Are you planning a trip to Turkey and flying to Izmir and wondering if you can buy a tourist sim card on arrival at the airport? Avoid high roaming charges and slow overseas data plans at all times.
This is a complete guide with everything you need to know before buying a sim card at Izmir Airport in 2025.
Find out where to buy a sim card, up to date prices as per January 2025, my recommendation, info about eSIMs for Turkey, international sim cards and more.
In the past I always used to buy a prepaid sim card in Turkey, nowadays I always use eSIMs for Turkey to stay connected.
As of 2025 buying an eSIM for traveling to Turkey is cheaper than buying a local prepaid sim card at Izmir Airport. Check out my comparison of the best eSIMs for Turkey in 2025.
Table of Contents
- Why buying a sim card for Turkey
- My recommendation
- Arrival at Izmir International Airport
- Where to buy a sim card at Izmir Airport
- Prices prepaid sim cards Izmir Airport
Traveltomtom also wrote an extensive guide on how to buy a prepaid sim card in Turkey as well as sim card guides for Istanbul IST Airport and Istanbul SAW Airport.
Some links in this article about the best (e)-sim cards for Izmir are affiliate links. If you buy any product after clicking on an affiliate link I will earn a small commission. Don't worry this is at absolutely no extra cost to you!
Why buying a sim card for Turkey
First of all we simply want to stay connected of course. But whatever you do avoid data roaming on your sim card from home or end up with excessive high phone bills. Also don't use one of those overseas data roaming plans for $5-10 USD per day. Expensive and they also slow down your data speed!
All hotels and most restaurants and bars in Turkey have pretty good and reliable WiFi, so why getting a sim card for Turkey?
A very valid question! But having internet on your phone simply makes traveling in Turkey so much easier. Like in general life is easier when you are connected.
Think about ordering a taxi from an app, or getting directions from Google Maps, finding nearby restaurants with good reviews or what about emergencies, accessing your banking apps, etc.
Getting a local sim card in Turkey is easy, but also expensive for tourists. eSIMs are an easier and also cheaper solution to stay connected.
Also don't rely on WiFi. What if the WiFi signal in your hotel room is weak or the WiFi is slow? Be aware that public WiFi's are UNSECURED networks, using a VPN is therefore recommended.
Looking for the best sim card when traveling abroad is one of my favorite thing to do and because Traveltomtom is on a journey to travel to every country in the world I get to a lot of different places.
Everywhere I go I write sim card guides and that is why on Traveltomtom you can already find more than 200 sim card guides from all over the world: USA, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Europe, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore and many more.
So next time you are planning your trip abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid and eSIM advice for your holiday destination. Bookmark me!
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends buying a Turk Telekom prepaid sim card for tourists at Izmir Airport. Turk Telekom gives you the best value for money. For around $28 USD you get a data-only tourist sim card with 30 GB data.
But what if I tell you that eSIMs for Turkey already start from $1 USD and that an eSIM for Jetpac give you 30 GB for just $24 USD?
That makes it an easy conclusion that eSIMs are cheaper and you don't need to worry about buying a sim card at Izmir Airport anymore.
Check out my comparison of the best eSIMs for Turkey in 2025.
If you are traveling to multiple countries in one trip then check out international prepaid sim cads. These sim cards are valid in up to 140 countries around the world.
Arrival at Izmir International Airport
Although Izmir is one of the best places to visit in Turkey and a popular tourist destination the Izmir Airport is very easy going and pretty small. There is free WiFi at Izmir Airport but it wasn't really working when I arrived. IT was very slow, but you are able to send WhatsApp messages and check your email.
After you get off the plane you will be guided to passport control and after you get stamped into Turkey you end up in the baggage claim hall. There are no facilities apart from toilets in the baggage claim hall.
The tourist information, car rentals, ATM's money exchange and sim card shops at Izmir Airport are all located in the arrival hall.
Where to buy a sim card at Izmir Airport
It is very easy to find the sim card shops at Izmir Airport where you can buy a tourist sim card for Turkey. After you grabbed your luggage and walk into the Arrival Hall you will see on your left side a couple shops/kiosks.
One shop clearly says Turkcell, the other store has big signs from Vodafone, Turkcell and Turk Telekom. Basically there is an official Turkcell retail store and a phone shop that sells tourist sim cards from all the mobile internet providers.
The sim card shops are open from 08.00 am till 9.30 pm. May you arrive at Izmir Airport outside these hours you will have to either buy a sim card for Turkey on the internet or go to a sim card store in Izmir city center the next day.
Both sim card shops accept Turkish Liras as well as Visa and Mastercard. Do NOT pay in USD, the exchange rate from the stores is really bad.
Prices prepaid sim cards Izmir Airport
All the info and prices are updated in January 2025 and prices are in Turkish Lira: $1 USD = 35.5 TL and 100 TL = $2.8 USD.
Turkcell store
The Turkcell stores also has eSIMs for tourists as well as physical prepaid sim cards.
Traveltomtom rates Turkcell as the best prepaid sim card in Turkey in 2025 because it has the best 4G/LTE network across Turkey and the fastest data speed.
They have 3 main prepaid sim card plans for tourists:
- 20 GB data + 200 minutes = 999 TL - $28 USD
- 50 GB data + 200 minutes = 1,499 TL - $42 USD
- 100 GB data + 200 minutes = 2,299 TL - $65 USD
As you can see the prices for prepaid sim cards for tourists at Izmir Airport are not the cheapest. I told you buying an eSIM for traveling in Turkey is a better idea.
Phone Store
The phone store at Izmir Airport is a reseller and they sell prepaid sim cards from all mobile internet providers in Turkey: Vodafone, Turk Telekom and also Turkcell.
The phone store only sells physical prepaid sim cards and no eSIMs.
Turkcell
They sell the same Turkcell prepaid sim cards and packages as at the Turkcell store next door, but then for a higher price and data-only.
- 20 GB data-only = 1,199 TL - $34 USD
- 40 GB data-only = 1,399 TL - $39 USD
- 50 GB data-only = 1,599 TL - $45 USD
If you want to buy a sim card from Turkcell at Izmir Airport then buy it at the official Turkcell store next door, not in the phone store as they are more expensive.
Vodafone
The phone store only sells data-only sim cards and these are the prices for Vodafone sim cards for tourists.
- 20 GB data-only = 999 TL - $28 USD
- 40 GB data-only = 1,249 TL - $35 USD
- 50 GB data-only = 1,499 TL - $42 USD
Turk Telekom
The Turk Telekom data-only prepaid sim card plans look very similar to Vodafone:
- 30 GB data-only = 999 TL - $28 USD
- 40 GB data-only = 1,249 TL - $35 USD
- 50 GB data-only = 1,499 TL - $42 USD
However, Turk Telekom gives you 30 GB data for the same price where Vodafone gives you 20 GB data for 999 TL.
Best sim card for tourists at Izmir Airport
It is a simple conclusion that Turk Telekom gives you the best value for money when you are looking at data-only sim cards.
If you also want to make phone calls in Turkey on your trip to Izmir, for example to call a restaurant to make a reservation, then Traveltomtom recommends buying a sim card from the official Turkcell phone store at Izmir Airport.
The cheapest tourist sim card at the Turk Telekom shop is 999 TL ($28 USD), it also is the cheapest tourist sim card at Izmir Airport in 2025.
When you compare these local prepaid sim cards with eSIMs for Turkey you instantly understand while Traveltomtom does NOT recommend buying a sim card at Izmir Airport.
eSIMs for Turkey already start from $1 USD. The best value eSIM for Turkey is from Jetpac. They have an eSIM plan with 30 GB data for just $24 USD.
Check out my comparison of the best eSIMs for Turkey in 2025.
The 4G/5G network coverage in Turkey differs a little per mobile internet operator. However, in all the popular tourist destinations in Turkey you will find a solid 4G/LTE signal. It doesn't matter if you get a Vodafone, Turk Telekom or Turkcell sim card.
Only if you are on a road trip in Turkey and visiting off the beaten path places to see in Turkey then it is recommended to buy a Turkcell sim card.
For more info about the best 4G/5G network in Turkey check out my complete guide for buying a sim card in Turkey in 2025.
If you want a sim card for traveling in Asia that includes coverage in Turkey or a sim card for Europe that includes Turkey then click on the link and check out my list of the best sim cards for your trip.
Best eSIMs for Turkey
The easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Izmir in 2025 is an eSIM. No need to visit a phone store anymore or buy a sim card at Izmir Airport. As soon as the plane lands you are online with an eSIM.
You order an eSIM for Turkey online, receive a QR code, scan it, instal the eSIM in just a couple simple steps and you are done in less than 2 minutes.
For all answers on FAQ about Turkey eSIMs check out Traveltomtom's complete guide with everything you need to know before ordering an eSIM for traveling to Turkey in 2025.
Here are some recommendations.
Jetpac
Jetpac is a an eSIM provider that offers amazing eSIMs for Turkey. Jetpac strives to be more than an eSIM provider and comes with a bunch of perks for travelers like airport lounge access, free VPN subscription, etc. Read all about it in our extensive Jetpac review with all pros and cons.
Here are the Jetpac eSIM plans for Turkey in 2025:
- 1 GB data for 4 days = $1 USD
- 3 GB data for 7 days = $4 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $9 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $10 USD
- 15 GB data for 30 days = $14 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $16.5 USD
- 30 GB data for 30 days = $24 USD
Click here for more info or to order the Jetpac Turkey eSIM.
The Jetpac eSIM are data-only and incoming and outgoing calls and sms are not supported. These eSIMs do not come with a phone number. The Jetpac Turkey eSIMs are 5G ready and operate on the network of Turk Telekom.
Airalo
Airalo is a reliable eSIM provider and Traveltomtom has used Airalo in more than 50 countries around the world without ever facing an issue.
Here are the Airalo eSIM plans for Turkey in 2025:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $6.5 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $8 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $12 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $18 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $26 USD
- Unlimited data* for 10 days = $35 USD
* Unlimited data is in reality only 3 GB data per day on max speed! Don't be fooled.
Click here for more info or to order a Turkey eSIM card directly via Airalo.
The above Merhaba eSIM cards are data-only and are only valid in Turkey. They operate on the 4G/LTE/5G network of Turk Telekom. Incoming and outgoing phone calls and sms are not supported.
Before ordering an eSIM for Turkey make sure your phone unlocked and eSIM compatible.
For more details and much more eSIM offers check out my comparison of the best eSIM for Turkey in 2025.
Order a prepaid sim card for Izmir online
If your phone is not eSIM compatible you can still order a sim card for traveling in Turkey on the internet. Let me introduce you to international prepaid sim cards.
These pre-activated sim cards will be delivered to your home address. You put them in your phone during your flight and you are online as soon as the plane touches the ground in Izmir. Plug and play!
Arrive prepared in Izmir with an international prepaid sim card for Turkey:
- 10 GB data valid in 124 countries for 14 days = $49.90 USD
Click here to order an international prepaid sim card for Turkey via SimOptions.
My experiences buying a sim card at Izmir Airport
When I saw the prices for prepaid sim cards for tourists at Izmir Airport I was pretty shocked. I already checked the eSIM plans for Turkey before my departure and it was an easy conclusion for me NOT to buy a sim card at Izmir Airport for my Turkey holiday.
Actually I used the hotspot of a Turkish friend to quickly order an eSIM for Turkey online. It took me may be 3 minutes before I was connected and my eSIM was activated.
Since I was only traveling to Izmir for about a week I only needed about 10 GB data. Nomad offers the cheapest eSIM for Turkey with 10 GB data and I only paid $15 USD. It worked totally fine and I was happy with the data speed on my Turkey eSIM. Check out my comparison of the best Turkey eSIMs in 2025.
I am sure some of the above tips on how to stay connected when traveling to Izmir where helpful. If you have any additional questions then please leave me a comment below or reach out to me on social media.
Curious what the road to 197 / visiting every country in the world looks like then head to my Instagram @traveltomtom and follow along. As of January 2025 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still more than 40 to go.
Enjoy your trip to Izmir!