Preparing your trip to Peru and flying to Lima Airport and wondering if you can buy a prepaid sim card for tourists at Lima International Airport? This is guide exactly what you are looking for with everything you need to know before buying a prepaid sim card for Peru at Lima Airport.
Find out where to buy a sim card at Lima Airport, up to date prices as per April 2024, my recommendation, a vlog about my arrival and experiences, the best e-sim cards for Peru, info about international sim cards and more.
Staying connected while traveling makes life so much easier and therefore one of the first things I do when planning my next trip abroad is looking for the best sim card. Avoid high roaming charges and slow overseas data plans! In the past I always used to buy a prepaid sim card on arrival but nowadays I mostly order an e-sim card on the internet.
E-sim cards are simply so convenient that I happily pay a couple dollar extra to be online as soon as the plane lands and have internet on my phone like at home without paying high roaming charges.
As Traveltomtom is on a mission to travel to every country in the world I get to about 30 - 40 different countries every year and therefore I use about 30 different sim cards per year. As I am already traveling full time since 2012 you can imagine how Traveltomtom became a specialist in providing info about sim cards for tourists.
Therefore you can find already more than 200 sim card guides on Traveltomtom from all over the world: Peru, Colombia, Bogota, Brazil, Argentina, Buenos Aires, Paraguay, USA, New York, Panama, Mexico, Costa Rica, Amsterdam, London, Madrid, Paris, Istanbul, Philippines, New Zealand, Malaysia, Germany, Portugal and many more.
So next time you are planning your adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid and e-sim card advice for your next holiday destination. Bookmark me and let me help you save money!
My recommendation
Be aware that buying a prepaid sim cards at Lima Airport is EXTREMELY overpriced and Traveltomtom does NOT recommend buying a sim card for tourists at Lima Airport. Traveltomtom recommends getting an e-sim card for Peru or buy a tourist sim card in the city center of Lima.
There used to be a Claro store at Departures with local prepaid sim cards for prices, but unfortunately this Claro store closed as per updates from Traveltomtom readers in 2023.
Traveltomtom is an advocate for using e-sim cards when traveling abroad. They are very convenient and simple to use. However, fact is that e-sim cards for Peru are more expensive than local prepaid sim cards. That said, e-sim cards for Peru that you order on the internet are cheaper than buying a sim card at Lima Airport.
E-sim cards are so easy to get that Traveltomtom recommends paying a higher price as you are online as soon as the plane touches the ground and you don't need to buy a sim card on arrival in Lima. Traveltomtom recommends ordering an e-sim card for Peru via SimOptions or Airalo.
Read below about my experiences and find a vlog about buying a sim card at Lima Airport with my experiences. If you want the cheapest prepaid sim card deal for Peru you should wait until you reach the city center and head to an official retail store. For more info check out my guide for buying a sim card for Peru in 2024.
At Traveltomtom we also firmly believe that global sim cards with data are great for traveling to Peru. Have a look at our comparison of the best travel sim cards with data in 2024 and find one for $24.90 USD with 10 GB data, which is only $2.49 USD per Gigabyte.
Best e-sim cards for Peru
The easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Lima in 2024 is an e-sim card. You arrange everything online in just a couple clicks. No more visiting a phone store and swapping physical prepaid sim cards.
You order an e-sim card for Peru on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a Peru e-sim card installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Lima 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 Peru.
Airalo
Airalo has e-sim cards from pretty much every country in the world and Traveltomtom uses about 20 Airalo e-sim cards per year without ever facing a problem.
Here are the Airalo e-sim card plans for Peru for 2024:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $8 USD
- 2 GB data for 30 days = $15 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $21 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $32.5 USD
Click here for more info or to order an e-sim card for Peru via Airalo.
The above Peru e-sim cards from Habla Telefon operate on the 4G/LTE network of Movistar Peru. Find more info in the link.
SimOptions
SimOptions is another reliable e-sim provider that offers e-sim cards for almost every country in the world. SimOptions has so-called international e-sim cards that work in Peru and up to 141 countries around the world.
Check out the international e-sim cards from SimOptions for traveling to Peru in 2024:
- 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
- 10 GB data for 14 days = $39.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order an international e-sim card for traveling in Peru via SimOptions.
Make sure that your phone is e-sim compatible and unlocked before ordering an e-sim card for Peru.
There are a couple more e-sim providers. One of them is Holafly but they offer e-sim cards with unlimited data. Traveltomtom is not a fan as there are restriction that slow down your data speed, very inconvenient! Another e-sim provider is Nomad and they have sometimes amazing e-sim card deals for tourists.
However, Traveltomtom faced some performance issues with Nomad e-sim cards and they will have to work on their reliability before it becomes a Traveltomtom top recommendation for Peru e-sims.
Lima International Airport (LIM)
The Jorge Chávez International Airport of Lima is relatively small and easy to navigate. When going through customs you are guided through the Duty Free and then you walk straight into the baggage hall. From here you pick up your luggage and walk into the Arrival hall.
The airport is located about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the city center, but about 22 kilometers (14 miles) from Miraflores, the most popular tourist area in Lima. The Lima Airport offers free WiFi for all passengers and it actually works pretty good.
Where to buy a sim card at Lima Airport
There used to be 3 sim card shops, but things seem to constantly change at Lima International Airport. Also keep an eye on the comment section at the bottom.
The easiest and most convenient place to buy a sim card for Peru at Lima Airport is the Claro shop at Arrivals. Located between luggage belt 1 and 2, just before you exit the baggage collection hall with all the luggage belts, near the customs check exit. You can’t miss it! However, this kiosk is the one that sells Peru sim cards for a ridiculous price!
The Claro shop in the arrival hall is open 24 hours and accept credit cards as well as Soles (local Peruvian currency). There are ATMs and Money Exchange all around the baggage claim, arrival and departure hall.
Then there used to be another Claro store at Departures. To reach Departures you will need to take the escalator in the Arrival Hall to the second floor and walk to your right to the departure hall. There used to be a Claro store that was selling prepaid sim cards for a normal price right in front of Domestic Departures.
As per feedback from Traveltomtom readers the Claro shop at Departures is (temporary) closed. Keep an eye on the comment section for any updates.
The 3th option is the new Peru Sim store in the Arrival Hall of Lima Airport, next to the official airport bus and taxi companies.
Prices prepaid sim cards at Lima Airport
All info below is up to date as per April 2024. Prices are in Peruvian Soles: $1 USD = 3.7 Soles and 10 Soles = $2.7 USD.
Claro store Arrivals
As I dropped already a couple times before this is the store where tourists get scammed if you ask me. If you really desperately want to buy a sim card immediately on arrival at Lima Airport then this is your place. These are their Peru sim card deals for tourists:
- 14 GB data + unlimited calls and social media for 1 week = $59 USD
- 25 GB data + unlimited calls and social media for 2 weeks = $108 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls and social media for 3 week2 = $157 USD
I told you prices are insane! Now you understand why I call buying a sim card for tourists at Lima Airport a SCAM!
Claro store Departures (temporary closed)
However, at the Claro store at in the Departure Hall of Lima Airport they sell prepaid sim cards for Peru for a local price:
- 4 GB data + unlimited calls and social media for 10 days = 35 Soles - $9 USD
PLEASE UPDATE ME WHEN THIS CLARO STORE REOPENS!
Peru Sim
At the Peru Sim in the arrival hall you also pay the tourist price:
- 5 GB data + unlimited calls/sms + free social media apps = $21 USD
- 15 GB data + unlimited calls/sms + free social media apps = $27.5 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls/sms + free social media apps = $37.5 USD
Best Peru sim card at Lima Airport
Please do NOT buy a sim card for Peru at the Claro store at Arrivals. These prices are exactly the reason why I write these travel blogs and arrival guides and provide travel tips for fellow travelers. Don't fall for these extremely overpriced tourist traps.
International sim cards for Peru are more expensive than local prepaid sim cards, but it depends what you want. An international sim card will be delivered to your home address before your trip. For $24.90 USD you get 10 GB data in Peru for 30 days.
E-sim cards are the easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Peru but rather expensive as $21 USD only gives you 3 GB data for 30 days.
Whenever the Claro Store at Departures reopens that is by far the best place to buy a sim card for tourists at Lima Airport.
But right now, as this Claro store is closed, you should consider Peru Sim. When you walk out from Baggage Claim into the Arrival Hall you will find them.
Here is my vlog about my arrival at Lima International Airport and tried to buy a sim card for my trip to Peru. At my time of visit the Peru Sim store did not exist yet, so you won't this sim card shop in my vlog, but it will give you a first impression of what it looks like arriving at Lima Airport.
In the end I did NOT buy a sim card at Lima Airport, but that was due to the fact that the Claro store at Departures had a little trouble with the system and I had to wait 30 minutes. Since I arrived late at night and I was tired I decided to buy an e-sim card for Peru and the next day in Lima city center I bought a prepaid sim card for tourists.
In case you also missed the opportunity buying a sim card at Lima Airport, you want more info about the best 4G/5G network in Peru or you really want to get the best deal then check out my complete guide for buying a sim card in Peru in 2024. For 25 Soles ($6 USD) you get 4 GB data for 30 days.
Order a prepaid sim card for Peru online
If your phone is not e-sim compatible but you would like to order a sim card for traveling to Peru online before your trip then check out the following.
Arrive prepared in Lima 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 Lima, basically when the plane lands you are instantly online.
SimOptions is the only sim card provider that sells physical prepaid sim cards for Peru:
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 10 GB data for 14 days = $49.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order an international sim card for Peru via SimOptions.
In fact, Traveltomtom recommends the Three Data Pack 10GB because it is one of the best value sim cards for Peru that you can order on the internet. This physical prepaid sim card is only $2.49 USD per Gigabyte. This is even cheaper than some e-sim cards for Peru.
However, e-sim cards are so easy to use that Traveltomtom often pays a little more for this convenience. If you feel the same way and your phone is e-sim compatible then here is a last reminder that you can arrange everything online by ordering an e-sim card for Peru.
Traveltomtom recommends ordering an e-sim card for Peru via SimOptions or Airalo.
How to get from Lima Airport to the city center
At the airport you will find the Airport Express Lima bus that runs from the airport to the city and vice versa from 06.00 am till 11.00 pm. A bus tickets is cheap and only costs like 12 Soles one-way ($3 USD). The bus has multiple stops along the way as well as several stops in Miraflores. The bus ride often takes more than 1 hour, depending on the time of the day and traffic situation.
My preferred way to go from Lima Airport to the city is to take an Uber from the airport. To Miraflores, my favorite place to stay in Lima an Uber costs around $12 USD. An Uber comfort will cost you a little more: 60 Soles - $15 USD. The Uber can be arranged through the free WiFi of the airport and the ride will take between 30-40 minutes.
I hope all the above tips for buying a sim card for traveling in Peru at Lima Airport were helpful and if you still have any questions then please leave me a comment below. I will try to help you out as much as I can.
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 April 2024 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go.
Enjoy your trip to Lima!
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