As Global eSIM Partner for World Aviation Festival and Aviation Festival Asia, Airalo play a critical role in connecting airlines with their customers around the world. And with Apple and Android releasing more devices that are eSIM-enabled, the opportunity for connectivity only grows.

In an exclusive interview, Patrick Dowling, Airalo’s Senior Director Global Partnerships, talks us through the current scope of the market as eSIMs transition from niche tech product to travel must-have.

We’re proud to be the first and only billion-dollar eSIM business in the world today. And that that’s really testament to how the vertical has scaled in recent years.

Airalo now work with 25 airlines around the world, including Delta, TUI, and United. Their eSIMs have not only been incorporated as an ancillary product and package holiday inclusion, but as a loyalty offering, with customers earning miles for spending on connectivity. Once passengers are connected in-destination, additional opportunities for airlines to consolidate their customer relationships open up, whether through personalised offers, push notifications, or disruption alerts.

But eSIM application goes beyond the customer. Airlines including Emirates have signed with Airalo to provide pilots and cabin crew with eSIMs, meaning workforces can communication with each other wherever they are in the world. Dowling explains:

eSIMs can be up to 90% cheaper than corporate roaming costs in some markets, so it’s a remarkable cost saving for airlines.

In the future, Dowling wants to keep spreading the world about eSIMs and make more people familiar with the installation process, something he describes as ‘probably the biggest friction point today’.

It’s all about making it easier to use the product, educating the market about the benefit of travel eSIM products. I think the world’s our oyster in terms of the amount of people who will be connected in the future.

🎥 Watch the video to get the full interview with Patrick Dowling.

Questions asked include:

  • What kind of opportunities do eSIMs present for global connectivity?
  • What footprint have you built up already in the aviation industry? Are there any live partnerships with airlines you’d like to highlight?
  • Beyond passengers, how can airlines use eSIMs to give more to their staff?
  • How will in-destination connectivity transform the travel experience?

Airalo are the Global eSIM Partner for Aviation Festival Asia 2026. Join us.

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