For Pakistan, India and the Gulf, an eSIM bought before departure avoids the airport SIM-shop queue and the risk of an unregistered number being blocked after a few days — a known issue with some Pakistani networks for foreign-registered SIMs. Compare a dedicated travel eSIM provider (such as Airalo or Holafly) against your UK provider's roaming add-on; for trips longer than a week, a local eSIM is almost always the cheaper option, but check your phone supports eSIM before relying on it as your only option.
Travel guide
An eSIM is usually cheaper and easier than a local SIM on these routes
Planning this trip?
Every route we cover has its own booking-window and peak-period guide.
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