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Planning a trip abroad from the US? Top local providers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have plans and passes for frequent travelers and short trips. Let’s take a look at some of the best international plans from each provider, including their pricing, coverage, and features.

If none of these feel like the right choice for you, we’ll also introduce Holafly Plans — an eSIM subscription plan that allows you to stay connected in 170+ destinations worldwide with a single eSIM.

best international phone plans

Best phone plans with international roaming

If you travel abroad frequently, getting a roaming-inclusive monthly plan is the way to go. These plans cost a little more every month, but don’t include any additional costs for using your phone abroad. Let’s take a closer look at the best international phone plans in the US.

AT&T Unlimited Premium

AT&T Unlimited Premium is the most extensive AT&T international roaming plan. It extends your home plan’s allowances to the US, Canada, Mexico, and 20 Latin American countries. No AT&T plan offers include roaming further afield.

For $85.99/month, you get unlimited talk, text, and unlimited high-speed data in the covered destinations. This means that nearly all of North, South, and Central America is included, but you don’t get any roaming in any other continents.

T-Mobile Experience Beyond

The Experience Beyond plan is the way to go if you want to travel frequently with your T-Mobile plan. For $105 per month, it allows you to use your T-Mobile eSIM or SIM in 215+ destinations worldwide, which means you get international data pretty much wherever you go. 

Unlimited texts in all 215+ destinations are also included. However, the plan only offers international calls in the US, Canada, and Mexico. As for data, you get unlimited data within the US, up to 30 GB to use in Canada and Mexico, and up to 15 GB for all other destinations combined.

Verizon International

Verizon’s International Monthly plan is another one that offers near-worldwide coverage. You get to use Verizon international roaming in 210+ destinations worldwide for $100/month.

The phone plan includes unlimited data and texts as well as 250 minutes of international calls per month. That said, you only get 20 GB of high-speed data, after which, the speed slows down to 3G. This plan acts like an add-on to your current plan, so you can either add the plan for one month only or get billed for it every month.

Best roaming passes for international travel

Roaming-inclusive monthly plans are too expensive if you only travel once or twice a year. Thankfully, all major US-based providers offer international roaming pass options that allow you to keep using your phone abroad on shorter trips, all while avoiding pay-per-use roaming fees. 

AT&T International Day Pass

You can use your regular AT&T eSIM or SIM card abroad with their International Day Pass. For $12 per day, you can access your regular allowance of data, calls, and texts in 210+ destinations worldwide. You can also get a Cruise Pass for $20 per day, which gives you up to unlimited calls, texts, and 500 MB of data usage in 400+ cruises worldwide.

Once you enable the International Day Pass option on your AT&T account, the daily fee is charged automatically whenever you use your phone abroad.

T-Mobile International Pass

T-Mobile has three different international pass options, allowing you to pick one that suits the duration of your stay abroad:

Pass durationData allowancePrice
1 day512 MB$5
10 days5 GB$35
30 days10 GB$50

You can get T-Mobile international roaming passes in the same 215+ destinations that are covered by T-Mobile’s Experience Beyond plan. On top of data, all plans also include unlimited calls.

Verizon Travel Pass

Verizon’s Travel Pass is nearly identical to AT&T’s roaming pass. For $12 per day, you get access to unlimited data, calls, and texts in 210+ destinations. Only the first 5 GB/day is high-speed data, after which, the speed is reduced to 3G.

Travel Pass is enabled by default on most Verizon eSIM and SIM card cell phone plans, and you’ll be charged automatically whenever you use your phone outside of the US. If you don’t want to use this plan, you can disable this option through your Verizon account settings.

Which are the best international phone plans in the US?

At the end of the day, there’s no wrong or right international phone plan for all users. All three local SIM card providers mentioned above offer data roaming, phone calls, and texts abroad, so it’s up to you to choose a plan that suits your personal needs. Let’s have a quick overview of their plans to help you make your decision.

PlanData allowanceCoveragePrice
AT&T Unlimited PremiumUnlimitedNorth and Latin America$85.99/month
AT&T International Day PassSame as your monthly plan215+ destinations$12/day
T-Mobile Experience BeyondUp to 30 GB in Canada and Mexico, up to 15 GB in other destinations215+ destinations$105/month
T-Mobile International Pass512 MB for 1 day, 5 GB for 10 days, 15 GB for 30 days215+ destinations$5 for 1 day, $35 for 10 days, $50 for 30 days
Verizon International20 GB high-speed data, unlimited 3G210+ destinations$100/month
Verizon Travel Pass5 GB high-speed data, unlimited 3G210 + destinations$12/day

Before buying one, make sure that these international phone plans work at the destination you plan to visit. Sure, most of them offer near-worldwide coverage, but you don’t want to spend your money only to learn that your holiday destination isn’t a part of it.

Holafly Plans: Get global coverage for less

What if you want near-global coverage, but don’t feel like splurging $100 per month or more on your plan? Holafly Plans allows you to save money and avoid international roaming fees with its monthly eSIM subscription. 

Holafly Plans offers some of the best unlimited plans for as little as $64.90/month. The eSIM covers 170+ destinations worldwide, which includes all the popular holiday spots, as well as the US, making it perfect for digital nomads, frequent international travelers, or those simply wanting to enjoy a reliable connection wherever they are.

The subscription doesn’t include any long-term contracts or cancellation fees. Simply buy your eSIM, use it for as long as you like, and cancel when you no longer need it.

If you only need coverage for a short-term trip, check out Holafly’s eSIMs for international travel. All eSIMs include unlimited data, and you can get yours as cheap as $1.55/day, depending on your destination and the duration of your plan. That’s almost eight times cheaper than daily roaming passes by AT&T or Verizon. Spend your money wisely, choose Holafly.

Visiting the US from abroad? Check out our articles on travel SIM cards by local providers:

Frequently asked questions

Which carrier has the best international plan?

AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile are all local carriers with international plans. However, if you want unlimited global data, go with Holafly Plans: an eSIM subscription that offers unlimited data in 170 destinations for $64.90/month.

What is the best option for a phone when traveling internationally?

When traveling internationally, it’s often best to go with international phone plan providers, such as Holafly, as they tend to offer services that are tailored to travelers instead of local users.

What is the cheapest way to use a cell phone internationally?

If you need unlimited global data, Holafly Plans is the cheapest option at $64.90/month. T-Mobile and Verizon also have roaming-inclusive plans with global coverage, but they’re priced at $105 and $100 per month respectively.

Which mobile network is best for international calls?

Verizon’s International plan is one of the best for international calls, as it offers 250 minutes of calls per month from and to 210+ destinations.

Rokas Aniulis

Rokas Aniulis

Senior SEO copywriter

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.

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