LEWES, Del., July 9, 2026 - Airalo, the world’s leading eSIM platform, today announced a strategic partnership with WHSmith North America to bring its instant global connectivity services directly to travelers across select airport retail locations, including tech (InMotion) and travel essential stores. The collaboration embeds Airalo’s digital-first connectivity into the physical travel journey, ensuring passengers can secure an international data plan right before they board.
The rollout arrives at a critical moment for travel. With the global soccer tournament bringing millions of international visitors to North American host cities and outbound global travel from the US reaching record numbers, the demand for instant, affordable mobile data is at an all-time high. By launching in 90 premier airport locations, Airalo places its digital solutions directly in the path of millions of passengers, bridging physical travel retail and digital-first convenience.
“Airalo was built to make global connectivity frictionless,” said Emma Brooks, Growth Director, North America at Airalo. “Partnering with WHSmith North America allows us to meet travelers right where their journey begins. By combining our leading eSIM technology with their trusted airport retail footprint, we are making it easier than ever for passengers to stay connected, eliminate roaming anxiety, and access affordable international data, available to them from the moment they land.”
What makes this partnership unique is the in-store human element. WHSmith North America has fully trained its store colleagues at all participating tech (InMotion) and travel essential locations to serve as eSIM experts. These team members are equipped to help travelers understand how eSIM technology works, assist with digital activation, and demystify questions around roaming, ensuring customers walk away with peace of mind before they even board their flight. This kind of expert, personalized service is what sets WHSmith North America apart.
“At WHSmith North America, we are always looking for ways to better serve today’s travelers,” said Robert Cummins, Vice President - Merchandising (Tech), WHSmith North America. “Connectivity is no longer a luxury; it’s an essential part of the journey. Partnering with Airalo allows us to offer our customers an innovative, trusted solution right at the point of departure. Our InMotion colleagues are excited and ready to bring this to life.”
The integrated rollout is backed by a targeted marketing campaign powered by WHS Media, WHSmith North America’s Retail Media Network, featuring in-store digital displays and point-of-sale signage across all 90 participating locations, guiding travelers to a smarter connectivity solution before they fly. For more information about the partnership and to learn more about eSIMs, please visit www.airalo.com.
About Airalo
Founded in 2019, Airalo is the world's leading travel eSIM platform, trusted by more than 30 million travelers across 200+ destinations. We don't just connect people to mobile networks, but to the places, people, and moments that make travel worthwhile. We build the technology that removes the last remaining friction from global movement, so travelers can arrive anywhere and belong instantly.
Our fully remote team of 400+ people, working from 50+ countries, lives the same borderless philosophy we build into our product.
Learn more at www.airalo.com and www.partners.airalo.com
About WHSmith North America/InMotion
WH Smith is a leading global travel retailer with over 1,700 stores across 30 countries worldwide. WH Smith North America, incorporating Marshall Retail Group (MRG) and InMotion, represents over half of the Company’s international store estate, with c.320 specialty retail stores located in airports and resorts across North America.
MRG prides itself on creating unique experiences for customers by developing distinctive retail store concepts that feature and highlight the local culture, community, and lifestyle of the cities in which they are located. InMotion Entertainment Group is the largest airport-based electronics retailer in travel locations globally, with more than 120 locations throughout the United States. With access and insight into the latest technologies for business and leisure travelers, InMotion offers lifestyle products and electronics that include a wide breadth of headphones, mobile power, Bluetooth speakers, and travel accessories. Follow WH Smith North America and InMotion on LinkedIn.
About WHS Media
Launched in 2025, WHS Media is a revolutionary in-store Retail Media Network, providing advertisers with unmatched opportunities to connect with high-intent consumers across WHSmith’s 347+ and growing locations across North America, including stores at airports, rail stations, and resorts across the continent.
Powered by SMG, WHS Media combines in-store and off-site campaigns with powerful, data-driven insights, allowing advertisers to engage with a unique consumer audience of the approximately 3 million business and leisure travelers who pass through North American airports each day.
Learn more at www.WHSMedia.team.
Media Contact
SourceCode Communications for Airalo
[email protected]
