Prices, terms and what to check when renting a car at Brussels Airport or Belgium's other airports.
Get online at the airport
Install a MerrSIM eSIM for Belgium (from €1.49, 10 GB €8.99) before departure and you’re online the moment you land at Brussels Airport — no WiFi hunt, no roaming.
Does your phone support eSIM?
Before you buy, check two things. First, the phone must be eSIM-compatible: iPhone XR/XS and newer, Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer, Google Pixel 3 and newer, and many recent Motorola, Huawei and Oppo models. Second, it must be carrier-unlocked. You can verify by dialling *#06# — if an EID number appears, your phone supports eSIM. This saves you any surprises when you arrive in Belgium.
Common mistakes to avoid
Three mistakes often spoil the start of a trip. First: buying the eSIM at the last minute at the airport, when you have no WiFi to install it — do it at home. Second: forgetting to switch on data roaming for the eSIM line, which makes it look like it is not working. Third: leaving mobile data on your home SIM, which racks up roaming charges. Check these three and your connection in Belgium will be trouble-free.
How an eSIM works
An eSIM is a digital SIM built into your phone: there is no physical card to insert. You buy it online, get a QR code by email and scan it in your settings. Once installed, the profile lives on your phone and activates when you reach Belgium, connecting automatically to a local partner network. You can keep your main SIM at the same time, so your number still gets calls and texts while the eSIM handles data.
eSIM versus roaming
Roaming with your home carrier can be expensive outside bundles — sometimes several euros per gigabyte, with bills that land after the trip. A local eSIM turns that into a fixed price you know up front: you pay in advance, you know exactly how many GB you have, and there are no hidden fees. For a trip to Belgium, that means peace of mind and often a real saving compared with leaving roaming switched on unchecked.
How much data you really need
For normal use — maps, messaging, social media and the odd video — budget about 300–700 MB a day. A light traveller is fine with 3–5 GB for a week, while anyone doing video calls, streaming or laptop hotspot will want 10–20 GB. In Belgium, download offline maps and use hotel WiFi for big downloads; that way a 10 GB plan comfortably lasts two weeks. If you run out, you buy a new plan in the app with no waiting.