Does an Airalo eSIM still work in Turkey if I installed it before arriving?

Yes. An Airalo Turkey eSIM installed and activated before you land connects to the Türk Telekom network as a roaming profile and works for its full validity. The block is on Airalo's storefront, not on the mobile network. What you cannot do is top it up when it runs out.

What can I use instead of Airalo if I am already in Turkey?

Simbye. It is the international eSIM store whose website and checkout still load from Turkish networks without a VPN. Its Turkey 10 GB, 30-day plan is about $13, or about $11 with the code NOMADISTAN15. If you also need a Turkish phone number, buy a prepaid tourist eSIM from Türk Telekom, Vodafone or Turkcell in a store with your passport.

Can I use a VPN to buy Airalo from inside Turkey?

Sometimes. The block is on Airalo's domains, so a VPN that works in Turkey can route around it. But Turkey has also blocked 27 or more VPN services, and Airalo's app may still fail on activation. Do not depend on it. Buy a provider that works from Turkey, or install Airalo before you fly.

Is Airalo Blocked in Turkey? (2026 Status)

Q: Is Airalo blocked in Turkey?

Yes, since 10 July 2025. Turkey's telecom regulator BTK blocked access from Turkish networks to Airalo's website, app and activation servers, along with Holafly, Saily, Nomad and about 33 other eSIM sellers. You cannot buy, install or top up an Airalo eSIM while connected to a Turkish mobile or Wi-Fi network.

Short answer: yes. Airalo has been blocked inside Turkey since 10 July 2025. The app opens to a blank screen and the website times out on Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom, and on most Turkish home Wi-Fi. An Airalo eSIM you installed before landing keeps working. One you have not installed yet cannot be bought, installed or topped up from here.

What happened

On 10 July 2025 BTK, the Turkish telecom regulator, issued a decision blocking access from Turkish networks to eight international eSIM sellers: Airalo, Saily, Holafly, Nomad, Instabridge, Mobimatter, Alosim and BNESIM. Two further decisions in July and September 2025 brought the total to about 37 providers. BTK has not published its reasoning or a consolidated list. The reporting from Turkish tech press is that these sellers are not licensed Turkish operators and do not store subscriber data in Turkey.

The block is a domain and app block. It stops your phone reaching Airalo’s servers. It does not stop the Türk Telekom radio network from serving an Airalo profile that is already on your phone.

Airalo status, 8 September 2026

What you want to do	Works from inside Turkey?
Use an Airalo eSIM installed and activated before arrival	Yes, for its full validity
Open the Airalo app or website	No
Buy a new Airalo plan	No
Install a plan you bought but did not install	No, the activation servers are blocked
Top up a running plan	No
Contact Airalo support	Not from the app or site; email may work

Checked from Istanbul on the date above. BTK has added providers three times without notice, so the position can only get stricter, not looser, until a provider gets licensed.

If you already have Airalo installed

Keep using it. Do not delete the profile, because you cannot reinstall it from here. Screenshot the ICCID and your order email in case something goes wrong. Plan for it to run out: buy more data than you think you need before you fly, and know what you will switch to when it ends.

If you are already in Turkey and need data now

Two options, and you can use both.

Simbye Turkey eSIM (affiliate link; 15% off through our link, or use code NOMADISTAN15 at checkout). Purchases and top-ups from Turkey have been reported. The 10 GB / 30-day plan was about $11 after the discount at our last price check. Confirm current coverage for your plan. Data only, no Turkish number.
A domestic prepaid eSIM from Türk Telekom, Vodafone or Turkcell, bought in a store with your passport. Around 1,000 to 1,500 TRY for a 20 to 25 GB tourist pack, and it gives you a +90 number for bank codes and delivery apps. It also starts the 120-day device registration clock on a foreign phone.

The full comparison, including prices for 30 days and the Turkish-number problem, is in our best eSIM for Turkey guide. The 120-day rule is in the SIM card and BTK registration guide.

If you have not left home yet

Airalo is still a fine choice on price per gigabyte, about $26 for 20 GB on Türk Telekom. Buy it at home, install it on Wi-Fi, and check that a network name shows under the eSIM in Settings before you leave for the airport. Buy more than you need, because there is no topping up once you are here.

Disclosure

The Simbye link on this page is an affiliate link. Using it supports this site at no cost to you. Airalo’s block status comes from the BTK decisions and from checks on Turkish networks on the date shown, not from any provider.