Traveling to Barcelona soon? Get yourself a sim card for Spain on arrival and stay connected. Don't waste money on high roaming costs or get annoyed by slow overseas data roaming plans. This is a complete guide for buying a sim card at Barcelona Airport. Find out where to buy a sim card, up to date prices as per March 2023, best 4G/5G network in Spain and even info about international and e-sim cards for Spain.
I often go on a weekend trip to Barcelona as it is one of my favorite cities in the world and I simply love F.C. Barcelona. This blog is based on my own experiences and I can already tell you that if you are arriving late at Barcelona Airport BCN, most shops will be closed!
In that case head over to my guide for buying a sim card for Spain in 2023.
Are you traveling onwards in Europe after visiting Barcelona? Make sure your Spain sim card includes FREE EU Roaming. Local prepaid sim cards from Lycamobile for example are notorious to NOT include free EU roaming. You can also order a sim card for Europe online. Check out my complete comparison of the best sim cards for Europe in 2023 in this link.
Why buying a sim card at Barcelona Airport
Getting a sim card for your trip to Europe make traveling so much easier. Ordering a taxi through an app, finding the train schedule on the go, getting directions from Google Maps. So many examples that having an internet connection while traveling is very convenient.
Also don't simply rely on public WiFi, first off it is an unsecured network connection and second, there is no guarantee the WiFi is working or fast enough to roam the internet. Traveltomtom always recommend buying a local sim card.
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends buying an Orange sim card at Barcelona Airport, it is the best value for money. For €15 you can get 9 GB data, not a bad prepaid sim card deal for Spain.
However, buying a sim card at Barcelona Airport is a couple dollar more expensive than in Barcelona city center. Or even better you can order an e-sim card for Spain and arrange everything online. Check here my complete guide for buying a sim card for Spain in 2023 or have a look below for more info about e-sim cards for Spain.
Another great alternative is buying an international sim card with global coverage. Traveltomtom world travel sim cards especially to those who visit more countries in one trip. Check out my comparison of the best international sim cards for travelers in 2023 and choose the travel sim card that suits your trip.
E-sim cards for Barcelona
The easiest way to stay connected when traveling overseas in 2023 is an e-sim card. No more visiting a store or swapping physical sim cards. In just a couple clicks you can order and instal an e-sim card for Spain. Check out all the Spain e-sim card deals below:
- 1 GB for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 2 GB for 15 days = $6.5 USD
- 3 GB for 30 days = $8.5 USD
- 5 GB for 30 days = $11.5 USD
- 10 GB for 30 days = $18 USD
- 20 GB for 30 days = $26 USD
Click here to order one of the above e-sim cards for Spain directly through this link or find more info.
The above data-only e-sim cards for Spain are valid only in Spain and calls are not supported if you are looking for Spain e-sim cards that also support calls and include EU data roaming then have a look at the following international e-sim cards that are valid in all of Europe:
- 10 GB data + $2 calling credit (top-up possible) for 30 days = $24.9 USD
- 8 GB + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $29.90 USD
- 20 GB + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $49.90 USD
Click here to directly order one of the above international e-sim cards for Europe and Spain or find more info.
How does an e-sim card works? In short: you receive a QR code after your purchase, this code you enter on your mobile, you follow the steps and within seconds you are connected.
You can also order a physical sim card for Spain online. All the prepaid sim card deals for Spain are also valid in Europe and within just a couple clicks you can order them at get them delivered to your home address before your trip. Click here to order one of the Spain international sim card deals for Spain that suit your trip. Click on the link above or the banner above for more info.
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Mobile internet operators in Spain
There are 4 main internet operators in the country but if you are buying a sim card in Barcelona Airport, you will only find a Spain sim card of Vodafone and Orange. The other main internet providers I could not find. So if you want a Movistar sim card or a Yoigo sim card then you will have to check out Barcelona city center.
Where to buy a Spain sim card at Barcelona Airport
El Prat BCN Airport has two terminals and unfortunately they are pretty far away from each other. Traveling from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 takes about 10 minutes by bus. There are free shuttle busses outside that run very frequently though.
Terminal 1
When traveling to Spain and arriving at Barcelona Airport Terminal 1 you have two options for buying a prepaid sim card for Spain.
Crystal/Vodafone shop terminal 1 Barcelona Airport
You will see the Vodafone signs when walking away from arrivals on your right hand side. Of course here you can buy a Vodafone prepaid sim card for Spain.
There are 3 Vodafone data sim cards for Spain available
1. Vodafone data only €30 - including international calls €35
- Unlimited data use for all apps in Spain
- 1,5 GB - 4G data (across all of Europe)
- 30 days valid
- NO hotspot available
2. Vodafone data only €45 - including international calls €50
- Unlimited data use for all apps imaginable in Spain (see picture)
- 3,5 GB - 4G data (across all of Europe)
- 30 days valid
- NO hotspot available
The above packages seem a little complicated as there are a couple more restrictions!
- Data valid across all of Europe, but the data use for apps only up to 5GB outside of Spain.
- Internationals calls only to 58 countries, see the list below.
3. Vodafone prepaid sim card for tourists in Spain
- €45
- 17 GB - 4G data (across all of Europe)
- 800 minutes international calls
- 30 days valid
- YES hotspot available
Apart from the complicated packages the Vodafone prepaid sim cards for tourists in Spain seem like reasonable. Big data packages and that is what travelers want.
At The Crystal Shop you can also buy an Orange sim card for Spain.
Orange sim card Spain at Crystal shop terminal 1:
- €25 = 6 GB data in EU + 400 minutes international calling - valid for 30 days.
- €35 = 9 GB data in EU + €15 calling credit - valid for 30 days.
As you can see the Orange sim cards are cheaper than the Vodafone sim cards. You can both buy them at the Crystal shop.
Tabaco Shop
Just outside Barcelona Airport Terminal 1 you there is a Tabaco Shop that sells prepaid sim cards for Spain.
Here you get two different Orange sim cards:
- €15 = 9 GB data in Europe
- €20 = 9 GB data in Europe + €5 international calling credit
Both packages are valid for 30 days and a hotspot is available. Seem like these prices are way better than the Vodafone sim cards at the Crystal Shop!
Terminal 2
When arriving at Terminal 2 it is very easy as there is only 1 place to buy a Spain sim card for tourists. In the middle of Hall B there is a Traveler Shop called Tienda del Viajero. Here they only sell one Orange prepaid sim card package, the same as the above one from the Tabaco Shop at Terminal 1.
- €20 = 9 GB data in Europe + €5 international calling credit
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Best sim card at Barcelona Airport in 2023
When we take all the international sim cards for Spain and the e-sim cards for Spain into the comparison of the best sim card for traveling to Barcelona then it is an easy conclusion that e-sim cards for Spain are great value.
Spain e-sim cards already start from $4.5 USD for 1 GB data so if you use your phone just to stay in touch, get directions from maps and check your email then this is a great solution. Keep in mind that your phone needs to be compatible for e-sim cards.
Even international sim cards that you order online and get shipped to your home address before your trip are great value and makes your arrival in Spain easy.
However, when looking for a local prepaid sim card for Spain on arrival at Barcelona Airport then it is also easy to get connected. The Tabaco Shop may be a little hidden, but worth checking out. They have their own Orange kiosk inside the shop and the super friendly ladies installed my Spain sim card for me on my phone within just 2 minutes. Great service.
The best sim card at Barcelona Airport in 2023 is Orange! For €15 you get 9 GB data including EU roaming!
When arriving at Terminal 2 you don’t have much choice, but spending €20 on an Orange sim card with 9 GB data is a very good deal too. You could decided to walk to Terminal that would save you €5 per sim card.
Order a sim card for Spain online
Does this all sounds like too much hassle and you want to make it much easier for yourself? Is your phone not compatible for an e-sim card? Then why not ordering an international sim card for Spain online? Get a pre-activated sim card that works in Spain send to your home address and arrive prepared for your Spain holiday. Check out the following international sim card deals for Spain:
Three data pack 12 GB - $29.90
- 12 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- Unlimited calls/sms within Europe and UK
- Valid 30 days
There are also international sim cards for 1 year and for 2 years. Click on the link below for more info!
O2 Go Card - $24.90
- 10 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- $2 calling credit - top up possible
- Valid 30 days
Orange Holiday Europe - $49.90
- 20 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe
- 120 minutes worldwide
- 1,000 sms worldwide
- Valid 14 days
Click here to directly order an international sim card for Spain online or click on the link for more info.
Personally Traveltomtom recommends you either the Three or Orange option above. You can order them and many other international sim cards directly through the links above.
Last reminder that you can also order an e-sim card for Spain and keep your number from home. Check the link for more info and find a deal with 5 GB data for $12 USD.
How to get from Barcelona Airport to the city
It is very easy to take the bus just outside the Terminals. They are called A1 or A2 and both head to Plaza Catalunya.
They cost €5,90 and there is wifi on board. They run basically every 5 minutes. If you arrive at Barcelona Airport at night take Bus N18, they only cost €2,20. You can buy your bus ticket from Barcelona Airport to the city online already and save all the hassle at the airport.
Don't forget to check out my blog with the must do's for a weekend in Barcelona.
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I hope the above tips for buying a Barcelona sim card were helpful for your upcoming trip. In case you still have any questions please don't hesitate to leave me a comment below. I am more than happy to help you out, also with Barcelona travel tips.
Go check out my Instagram profile @traveltomtom for some extra wanderlust. As of March 2023 I traveled to more than 150 countries on my road to visit every country in the world.
Enjoy your trip to Barcelona!
Some links in this article about the best Barcelona sim card are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using the outgoing links I earn a small commission. Don’t worry this is at no extra cost to you, but I have the duty to inform you. Thank you for your understanding!
