Verizon TravelPass and AT&T Day Pass vs a Travel eSIM: Cost by Trip Length
By Fei Pan
Head of Partnerships
Verizon TravelPass and AT&T International Day Pass both cost US$12 a day in most destinations, charged only on the days you use your phone abroad. Use it every day of a 14-day trip and that's US$168 for one line. A travel eSIM is a one-time data purchase instead, such as $9.49 for 10GB over 30 days in Japan, but it doesn't carry your US number for calls and texts.
How the carrier day passes charge
Verizon TravelPass. Verizon charges US$12 a day in TravelPass countries and US$6 a day in Mexico and Canada, only on the days you use your device there. Verizon also says calling, texting and data use in Mexico and Canada "are included at no extra cost with our Unlimited mobile plans", so check your plan features in My Verizon. A 24-hour session starts automatically when you make or answer a call, send a text or use data in a TravelPass country, and background data such as app refreshes, email syncing or software updates can start one too. In a country not included in TravelPass, Verizon charges Pay as You Go rates.
AT&T International Day Pass. AT&T charges US$12 a day on land, and US$20 a day if you use your phone on land and at sea on a cruise. You pay only for the days you use. Each additional line used on the same calendar day costs US$6.
Cost by trip length
Our calculation: daily price × number of days, for one line used every day. If you use your phone abroad on fewer days, the total is lower. This table covers only how the two day passes add up; for roaming against eSIM prices destination by destination, see our country-by-country roaming costs.
| Trip length | Verizon TravelPass (US$12/day) | Verizon in Mexico or Canada (US$6/day) | AT&T Day Pass on land (US$12/day) | AT&T on a cruise (US$20/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | US$84 | US$42 | US$84 | US$140 |
| 14 days | US$168 | US$84 | US$168 | US$280 |
| 30 days | US$360 | US$180 | US$360 | US$600 |
Travel eSIM prices for the same trips
A travel eSIM is priced per plan, not per day. Examples from Skylano, as listed on November 2, 2026:
| Destination | Plan | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 3GB for 15 days | $3.49 |
| Japan | 10GB for 30 days | $9.49 |
| Western Europe (41 destinations) | 3GB for 15 days | $14.49 |
| Western Europe (41 destinations) | 3GB for 30 days | $14.99 |
| Western Europe (41 destinations) | 10GB for 30 days | $38.49 |
See the full lists on the Japan eSIM page and the Western Europe eSIM page.
What each option gives you
- Day pass: you keep your US number for calls and texts, and you use your home plan's allowance under your carrier's terms. You pay for each day you use it.
- Travel eSIM: you buy a set amount of data for a set number of days. Skylano plans are data-only, so calls and SMS on your US number still go through your home line.
Neither one suits every trip. If you take lots of calls on your US number, a day pass may be simpler. If you mainly need maps, messaging and browsing, a data plan sized to your trip is worth pricing out.
Using both: your US number plus eSIM data
You can keep your home line on for calls and texts while the travel eSIM handles data. Apple notes that if you choose to use both lines, your travel eSIM is used for data, but you might still incur roaming fees from your home line. On Verizon, background data can start a TravelPass session, so turn off data roaming on your home line if you don't want to pay for a day.
More on dual-line setups: Can I keep my original number while using an eSIM?
T-Mobile and other carriers
Check your carrier's own site for current prices. Apple's advice before any trip is the same: see whether your plan already includes international roaming, or whether your carrier sells a travel pass you can buy ahead of time.
Heading to Canada? See Canada roaming vs travel eSIM. Visiting the US from abroad? Read our USA eSIM guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
TravelPass is US$12 a day in most TravelPass countries, so 14 days of daily use comes to US$168 for one line. A travel eSIM is a one-time price per plan, such as $9.49 for 10GB over 30 days in Japan on Skylano.
View full guideNo. AT&T says you pay only for the days you use it: US$12 a day on land or US$20 a day on land and at sea on a cruise.
View full guideYes. Your home line can stay on for calls and texts while the travel eSIM handles data. Turn off data roaming on your home line, because Verizon says background data can start a TravelPass session.
View full guideNo. A data-only travel eSIM adds data, not a new line for your number. Your US number stays on your home SIM or eSIM.
View full guideTake control of travel data costs
Compare your roaming plan with a Skylano travel eSIM before your next trip.
Keep reading
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