Can You Buy a SIM Card at the Airport? Hours and Gaps by Airport

Your flight lands at 1 a.m. The carrier counter is closed, or this airport never had one. The terminal Wi-Fi shows up in your list but will not connect, and now you have no map, no ride app, and no way to message your host. So can you buy a SIM card at the airport? At big hubs, usually yes, even late at night. At small airports, often no. The table below shows who is open and where no counter is listed at all.

If your phone supports eSIM, the safer plan is to install one at home. It connects after you land, at any hour.

In short:

  • Yerevan, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, and Istanbul IST list counters open around the clock.
  • Batumi and Chiang Mai counters close in the evening, so a late landing can leave you with nothing.
  • Gyumri, Hua Hin, Trat, Da Lat, and Van Don have no carrier counters on the lists we checked.
  • Bring your physical passport. Many newer iPhones sold in the US have no SIM tray, so a plastic SIM may not fit.

Airport counter hours at a glance

These hours come from carrier and airport pages. Dates are in the Sources section, and airports change hours with little notice.

CountryAirportCounters and hours
ArmeniaYerevan (EVN)Viva: two service centers, arrivals hall and luggage hall, 24/7. Team: 24/7
ArmeniaGyumri (LWN)No Viva, Team, or Ucom center listed
GeorgiaTbilisi (TBS)Silknet: 24/7, with breaks around flights. Cellfie: 24 hours. Magti: daily, hours not listed
GeorgiaKutaisi (KUT)Silknet: 24/7. Cellfie: set to arrivals. Magti: daily, hours not listed
GeorgiaBatumi (BUS)Silknet: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Cellfie: set to arrivals. No Magti point
ThailandBangkok (BKK)AIS: two 24-hour points on the second floor, arrivals
ThailandChiang Mai (CNX)AIS: 8:15 a.m. to 10 p.m. dtac: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. True: 9:30 a.m. to midnight
ThailandU-Tapao (UTP)AIS and True in Terminal 2, hours not listed
ThailandKrabi (KBV)True partner point, hours not listed. No AIS
ThailandHua Hin (HHQ), Trat (TDX)No carrier shops listed
VietnamHanoi (HAN), Ho Chi Minh City (SGN)Viettel: counter that usually serves international flights, including overnight ones
VietnamDa Nang (DAD)Seven counters, restricted arrivals area by baggage claim
VietnamDa Lat (DLI), Van Don (VDO)No carrier counters

For Turkey and Japan, see our guides to Istanbul airport SIM cards and Narita airport SIM cards. Istanbul IST lists five points open 24/7. At Narita, most counters close at 9 p.m.

What to do in each case

The counter is open all night

Go straight there, before you leave the secure area. In Da Nang, the airport says the counters are in the restricted arrivals zone, so once you walk out you cannot go back. Show your passport, say how many days you need, and ask for the full price in local currency, the data amount, and the end date.

Before you walk away, turn off Wi-Fi and open a map. It is much easier to fix a problem at the counter than at your hotel.

The counter closes in the evening

Batumi's Silknet desk shuts at 8 p.m. In Chiang Mai, True stays open latest, until midnight, and dtac closes first, at 9 p.m. Land after that and you are looking at a ride into town with no data. An eSIM installed at home solves this, and so does a ride booked in advance.

There is no counter

At Gyumri, Hua Hin, Trat, Da Lat, and Van Don, don't count on buying a SIM in the terminal. You will have to find a shop in town, and you need a map to get there. An eSIM makes more sense here. See plans for Thailand, Vietnam, Georgia, and Armenia.

Three things that can stop you at the counter

Your phone has no tray. Many newer iPhones sold in the US are eSIM only. A plastic SIM will not help, so ask for an eSIM, or set one up before you fly.

Your phone is locked. Apple says an iPhone must be unlocked to use a travel eSIM from another provider, and the same goes for a local SIM. Check under Settings > General > About. Carrier Lock should read No SIM Restrictions. Ask your US carrier to lift a lock well before you leave.

You left your passport in a bag. Thailand, Vietnam, and Armenia register a SIM to your passport, and Georgia may ask for it. Vietnam goes further. Since April 15, 2026, Circular 08/2026/TT-BKHCN has required new numbers to be confirmed with a face scan, so expect a photo at the counter.

There is one more catch for Americans. If you swap out your US SIM for a local one, your US number goes quiet, and bank texts stop reaching you. Our guide on keeping your US number abroad covers how to run two lines.

Airport Wi-Fi: what to expect

Free Wi-Fi is a backup, not a plan. The network can appear in your list and still refuse to connect. Here is what airports say.

  • Tbilisi: free, with no sign-up, in most halls.
  • Batumi: free across the terminal, says the airport.
  • Chiang Mai: network AOT Airport Free Wi-Fi by NT. Sign in with an email address for a 60-minute session.
  • U-Tapao: network Free WiFi @ utapao.
  • Hanoi: network @Airport Free Wifi - Goldsun, with a login page after you connect.
  • Da Lat: free in waiting areas and at check-in, and access may be cut back at peak times.
  • Van Don: the whole terminal is covered. Look for a network with VDO and Guest in the name.

Do not enter passwords or open your bank on open airport networks.

What to do at home before you fly

  1. Check your phone. Run our phone check. You can also dial *#06#, and if an EID line appears, the phone supports eSIM.
  2. Install an eSIM over Wi-Fi. It sets up with a QR code. Plan days count from your first connection in the country you are visiting, so installing early does not use them up.
  3. Save the basics offline. Write your hotel address in Latin letters, and download an offline map of the city.
  4. Pack the passport in your carry-on. You will want it close if you end up at a counter anyway.

Moosetrip eSIMs are data only, and your US number stays on as a second line. You can add data to the same eSIM later. Prices on 2026-10-30:

Destination1 GB, 7 days5 GB, 30 days10 GB, 30 days
Thailand$5.50$13$19.50
Vietnam$4.50$14$24
Georgia$4.50$14$26
Armenia$5.50$17.50$30.50

A local SIM can still be the better deal. Choose one if you want a local number or plan a long stay with heavy data use. And if your US plan already includes enough data abroad, you may need neither. Our TravelPass comparison runs the math for Verizon.

Questions

Can I buy a SIM card at the airport at night?

It depends on the airport. Viva lists 24/7 service centers at Yerevan, and AIS listed two 24-hour points at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi on 2026-10-01. Viettel counters in Vietnam usually meet overnight international flights. At Batumi, Silknet closes at 8 p.m.

What if there is no SIM counter at my airport?

Do not plan on buying a SIM there. Install an eSIM before you fly, so you have data for the ride into town. Otherwise, connect to the airport Wi-Fi if it works, and find a shop in the city.

Can I buy a SIM card at the airport without a passport?

Most likely not. Thailand, Vietnam, and Armenia register SIM cards to your passport, and Georgia may ask for it too. In Vietnam, a new number also needs a face scan.

Will a SIM from the airport work in my iPhone?

Only if the phone has a tray and is unlocked. Many newer iPhones sold in the US have no tray, so you would need an eSIM.

Can I just use free airport Wi-Fi instead?

As a backup, yes. Many airports offer it, but sessions can be short and the network may not connect. Chiang Mai, for one, gives 60 minutes. Arrive with an eSIM and keep Wi-Fi as your second option.

Sources

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