Travelling from the UAE? How to Avoid du and e& Roaming Charges with a Travel eSIM (2026)

Millions of UAE residents travel every year, for holidays in Turkey and Georgia, family visits to Egypt, India or Pakistan, Umrah in Saudi Arabia, or summer in Europe. And almost everyone has the same worry: roaming charges.

The good news is that you do not have to choose between keeping your UAE number and paying for expensive roaming data. With a travel eSIM, your du or e& number stays on your phone for calls, texts and OTP codes, while the eSIM handles your mobile data at local prices.

What UAE roaming costs in 2026

Both UAE carriers sell roaming packs. Based on their published starting prices in September 2026:

• e& (Etisalat): daily roaming packs start from AED 25 per day, and weekly packs from AED 100. The daily pack has a fair-use limit of 500 MB per day, after which speed drops to 64 kbps.
• du: unlimited daily roaming packs are around AED 25 per day.

Prices depend on the country and change often, so check your carrier's app before you travel. Without any roaming pack, pay-as-you-go roaming data is charged per small block of data and can become very expensive very quickly.

For a 7-day trip, a daily roaming pack at AED 25 adds up to about AED 175 (around $48).

What a travel eSIM costs for popular trips from the UAE

Here is what the same trip costs with a TripoSIM travel eSIM (prices in September 2026, before any discount):

Many destinations also have unlimited plans. See our guide to [daily limits on unlimited eSIMs](/blog/unlimited-esim-daily-limit-by-country-2026) to choose between unlimited and fixed data.

Will I still get calls, WhatsApp and bank OTP codes?

Yes, if you keep your UAE line switched on. This is the most important part of the setup:

• Your du or e& SIM keeps your UAE number. It can still receive calls and SMS, including OTP codes from UAE banks, while you are abroad (if your carrier allows incoming roaming, which is normally on by default).
• The travel eSIM only provides mobile data. Travel eSIMs are data-only, so they do not come with a phone number.
• WhatsApp keeps working with your UAE number, because WhatsApp is linked to your number, not to the SIM that provides your internet.

For the full explanation, read [can you receive OTP codes and bank SMS with a travel eSIM](/blog/can-you-receive-otp-codes-bank-sms-with-travel-esim).

One warning: incoming calls and SMS on your UAE line while roaming may still be charged by your carrier, depending on your plan. Receiving an SMS is usually free, but answering a normal phone call abroad often is not. Use WhatsApp calls instead where you can.

How to set it up (5 minutes, before you fly)

1. Check your phone supports eSIM. Most iPhones from the XR/XS onwards, and recent Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones, do. Use our [compatibility checker](/compatibility).
2. Buy your travel eSIM for your destination and install it at home on Wi-Fi by scanning the QR code. Your plan only starts counting days when you first use data at your destination.
3. Keep your du or e& line turned on so you can still get calls and OTP codes.
4. Set the travel eSIM as your mobile data line. On iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service → Mobile Data → choose the travel eSIM. On Android: Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Mobile data.
5. Turn OFF Data Roaming on your UAE line and turn it ON for the travel eSIM. This is the step that protects you from roaming data charges.

Not sure about the roaming switch? Our guide on [eSIM data roaming on or off](/blog/esim-data-roaming-on-or-off) explains it step by step.

Special cases for UAE residents

Umrah and Saudi Arabia: you can use a Saudi eSIM for data while keeping your UAE number. Read our [Hajj and Umrah eSIM guide](/blog/esim-for-hajj-umrah-complete-guide-2026) for Makkah and Madinah tips.

Family trips: each phone needs its own eSIM, and you can buy several at once for the whole family.

Work phones: some company phones are locked by IT. Check that you can add an eSIM before you travel.

GCC trips: some UAE plans include cheaper GCC roaming, so compare before short trips to Oman, Bahrain or Qatar.

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep my UAE number while using a travel eSIM?

Yes. Keep your du or e& SIM active on the phone. It keeps your number for calls, SMS and OTP codes, while the travel eSIM gives you mobile data.

Will WhatsApp change to a new number?

No. WhatsApp stays linked to your UAE number. The travel eSIM only provides the internet connection.

Is a travel eSIM cheaper than du or e& roaming?

For data, usually by a lot. UAE roaming packs start from about AED 25 per day, while a travel eSIM for a week in Turkey, the UK or Georgia typically costs a few dollars.

Do I need to remove my UAE SIM card?

No, please do not remove it. Keep it in the phone so you can still receive calls and bank OTP codes. Just turn off data roaming on that line.

When should I buy and install the eSIM?

Buy and install it at home on Wi-Fi a day or two before you fly. The plan only starts when you first use data at your destination.

The bottom line

For UAE residents, the smartest setup is simple: keep your du or e& number for calls and OTP codes, and use a travel eSIM for data. You stay reachable, your bank codes still arrive, and a week of data costs a few dollars instead of hundreds of dirhams. Find your destination on our [destinations page](/destinations) and install before you fly.