Prices in pounds · O2 prices checked 6 November 2026
O2 roaming in the USA vs a travel eSIM
In the USA, O2 uses its O2 Travel prices. Here is what that costs for a long weekend, a week and a fortnight, next to a data-only travel eSIM for the same trip.
Photo: Bernd Dittrich on Unsplash
O2 vs eSIM in the USA: 3, 7 and 14 days
O2’s lowest published option in the USA for each trip length, next to a Graba SIM USA plan with about 0.7 GB a day.
- 3 days
- 7 days
- 14 days
O2 roamingGraba SIM eSIM
| Trip | O2 | Graba SIM eSIM | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| A long weekend3 days | £21.00£7 a day × 3 | £4.495GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £16.51 less |
| A week7 days | £49.00£7 a day × 7 | £4.495GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £44.51 less |
| A fortnight14 days | £98.00£7 a day × 14 | £13.4915GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £84.51 less |
What’s included: O2: unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps. Graba SIM: data only, prepaid; your O2 SIM stays in your phone for calls and texts. Graba SIM prices are live; O2 prices checked 6 November 2026.
Sources: O2 roaming (checked 6 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Graba SIM USA plans: data, validity and total price
The 15GB plan costs much more than the smaller sizes here. At about 0.7 GB a day, most week-long trips need around 5 GB.
Each plan is a one-off price for one eSIM. It starts when it first connects in the USA, and hotspot use comes out of the same data.
Using your phone in the USA
- JFK New York JFK
- EWR Newark
- MCO Orlando
- MIA Miami
- LAX Los Angeles
- New York City
- Strong signal across Manhattan and the other boroughs, and at most subway stations.
- Orlando and Florida
- Theme park apps for queues, maps and food orders use data all day. Allow about 1 GB a day.
- California road trips
- Highway 1 through Big Sur has long stretches with no signal at all. Save offline maps first.
- Las Vegas and the desert
- Good on the Strip. Roads to the Grand Canyon and Death Valley have big gaps.
- National parks
- Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion have little or no signal away from visitor centres and lodges.
Networks our USA plans use: VerizonAT&T
- The plan gives you data, not a US phone number. Keep your UK SIM switched on for bank codes, and call with WhatsApp or FaceTime.
- Most visitors use 1 to 2 GB a day for maps, rideshare apps and messaging, so a 30-day plan covers a two-week trip with room to spare.
Going further with O2
- Canada (Niagara Falls and Vancouver to Seattle trips): O2 charges £7 a day.
- Mexico (side trips to Cancún or Tijuana): O2 charges £7 a day.
- Bahamas (cruises from Miami and Port Canaveral): O2 charges £7 a day.
What you get for the money
O2 Travel Bolt On
- £7 a day, charged only on days you make a call, send a text or use data. Receiving calls and texts doesn’t trigger it.
- Calls to the UK and within the destination are included; calls to other countries are not.
- O2 Travel starts a 24-hour charge the first time you call, text or use data. Receiving calls and texts doesn’t start it.
Graba SIM USA eSIM
- 4 plan sizes for the USA, from 1GB, 7 days to 20GB, 30 days, each a one-off price.
- Runs on Verizon, AT&T in the USA, with 5G where the network offers it.
- Data only. Your O2 SIM stays on for calls and texts, so bank codes still reach you in the USA.
O2 in the USA: questions
How much does O2 roaming cost in the USA?
£7 a day with the O2 Travel Bolt On: unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps. For a trip, that is 3 days: £21.00 (£7 a day × 3); 7 days: £49.00 (£7 a day × 7); 14 days: £98.00 (£7 a day × 14).
Is a travel eSIM cheaper than O2 in the USA?
It depends on the trip. Comparing O2’s lowest published option with a Graba SIM plan of about 0.7 GB a day: 3 days, the eSIM is £16.51 less; 7 days, the eSIM is £44.51 less; 14 days, the eSIM is £84.51 less. O2’s price also includes unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps.
Will a USA eSIM work in Canada or on a cruise?
A USA-only plan works on US networks only. If you cross into Canada or Mexico, check the plan’s coverage list or add a plan for that country. At sea, cruise ships use their own maritime networks, which travel eSIMs don’t cover and UK networks charge separately.
How much data do I need for two weeks in the USA?
Most people use 1 to 2 GB a day for maps, rideshare apps and messaging, so 10 to 20 GB covers a typical fortnight. Streaming video or sharing data with a laptop uses more.