Preparing your trip to Argentina and soon flying to Buenos Aires? Curious if you can buy a prepaid sim card for Argentina at Buenos Aires Airport on arrival? I got you! In this guide I will tell you everything you need to know about buying a sim card at Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) International Airport.
Find out where to buy a prepaid sim card for tourists, up to date prices as per January 2024, my recommendation and at the end even information about international and e-sim cards for Argentina.
When traveling overseas a local prepaid sim card is mostly the cheapest way to stay connected. Local prepaid sim cards guarantee you max internet speed, a lot of data for little money and the best network connection. Compared to e-sim cards they are in general cheaper, but e-sim cards are much easier to get on the internet and you arrive prepared and are online as soon as the plane lands.
I will explain you everything and then you choose what is the best sim card for your trip to Buenos Aires.
Keep in mind that overseas data roaming plans limit the internet speed and you will often be stuck with a 3G connection and thus slow data speed. Overseas data roaming plans from your provider at home are my last recommendation.
As a full time nomad and travel blogger who is trying to visit every country in the world I constantly get to new countries. The first thing I do to get connected is buying a prepaid sim card. Therefore on Traveltomtom you can already find more than 200 sim card guides from all over the world: Argentina, Brazil, New York, Miami, Bogota, Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam, London, Istanbul, Dubai, Europe, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Turkey, Egypt, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and many more.
Traveltomtom also wrote a complete guide for buying a sim card for Argentina in 2024. With more detailed info about the mobile data network coverage and a comparison of all the mobile internet providers in Argentina: Claro, Personal Flow and Movistar.
So next time you are planning your adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest and most up to date prepaid and e-sim card advice for your next holiday destination. Bookmark me!
Traveling to multiple countries then check out my guide for buying an international sim card with data and global coverage.
Buenos Aires Airport - EZE
The main international airport for tourists visiting Argentina is the Ezeiza International Airport which is located about 45 minutes southwest from the city center of Buenos Aires. The airport is very easy to navigate and for international arrivals there is only one exit door into the arrival hall.
In the arrival hall you will find a convenience store, a bakery, a Starbucks, a Mc Donalds and ATM’s. However, there is no place to buy a sim card for Argentina.
Where to buy a sim card at Buenos Aires Airport
After walking around everywhere in the arrival hall without success find a sim card shop I went to the information desk. They directed me to the Departure Hall where there is a Personal Flow store, one of the main mobile internet providers in Argentina.
In fact, Personal Flow has a great 4G/5G mobile data network in and around Buenos Aires and Central Argentina. This Traveltomtom found out when doing research about the best prepaid sim card for traveling to Argentina in 2024.
Opposite check-in counter 40 you will find a pop-up store of Personal Flow, the only place at Buenos Aires Airport to buy a sim card for Argentina. Arrival and Departures are on the same floor and it is just 1 minute walk. Buenos Aires EZE Airport is very easy going.
The Personal Flow store at Buenos Aires Airport is open from 09.00 am till 10.00 pm and only accepts credit or debit card payments. No cash!
There is now also a Personal Flow store at EZE Buenos Aires Airport upstairs in the arrival hall. The opening hours are the same: 9.00 am till 10.00 pm.
Recently some Traveltomtom readers have reported that the Personal Flow sim card shop at Buenos Aires Airport was not open anymore. Then again a couple weeks later readers reported they bought a sim card at the airport at the Personal Flow store. So they might be there, they might not be... check the comments below for the latest updates.
Do I recommend a Personal Flow prepaid sim card for traveling in Argentina? It depends where you are traveling in Argentina on your trip. If you travel to Patagonia Traveltomtom recommends a Claro sim card. Find out more info in my complete guide for buying a sim card in Argentina in 2024.
Prices sim cards Buenos Aires Airport
There are a bunch of prepaid sim cards available. Registration is free and the price you see on the photo is what you will be charged. They will take a copy of your passport, register your new sim card and activate one of the above prepaid data plans.
The sim card will instantly work and you are connected as soon as you leave the counter. Personally I would take the 10 GB data plan for 30 days.
Upstairs in the Personal Flow store they also sell the following prepaid sim card plan for Argentina called Tourista Prepago:
- 3 GB data + 100 minutes + 30 international minutes for 30 days = 800 ARS
My recommendation
Well, if you are only staying in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Rosario, Cordoba or other places in Central and Northern regions of Argentina then a Personal Flow prepaid sim card is a great sim card for tourists.
However, when traveling to South Argentina a Personal Flow prepaid sim card is not the best as they have a very limited 4G/5G network in South Argentina.
Check my guide for the best sim card in Argentina in 2024 with much more info about the best 4G/5G network coverage in Argentina.
Buying a sim card at the airport of Buenos Aires is of course the most convenient way to get connected when traveling to Argentina. You land, you go to the Personal Flow store, hand over your passport, you pay and you instantly have a working data connection on your phone.
In fact the prices for Argentina prepaid sim cards at Buenos Aires Airport are also very decent. So would I recommend buying a sim card at Buenos Aires Airport if you are not traveling to South Argentina: YES.
Traveltomtom definitely recommends e-sim cards for traveling to Buenos Aires. E-sim cards are super convenient as you order them online. Traveltomtom recommends ordering an e-sim card for Argentina via SimOptions, Airalo or Nomad.
However, if you want to save some extra dollars then it is better to buy your sim card in Buenos Aires city center. This also has a lot to do with the Blue Dollar exchange rate. At the Personal Flow store at Buenos Aires Airport they only accept card payments and no cash.
I am sure you are aware of the hyper inflation in Argentina and that you are able to exchange cash dollar bills against a currency exchange more than 2x as much as the official rate.
That also means that if you pay for your Argentina prepaid sim card in cash it suddenly becomes 50% cheaper. Just a tip… up to you if that is what you want to do.
Best e-sim cards for Argentina
E-sim cards are the easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Argentina in 2024. You arrange everything online within just a couple minutes. No more swapping physical sim cards or visiting a sim card shop.
You order an e-sim card for Argentina on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a Argentina e-sim card installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Argentina 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 e-sim card for Argentina.
Airalo
Airalo is a trusted e-sim card provider. Check out the Airalo e-sim card plans for Argentina in 2024:
- 2 GB data for 7 days = $15 USD
- 6 GB data for 30 days = $26 USD
Click here for more info or to directly order an Argentina e-sim card via Airalo.
The above Abrazo e-sim cards for Argentina use the Movistar 4G/LTE network, are data-only and phone calls are not supported.
SimOptions
SimOptions is another e-sim provider and Traveltomtom has used SimOptions in more than 50 countries around the world without any problems. SimOptions sells international e-sim card that are valid in up to 141 countries, including Argentina.
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $34.90 USD
- 6 GB data for 15 days = $39.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order an international e-sim card for Argentina via SimOptions.
Nomad
Nomad is another e-sim provider and actually has the cheapest e-sim card deals for Argentina in 2024:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $10 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $20 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $28 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $45 USD
Click here for more info or to directly order an e-sim card for Argentina via Nomad.
Order a prepaid sim card for Argentina online
If your phone is not e-sim compatible but you would like to arrive prepared and order a sim card for Argentina online you can get a physical international prepaid sim card. Check out the following.
Arrive prepared in Argentina 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 Argentina, basically when the plane lands you are instantly online.
SimOptions sells the following physical prepaid sim card that is valid in 22 countries including Argentina:
- 5 GB data for 14 days = $49.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order an international prepaid sim card for traveling in Argentina via SimOptions.
I hope all the above tips and info for buying a sim card at Buenos Aires Airport were helpful for your upcoming trip to Argentina. Let me know if you have any more questions in the comments below and I am more than happy to help you out.
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 January 2024 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go.
Enjoy your trip to Argentina!