Apple’s New iPhone Air Is eSIM-Only—and It’s a Game Changer for Travelers

The recently-launched iPhone Air has a brand-new feature perfect for world travelers around the globe: its eSim-only design.

The innovation, which Apple said helped make the phone thinner and lighter, will allow customers around the world connect when they travel either by using international roaming plans from their home carrier or through a local prepaid option (eliminating the need to keep track of tiny, country-specific physical sim cards). Apple said eSIMs are supported by more than 500 carriers around the world, including popular ones in the United States like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.

The innovation comes years after Apple eliminated physical SIMs for iPhones sold in the U.S. in 2022, TechCrunch reported.

“eSIM offers greater flexibility, better security, and seamless connectivity compared to traditional physical SIM cards,” Apple wrote in a statement. “For better security, eSIM cannot be physically removed if an iPhone is lost or stolen, and managing travel eSIMs is even easier with a new streamlined setup in iOS 26.”

With an iPhone, it’s possible to have two active eSIMs simultaneously to keep both your regular number and the number of the country you’re traveling to active at the same time.

The new iPhone Air is the thinnest the company has ever made at only 5.6 millimeters and features a 6.5-inch screen with storage starting at 256 GB. It will be sold in four colors: space black, cloud white, light gold, and sky blue. New iPhone Air devices are currently on sale for $999.

In addition to the iPhone Air, Apple introduced a new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max with a brand-new Telephoto camera.

“iPhone 17 Pro is by far the most powerful iPhone we’ve ever made, with a stunning new design rebuilt from the inside out to maximize performance and deliver an enormous leap in battery life,” Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said in a statement.

Apple’s annual hardware event also saw the company announce a spate of new design features for its Apple Watch and AirPods, including the new AirPods Pro 3, which will now feature live translation directly into your ears. Other innovations included an Apple Watch with blood pressure-monitoring capabilities, new colors, and new iPhone accessories like crossbody straps.

Apple also offers other travel-friendly products like AirTags, which use a Bluetooth signal that connects to the company’s Find My network to locate your devices. The option can be clutch when it comes to locating lost luggage.