The plane lands in an hour. You're at the airport, waiting for the boarding announcement, and then it hits you – have you checked that your phone is ready for browsing abroad? If the answer is "not yet," you're not alone. Thousands of Israeli travelers arrive at destinations like Finland, Turkey, or Austria without a clear internet connection plan, and only at the hotel or a Wi-Fi café do they realize they're in trouble.
The good news? You can fix this right now, in 10 minutes. Here's a digital checklist that will make sure you arrive at your destination ready.
1. Check that your phone supports eSIM
If you have an iPhone 13 and above or a Samsung Galaxy S20 and above (and most new phones), you're good. If you're not sure, go to Settings, search for "Cellular" or "SIM," and check if there's an option to add an "eSIM" or "Digital SIM." If you see it, you're ready.
2. Make sure you have room for an additional eSIM
On one phone you can use two SIM cards at the same time – your physical card from Cellcom or Pelephone, and an additional eSIM for browsing abroad. Check in Settings how many cards are already installed. If you only have one, you have room.
3. Download the nRed app or visit the website
Before your flight, while you're in Israel with a stable internet connection, buy your eSIM package. If you're traveling to Finland or one of the 40 other countries where nRed is active, choose your destination, select your package size (depending on how many days you're there and how much browsing you need), and buy. You don't need to wait until you arrive at your destination.
4. Scan the QR code on your phone
After your purchase, you'll receive a QR code. Scan it with your phone's camera, or open the link you received in the message. Within seconds, the eSIM will install itself. No physical card needed, no waiting for mail, no need to swap cards at a store.
5. Check that your Israeli line is still active
This is the important part. After installing the eSIM, check in Settings that you have two active cards – the Israeli one (Cellcom/Pelephone) and nRed. Usually, when you're abroad, you switch your primary card to nRed to browse, but the Israeli one stays active. This means your family's WhatsApp group can reach you, and you can use both numbers at the same time if needed.
6. Check the travel requirements of your destination
Before you fly to Finland or any other destination, check if there are any special requirements. In Europe, for example, you'll need the ETIAS (digital authorization) starting in 2025. In the United States you need ESTA. Check this now, because it's directly related to your internet connection – you'll need it to fill out the forms.
7. Set up alerts for data usage
Before you fly, set up an alert in your phone's settings when you use all the data in your package. You don't want to arrive on the last day of your trip and discover you've run out of gigabytes.
Summary: 10 minutes now, complete peace of mind abroad
That's it. If you've done all this, you can enjoy your trip without being glued to searching for Wi-Fi. Your Israeli line stays active, you can share photos from Finland or Turkey directly, and stay connected. And when you get back home, you simply switch back to your Israeli card – no hassle.
Have a good flight.