it actually works pretty fine.
Where to buy a sim card at Athens Airport
There are 2 places where you can buy a Greece sim card at Athens Airport. One is directly after the passport control right in front of luggage belt number one. It is impossible to miss! When you get stamped into Greece and walk away from passport control you will walk right into big signs saying: ’buy your local prepaid sim card here’.
As it can get pretty busy at this sim card booth you can also pick up your luggage first and then walk through the customs baggage check into the arrival hall of Athens Airport. Then you will see on your left hand side the exact same booth selling the exact same tourists sim cards for Greece. It is not to miss, next to the kiosk there is also the tourist information desk.
Both sim card stores from Sim Local are open from 06:00 am until 10:00 pm and they accept Euros as well as credit cards.
To make it even easier for you here is my vlog about my arrival at Athens Airport showing you what it looks like buying a sim card at Athens Airport in 2024.
Prices sim cards for Greece at Athens Airport
All the below info and prices are up to date as per August 2024. Prices are in Euros: $1 USD = €0.92 EUR and €1 EUR = $1.09 USD.
Sim Local
As Sim Local has the right for selling prepaid sim cards for Greece at Athens Airport there is not much choice. They basically offer 3 prepaid sim card deals, but two of them are completely identical. On top of that they charge an activation fee of €12.50 EUR ($14 USD) per sim card.
There are 2 Vodafone prepaid sim card deals for 30 days:
- 15 GB data in all of Europe + 200 minutes in Europe + 120 international minutes = €22.50 EUR - $25 USD
- 18 GB data in all of Europe = €22.50 EUR - $25 USD
Then there is Taza Mobile that works on the Vodafone network:
- 15 GB data in all of Europe + 200 minutes in Europe + 120 international minutes = €22.50 EUR - $25 USD
Yes the exact same however, if you download the app you get 5 GB data extra for 7 days.
Taza Mobile is a completely new product to me and a so-called MVNO, a Virtual Mobile Network Operator. I have never tried it before so I can’t tell you anything about it. I would personally just go for a Vodafone sim card if you really want to buy a prepaid sim card at Athens Airport.
Order a prepaid sim card for Greece online
If your phone is not e-sim compatible but you would like to order a sim card for traveling to Greece online before your trip then check out the following.
Arrive prepared in Greece 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 Greece, basically when the plane lands you are instantly online.
SimOptions is the only sim card provider that sells physical prepaid sim cards for Greece:
1. O2 Go Card - $24.90
- 10 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- $2 calling credit in Europe and UK
- Valid for 30 days
2. Three Data Pack - $24.90
- 10 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- Unlimited calls/sms within Europe and UK
- Valid 30 days
3. Orange Holiday ZEN - $29.90
- 12 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe and UK
- 30 minutes worldwide
- 200 sms worldwide
- Valid 14 days
4. Bouygues Telecom My Europe Sim - $44.90
- 30 GB data in Europe and UK
- Unlimited calls in Europe and UK
- Valid 30 days
5. Orange Holiday Europe - $49.90
- 30 GB data in Europe and UK
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe and UK
- 120 minutes worldwide
- 1,000 sms worldwide
- Valid 14 days
Click here to order an international prepaid sim card for traveling in Greece via SimOptions.
Also a last reminder that if your phone is e-sim compatible you can arrange everything directly online within just a couple minutes by ordering an eSIM for Greece directly online. With an eSIM you keep your own phone number from home.
Traveltomtom recommends ordering an eSIM for Greece via Nomad, Airalo or SimOptions depending on what kind of eSIM you prefer.
Remember if you are about to order an eSIM for Greece then first check out Traveltomtom's complete guide with everything you need to know about using an eSIM for traveling to Greece in 2024.
How to get from Athens Airport to Athens city center
There are direct busses that take you in about 50 to 60 minutes to the city center of Athens. Just follow the signs. Ordering an Uber is also possible at Athens Airport and that will cost you a little over €40 depending on where in the city center you are going.
If you have Euros on you then I recommend taking a normal airport taxi as it is the exact same as an Uber and you don’t have to search for your car. Airport taxis are well regulated at Athens Airport and work with a taxi meter.
I hope all the above tips for buying a sim card on arrival at Athens Airport were useful for your upcoming trip. If you still have questions please leave me a comment below and I will help you.
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 August 2024 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go.
Enjoy your trip to Athens!