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AT&T international roaming: Costs, plans, and alternatives
Looking to use your AT&T plan abroad? Learn all you need to know about AT&T international roaming prices, plans, and alternatives.
Planning a trip abroad and not sure if you’ll be able to use your phone outside the US? AT&T international roaming allows you to make calls, send texts, and use cellular data pretty much anywhere in the world. That said, it does come with extra costs. Follow along to learn all you need to know about AT&T roaming plans, costs, and alternatives to consider.
Avoid excessive roaming fees
Don't get caught out by data roaming charges. Use local networks at local rates.
What is AT&T roaming?
AT&T roaming is what allows you to keep using your regular AT&T eSIM or SIM card when traveling abroad, providing you the ability to make and receive calls, use data, and send text messages. When you cross an international border, you will automatically be connected to a local network in the country you’re visiting, so you get the same coverage as the locals do.
That said, you need to either have a roaming pass or a roaming-inclusive monthly plan to use roaming. Let’s take a closer look at the options available and what they offer.
AT&T roaming plans and prices
There are multiple ways to get roaming with AT&T, with different options catering to both frequent travelers and one-time trips.
Roaming-inclusive monthly plans
If you travel frequently, you can get a monthly plan that includes roaming. These plans cost more every month, but don’t require additional payments when you travel to the covered destinations.
That said, the coverage options for monthly plans are fairly limited. Most pay-monthly and pay-as-you-go plans include unlimited talk, text messages, and data in Mexico and Canada. If you want more destinations, the AT&T Unlimited Premium plan offers coverage in 20 Latin American countries, but costs $10-15/month more per line than other Unlimited plans.
If you’re traveling outside the coverage zone of your plan, you’ll still have to get an additional roaming pass.
Roaming pass
Some cell service providers have complicated roaming pass selections with unique pricing for nearly every destination. AT&T isn’t one of them. The company keeps it simple with a single international day pass for any of the 210+ destinations that offer roaming with an AT&T plan.
The pass comes with a daily fee of $12, with $6/day for any additional lines used on the same day. This gives you access to your regular balance of calls, texts, and data at your destination, though your mobile internet speed can be capped if you use data-heavy apps for an extended period of time.
There are also roaming options for international long distance flights and a Cruise Travel Pass, which gives you the same perks but includes coverage on cruise ships for a daily fee of $20.
Travel passes activate automatically whenever you first make a call, send a text, or use mobile data abroad. The pass then stays active for 24 hours. To avoid accidental activation of the travel pass, make sure to turn off data roaming on your device and keep it off until you want to use mobile data.
Pay-per-use
Don’t feel like paying for an international day pass? You can opt out and prevent automatic activation by logging into your AT&T account on the website or app and turning off the international day pass service. However, doing so might not be a good idea.
By refusing the international roaming pass, you’ll be charged pay-per-use rates for all call minutes, texts, and data you use. With these rates, you might end up paying more for a 5-minute call than you would for a daily fee for your roaming pass that covers all your phone usage. Here are the international roaming charges for pay-per-use customers:
| Calls | Texts | Data |
|---|---|---|
| $1/minute in Canada and Mexico | $0.50 per text message | $2.05/MB |
| $2/minute in Europe | $1.30 for pictures and video messages | $10.24/MB on airlines |
| $3/minute in the rest of the world, cruises, and airlines |
Unless you only plan to send one or two messages abroad, international charges at pay-per-use rates will almost always be more expensive than a roaming pass or other alternatives for staying connected.
How to activate AT&T roaming
Before you activate data roaming, it’s a good idea to first make sure you won’t be charged pay-per-use rates. If you have a roaming-inclusive monthly plan, make sure the destination you’re visiting is included in the coverage. If you plan on using an international day pass, log in to your AT&T account and make sure the day pass option is turned on for all your phone lines.
With that done, simply go to the settings menu on your phone and turn data roaming on. Doing so will automatically connect you to a local network in your destination and you’ll be able to use your phone just as you would at home.
How to avoid AT&T roaming charges
Neither of the options above feels like the right fit for you? In recent years, using an eSIM for international travel has become the go-to alternative to carrier roaming. It only takes a few minutes to buy, set up, and activate your eSIM data plan. With plenty of options on the market today, you won’t have a hard time finding one that suits your needs.
Stay connected anywhere with Holafly
Don’t want to spend your holiday worrying about outrageous roaming charges or tracking your data usage? All Holafly eSIM plans include unlimited data and 24/7 customer support, offering you complete peace of mind during your stay.
The prices start at $1.55/day for the cheapest, long term plans. And even the most expensive plans are $6.90/day, or nearly two times cheaper than an AT&T day pass.
If you travel frequently or live a digital nomad lifestyle, you can also get a pay-monthly eSIM subscription. Holafly Connect includes coverage in 170+ destinations worldwide, all in a single plan. Simply choose a data limit that suits your needs, enjoy steady mobile internet for as long as you want, and cancel anytime.
Avoid excessive roaming fees
Don't get caught out by data roaming charges. Use local networks at local rates.
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A senior SEO writer from Lithuania, combining my passion for writing and travel at Holafly. With years of experience in technical fields, I'm here to answer all of your questions about staying connected. I specialize in turning even the most complicated topics into something everyone can understand.
