Flying to New York for Black Friday weekend? The easiest way is to buy a US SIM as an eSIM package, install it at home before your flight, and activate it when you land. That way you'll have internet right at the airport: maps, ride booking, mobile payments, and video calls home—no need to find a SIM stand or remove your Israeli SIM from your phone.
Why having internet from the first moment matters on Black Friday
This year Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26. Black Friday is the next day, Friday, November 27, and Cyber Monday is Monday, November 30. If you're flying for this long weekend to shop, here's what you should arrange in advance.
The city is especially crowded those days. Lines are long, store hours change, and most information is in store apps and websites. Without internet on your phone, it's hard to navigate, hard to find friends who went to a different store, and hard to book a ride back to your hotel with shopping bags.
And if you're landing on the holiday itself, plan your route to the hotel using a maps app, not from memory.
US SIM: What to set up at home before your flight
1. Check that your phone supports eSIM. You can check on the eSIM compatibility check page. A phone locked to a specific carrier may not accept an eSIM from another company. 2. Choose a package for the United States on the eSIM packages for the United States page. If you're also continuing to Canada or Mexico, they have their own packages, and you can find all destinations on the continent on the eSIM for America page. 3. Receive a QR code by email right after payment. 4. Install at home on Wi-Fi, following the installation guide for iPhone and Android. Scan the code only once. 5. Give the line a clear name, like "USA", so you don't mix up the lines in settings. 6. Keep your Israeli SIM in your phone and turn off data roaming on it so your browsing doesn't go through it.
Menu names may vary depending on your phone model and operating system version.
Upon landing: Three settings at the airport
When the plane lands, before you leave the terminal:
1. Select the eSIM line as your cellular data line in your phone settings. 2. Turn on data roaming on the eSIM line (and only on it). 3. Check that it works: Turn off Wi-Fi for a moment and open a website in your browser. If it loads, you're browsing through nRed.
From here you can book a ride on an app like Uber or Lyft and check where the pickup point is, or check on maps how to get to the city by train.
Navigating the city and outlets
Around the city: A maps app with public transit mode saves a lot of time on the subway and buses. Reception underground isn't always continuous, so it's good to check your route before going down to the station.
Outlet shopping day: Many travelers go on a shopping day outside the city, like to Woodbury Common or Jersey Gardens. Before you go:
- Download an offline map of the area in case reception changes on the way.
- Save a screenshot of your bus ticket and return time.
- Mark a meeting point on the map if you're splitting up between stores.
Store apps: Many chains show inventory at the branch and special weekend hours in their app. It's convenient to check there before traveling to a distant store.
Mobile payments and authentication codes from your bank
Contactless payment: In New York you can pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay in many places, including on the subway and buses through the OMNY system. It's good to verify before your flight that your card is set up in your digital wallet, and check with your credit card company that it's approved for foreign transactions.
Authentication codes via SMS: When you shop on websites or add a card to your wallet, your bank or credit card company sometimes sends an authentication code via SMS to your Israeli number. An eSIM package for browsing doesn't receive these messages. Whether and how they'll reach you abroad depends on your Israeli carrier's roaming package, so it's worth checking with them in advance, or switching to authentication through your bank's app if that option is available.
Receipts: Take a photo of every receipt or save it to email. If you return an item or compare between stores, it saves arguments.
How much data you need for a shopping trip, and which package to choose
On a shopping trip you use your phone more than you'd think: maps all day, rides, store apps, photos of products to send home, and video calls in the evening.
- Volume-based package is right for you if you're mostly at your hotel with Wi-Fi and mainly use maps and WhatsApp.
- Unlimited package is right for you if you post stories, screen share with family at home, or just don't want to count. As shown on the package page, after 3GB of daily use, speed is reduced to 1 Mbps for the rest of that day.
- Package with calls and SMS: The United States also has packages that include, in addition to browsing, call minutes and SMS messages. The number of minutes and messages and the terms of each package are shown in the package details before payment. As shown on the package page, international outgoing calls are not permitted on these packages, so they're not intended for calls to Israel.
On the US packages page you can switch between three types: data packages, unlimited, and calls + SMS.
If your browsing runs out mid-trip, almost all US packages support top-up: you add browsing to the same eSIM through your account on the website, without installing a new eSIM. On the packages page this is marked as "top-up".
For a detailed calculation by days and usage, we have a guide on how much data you need abroad. And for those looking for the big picture on eSIM in the US, there's the complete guide to eSIM in the United States.
Battery, cold, and network congestion
- Battery: A full day of maps, photos, and mobile payments drains your phone battery, and in the cold it runs out even faster. Bring a portable charger, especially for an outlet shopping day.
- Congestion: In very crowded places, like Times Square or a big department store on Friday morning, the internet may be slower. Set a meeting point and time in advance so you're not dependent on a single message that didn't get through.
- Public Wi-Fi: On an open network in a mall or café, it's better not to enter credit card details. For payments, use your cellular data.
Frequently asked questions
When should I install the eSIM for a flight to New York? At home, a day or two before your flight, on Wi-Fi. Upon landing you just turn on the line and data roaming on it. As shown on the package page, the validity period begins when the eSIM first connects to a supported network, not at the time of purchase.
Will my Israeli line continue to work in the US? Your Israeli SIM stays in your phone, but whether you can receive calls and SMS on it, and at what cost, depends on your carrier's roaming package. It's recommended to turn off data roaming on it so your browsing doesn't go through it.
Can I use the same package in Canada too? A US package is intended for the United States. Canada has its own packages, and you can see all destinations on the continent on the eSIM for America page.
What do you do if there's no internet after landing? Check that the eSIM line is selected for cellular data and that data roaming is on, and restart your phone. If it still doesn't work, nRed support is available 24/7 through the support page.
What do you do if your browsing runs out mid-trip? Almost all US packages support top-up: you add browsing to the same eSIM through your account on the website, without installing a new eSIM. On the packages page this is marked as "top-up".
Ready for your flight?
Choose an eSIM package for the United States, install it at home, and land connected.
The current price appears on the packages page.
