I spent much of the months of November and December overseas, with November having us start off in the Bahamas and then French Polynesia. We returned home for Thanksgiving, then took off the next day for Germany, Finland, and France. During the European portion of the trip, I remembered to use my free GigSky eSIM benefit, and it came in really handy in a pinch.
What is GigSky?
GigSky is a company that offers global access to cellular data plans via eSIM in many countries (their marketing materials say “200+ countries and destinations).
In short, you can buy an eSIM and connect to a cellular network in most countries around the world without needing to buy a local plan. Obviously, GigSky sells access to its services, but the key for me is that Visa Signature and Visa Infinite cardholders in the US can get complimentary access to a 15-day plan with each Visa Infinite or Visa Signature card they have.
I had forgotten about this benefit entirely and remembered it when I ran into a wall with my usual data plan on our recent trip abroad.
I usually just use T-Mobile
I’m on a T-Mobile plan from several years ago (Magenta Max) that includes 5GB per month of international high-speed data (then speeds slow).
Because I am often doing things like uploading pictures and videos to Instagram or using my phone as a hotspot to connect while mobile, I tend to run out of 5GB faster than most people would. Shortly into November, I ran out of my 5GB of free T-Mobile access.
I knew from past experience that I could buy an International Pass from T-Mobile for an additional cost. I tend to buy the highest level they offer, which is 15GB over 30 days for $50. Knowing that the 30 days would include the rest of my time in French Polynesia and also the first week of our trip to Europe, I bought that package.
I ran out of T-Mobile international data and couldn’t buy another pass: Enter my GigSky benefit
Just over a week into the European leg of our trip (the day before we ended up with an itinerary disrupted by a Finnair delay), I ran out of data on that pass. Since we were going to be in Europe for another week, I tried buying an additional pass from T-Mobile. For some reason, T-Mobile wouldn’t allow me to buy another pass until the 30-day validity period of the initial pass expired. I don’t think I’ve run into that problem before, but the system wasn’t letting me add a pass.
After several attempts to figure that out, I remembered that Visa Infinite cards qualify for a complimentary 15-day GigSky eSIM with 3GB of free high-speed data (I had forgotten that Visa Signature cards qualify for a free 15-day eSIM with 1GB of data, too — full details in this post). I had totally forgotten about this benefit, but I happened to see someone mention it on social media a few days prior, and it sprang back into my mind.
Thankfully, I still had the GigSky app installed on my phone from my previous attempt to use this benefit in May. I simply pulled up the GigSky app and clicked the tab at the bottom that says, “Visa Benefits”.
From there, the process was simple: I was able to enter my card number to “check for eligibility”.
The system verified that my card was eligible, and I was able to click “Buy Plan” at the bottom to “buy” the complimentary data plan (note that I was connected to free WiFi somewhere at the moment when I bought this).
Once I “bought” the plan for $0, I had to activate it in order to use it. That was simple/intuitive, but I didn’t take a screenshot.
From there, I had to select the network that I wanted my phone to use for data. The process for that likely varies by phone, and if you are using eSIM for your main carrier SIM card, I don’t know how easy it is to switch. In my case, I use a physical T-Mobile SIM card day to day and only install eSIM cards for short-term use like this. I was able to simply switch to the eSIM for data. The phone automatically updated the APN, but if you run into trouble, it is worth Googling for the APN settings.
In my case, the process seemed simple and intuitive enough to me. I even switched back and forth a couple of times when I needed to be on T-Mobile for some reason. By simply “turning off” the SIM card in use, my phone automatically asked me if I’d like to use the other SIM for data. Again, that process is going to vary by phone, but it wasn’t very difficult for me to navigate.
I ran out of data on the first 3GB eSIM that I used on this trip, so I actually had to do the process over again while I was at the airport in Helsinki, trying to troubleshoot what was going to be the missed connection for the rest of my family. While there was airport WiFi, it was going slowly, and I was trying to move quickly, so I was glad to be able to access 3GB of high-speed cellular data in a pinch!
The GigSky benefit is available on all US-issued Visa Signature and Visa Infinite cards
The GigSky benefit is currently offered on all Visa Signature and Visa Infinite cards in the US:
- Visa Signature cardholders receive a 1GB / 15 day complimentary plan, then 20% off all plans
- Visa Infinite cardholders receive a 3 GB / 15 day complimentary plan, then 30% off all plans
In both cases, cardholders get one complimentary GigSky global mobile plan per year (per qualifying card) and unlimited discounts at the 20%/30% levels.
I had initially tried GigSky while in Europe earlier this year, and I had very mixed results while at the Colosseum in Rome, but this time around, I used GigSky in Finland (both in Lapland and in Helsinki), Frankfurt, and Strasbourg (France), and it worked perfectly.
I haven’t even looked into the long-term cost of their plans because I have so many Visa Signature cards in our household. I ended up redeeming for two Visa Infinite sims during that last week in Europe this time, so I’ve redeemed three total complimentary Visa Infinite eSIMs this year. I don’t know whether the one per year resets in the new year (January 2026) or if it is based on the anniversary since last use, but either way this can be a great deal. I was certainly glad to have it, and next year it’ll probably save me $50 over paying for the 15GB from T-Mobile at some point.
Bottom line
Until my recent trip, I had completely forgotten about the GigSky benefit available on all US-issued Visa Signature and Visa Infinite cards. This is a great deal that was easy to use and provided excellent data coverage for my use case. As with any cell phone service, your mileage may vary: coverage may be stronger in some areas and weaker in others. It’s worth checking the GigSky site for coverage info and having a backup plan. But for the price, this benefit is hard to beat.
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
Might be a good time to update this post for Verizon users…
You CAN make VoIP calls on your phone using Google Voice. Just go to Settings, Make and Receive Calls and change to Prefer Wi-Fi and Mobile Data. Happy New Year!
My personal universal solution is now “JMP .chat” – $4.99 gets you a US or Canada number with unlimited worldwide SMS/MMS and 120 minutes of US/Canada calls per month (rechargeable @$1 for 120 minutes); it requires a separate data connection – either wifi or any SIM/eSIM – but is usable ANYWHERE. Phone calls to international numbers cost extra, but are reasonable.
They also sell NON-EXPIRING SIMs/eSIMS (including some international ones) that bill data at $6.99/Gigabyte. Expensive for heavy data users, but I use very little mobile data, so it’s ideal for me.
I like the chat service so much that I ported in my regular phone number and now they’re my only mobile provider, and with their data SIMs (I have US/Canada and European ones loaded) my phone roams automatically on the available networks as needed. It’s a shame they don’t offer foreign phone numbers, but maybe one day they’ll be able to.
Never heard about this – thanks for the info! Will try it out in a few days.
That’s a helpful reminder for if/when my primary “US + international” provider isn’t quite enough to get me through the month.
I’ve progressed from T-Mobile to Google Fi to US Mobile most recently, the latter providing unlimited service stateside plus 20 GB of data, 200 minutes of talk, and 250 texts per month in most of 200-ish supported countries when using the “Light Speed” (Tmo network) option, all for between $25 and $33 a month (when paying annually).
I’ve been using it in Southeast Asia for the past 12 weeks, and haven’t yet needed to supplement it with a local plan or travel eSIM. Granted, I don’t have the same bandwidth and data usage needs as a professional traveling writer/blogger, but I still find it to be a very generous amount of data with respectable coverage and speeds for everyday use.
The US Bank Altitude Connect offers 5GB free for 15 days. I recently used this in Hong Kong
I used it on a recent cruise. It was great at the ports, but virtually unusable on the ship.
Did you select a cruise plan, or the free plan?? I’m right the believe the free plan covers cruises.
I used the cruise plan – it was a Holland America Ship.
I also used this on a cruise back in August (Carnival, Med) and found it to be unusable 95% or more of the time at sea.
There is some fine print where it only works when you are 12 nautical miles or more from shore, and I *think* this is something the cruise ship controls. My cruise was traveling on a route that had it hugging the coast around Italy, through Messina, passing through Greek islands and going up the Dardanelles to Istanbul. I suspect we were often within 12 miles of a shore or it was happening often enough that the ship just kept the service off.
I had to work, and Carnival only sells day passes at an inflated rate once the sailing begins so I ended up paying more than I would have for good cruise wifi for half the service and endless frustration. But you win some you lose some. Shrug.
Downside of T-Mobile here is that if you’re on a device contract (i.e., are still paying on your phone), the phone is locked and you can’t add e-SIMs. Verizon and AT&T don’t have this restriction.
Have you tried? My phone is on a contract on T-Mobile and I had no difficulty using GigSky on it.
You can still be under contract and unlock the phone with some carriers. I was able to unlock my brand new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 60 days after I bought it on Verizon last year. It depends on the carrier and type of contract. You can call CS to ask and they’ll tell you what the terms are.
Verizon had a deal with the FCC to unlock all phones after 60 days as part of a spectrum agreement years ago.
Actually with a locked phone, T-mobile allows you to temporarily unlock the phone 5 times a year in case you are traveling abroad and need to switch to a Sim from a different carrier. You can request the unlocking directly via the T life app.
Good to know. Thanks.
For what it’s worth, I didn’t even request a temporary unlock. It just worked. I didn’t actually think about it until afterwards.
How people travel and try to work like that without being on Google Fi amazes me; it’s so seamless compared to eSim’s, etc.
I tried Fi for quite a while. Despite the fact that it supposedly ran on the T-Mobile network, there were numerous times when I’d have service on my T-Mobile phone and no service on the Fi phone, standing in the same (populated) place, with both phones being the same exact model. I eventually gave up on Fi largely because it just didn’t work as well as T-Mobile for me (and, again, I’m not talking about while home in a rural area, I’m taking in populated areas).
It would also be far more expensive for me. I have 9 lines on my T-Mobile plan with completely unlimited 5G data in the US (no throttle cap on my plan) and 5GB international per billing cycle for $128 total. Two lines on Fi would cost me $160/mo (if it’s still the $10/GB + $20 for voice?) and in the past, you would have to pay more after 15GB and it completely capped out at 22.5GB I believe. I have several lines that easily use 40-50GB/month.
Fi definitely makes sense for a lot of people, but it’s far from a universal solution.
Agreed, I use Fi for making calls while out of the country but after using the data portion of the plan ($10/GB), I felt like there were better options. We tend do use a good bit of data as well.
Now I have my phone and P2’s run dual Sim setups whenever we’re out of the country. The primary eSim is GoogleFi for calling and the secondary eSim is GigSky running a free plan. This means I can’t receive calls or texts on my day-to-day US number, which honestly I prefer when on vacation. Anyone that is “important” in my life has my GoogleFi number and knows they can call me on WhatsApp, Messenger, Signal, etc. Not ideal for a digital nomad or someone who can’t unplug, but I really like having this excuse 🙂
Google Fi shuts off international data after 90 days. You need to spend a month Stateside for it to reactivate I have no choice but to supplement it with e-sims. Not an ideal service for true nomads.
Tello works well for that. Just enable WiFi calling preferred and turn off roaming. It will usually use the secondary sims data for the calling/texting. Works on iPhones. Doesn’t work on certain android devices.
Hands down most slept on perk of US Bank Altitude Connect. Saved me probably 700 or so dollars over the course of the last 18 months.
GigSky is a good benefit. I have used it a couple of times. Now I just have US Mobile where you can pick any of the big 3 networks and roam almost anywhere. I get 20GB roaming per month and unlimited everything in the USA. $33/month per line. Now I don’t have to worry as I roam the majority of the time.
Note that the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect card continues to offer 5GB free every 15 days on GigSky, with no annual limit. U.S. Bank customer service is terrible, but the benefits of that card are excellent considering there is no annual fee.
Having never done international travel (but am about to) I’m a little confused.
It is data only.
Then how do people make phone calls when traveling?
I’ve been looking for answers to these questions, but nothing says flat out how to do things. You need calls and data. This esim (all?) only does data. Seems too restrictive.
You can either use what’s app or enable WiFi calling and call using you regular phone number
Needs obviously vary from one individual to another, so this certainly may not be a fit for you.
Personally, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve needed to make a phone call while abroad in the past decade (and I’ve been abroad several times a year every year apart from the pandemic). There just isn’t much that requires a voice call anymore. On those couple of times that I’ve needed to, I’ve done it via Google Voice on my computer connected to Wi-Fi (like during a recent trip, I needed to call to book a “free” cruise from a match, so I did it in the hotel room from my computer since Google Voice charged something like $0.02/min to call the US).
As I mentioned in the post, I have T-Mobile, which works in most countries and includes free texting to the US (on my plan). Calls to the US are $0.25/min on my plan, so in a pinch I could phone home (most modern flagship phones can use one SIM card to make phone calls and a different one for data, so in my case, my T-Mobile SIM was still in use for voice if I needed it while I was using the GigSky eSIM for data).
For your first time going abroad, it might just be easiest to figure out what your home cell phone company offers for international access rather than adding to the stress of the new experience by trying to juggle an unfamiliar (and limited) free eSIM. There are enough other things to spend time worrying about or ways to feel flustered due to lack of familiarity that I’d recommend keeping this component of the trip very simple for a first time international traveler. I like this benefit, but, for example, my parents have never traveled internationally. I probably wouldn’t start them out with trying to figure this out.
Just to be clear, Google Voice charges $0.00 to call the US or Canada from anywhere in the world while you’re on wifi or data. $0.02 per minute is more their rates for calling overseas through wifi or data.
Thanks for the correction! You are indeed right about this. I forgot that I also called the hotel in Frankfurt when we missed a flight in Helsinki — that’s the call that I thought was $0.02 per minute (looking at billing history, it actually says $0.03/min for that call). You’re right that the call to the US number was free!
20 cents per min, unless you call US on wifi.
You need to read about “WiFi calling”.
Look up VoIP
WhatsApp is the answer.
as long as you have data / wifi you can make regular phone calls via WhatsApp.
one of the reasons it’s a popular app especially for people who live outside the US.
No. WhatsApp does not make “regular” phone calls, unlike Google Voice or Skype (MS Teams).
Yes it does given your calling another WhatsApp number.
If you are trying to call non WhatsApp numbers then you are correct. However a lot of countries businesses in Asia / South America / Europe have WhatsApp support numbers/customer service available via what’s app.
I had great experience with GigSky when traveling Germany and Switzerland in September. I am an Android user while P2 is an iPhone user and we both had used Google Fi for data + calls internationally in the past. I downloaded the app and setup both our phones with GigSky eSims while waiting at baggage claim in Munich – it was pretty straightforward.
The best part (that surprised me) was you just install the eSim once and then when you run out of data and activate a new plan you don’t need to install a new eSim which was great.
Two main drawbacks I ran into were:
– The remaining data measurement in the GigSky app can be pretty off. The most reliable indicator for me that I had run out of data was getting a notification stating as such. Which means you need to keep notifications enabled and they send about 1-2 ad notifications for plan sales a week. Small but annoying.
– My Android was bought from Verizon and runs on the Verizon network when I’m in the US. The GigSky eSim I ended up with was an AT&T eSim, which meant that when I activated the eSim, my phone kind of re-initialized itself and installed all the AT&T account management apps and bloatware games that would come on the phone as if it was new out of the box. Then when I switched back to my Verizon eSim upon return to the states (my US plan doesn’t include any international data) it uninstalled the AT&T bloatware and reinstalled the Verizon bloatware I had uninstalled when I originally got the phone. It sounds like this may be avoidable from your article – I may have selected something wrong during setup. I’ll need to tinker with it.
All in all, thanks for writing on this great service!
It is nice to get 3 Gb of data for free but GigSky plans are generally expensive. I use esims from Jetpacglobal.com when traveling.