Can I buy Airalo in China?

Probably not. The store did not load in any of 6 OONI tests, and in 0 of 20 from 1 January to 5 October 2026. Buy and install before you leave.

Is Airalo blocked in China?

Every OONI test was an anomaly, which signals possible blocking but is not proof. It covers the store website only, not the eSIM network.

Do I need a VPN with Airalo in China?

Airalo says no. Its help page (read 14 October 2026) says its eSIMs use international data routing, so traffic goes through gateways outside mainland China, and a VPN is not required. That is a vendor claim: no OONI test covers eSIM data paths. Airalo also says this holds only on eSIM data, not on hotel Wi-Fi.

Does Airalo Work in China? (October 2026)

Q: Does Airalo work in China?

Unknown. We have no measurement of an Airalo eSIM connecting in China. What we do have: Airalo's store website did not load in OONI tests from China (0 of 6, 1 September to 5 October 2026).

Short answer (14 October 2026): Airalo says its eSIMs use international data routing and need no VPN in China (vendor claim). Its store website did not load from China in OONI tests (0 of 6, 1 September to 5 October 2026), so buy and install before you travel. The OONI evidence is store-website access only; there is no measurement of the eSIM connecting inside China.

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What	Result	Source, date
Store loads from China	No: 0 of 6 loaded, all anomalies	OONI, 1 Sep to 5 Oct 2026
Longer window	0 of 20 loaded	OONI, 1 Jan to 5 Oct 2026
eSIM connects in China	No measurement available
Where data exits	Airalo says: international data routing, through gateways outside mainland China; no VPN needed on eSIM data (vendor claim)	Airalo help page, 14 Oct 2026
Hotel Wi-Fi	Airalo says the no-VPN claim applies to eSIM data, not hotel Wi-Fi	same page
Plans	Unlimited data, 3 to 30 days	same page

Alternative: Simbye China plans, 15% off (affiliate link; Simbye’s routing claim is a vendor statement).

How we checked

Store website: OONI aggregation API, probes in China, 1 September to 5 October 2026, opened 6 October 2026. Remote measurements by OONI volunteers on networks in China.
Plan details: read on the provider’s own page on 6 October 2026. The routing statement is from Airalo’s help page, read 14 October 2026 (saved copy kept).
Scope: the evidence covers store-website access only, not eSIM connection or data exit. Data: china-esim.json (CC BY 4.0).

Install and test on Wi-Fi at home, then keep the phone in aeroplane mode until you land. See our best eSIM for China for what to check. Related: best eSIM for China, what is blocked in China, VPN for China. Status pages: Airalo, Holafly, Simbye.

All services in one table: What works in China.

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How we checked

Sources