This article was prepared in collaboration with Kolet, Thomas Cook’s eSIM partner.
Already booked your trip? If you booked your package holiday on or after 29 July 2026, you can still claim your free 1GB in Manage My Booking.
Each passenger on the booking can claim their own free 1GB, as long as they haven’t used Kolet before.
Use your free 1GB to get online as soon as you land. No hunting around for airport Wi-Fi or somewhere to buy a local SIM.
There’s no plastic SIM card to swap over and no subscription to cancel.
Install the eSIM before you fly, activate it when you land, and you’re online straight away – ready to find your hotel, book a taxi or send that first “we’re here” message home.
Find a package holiday with 1GB free
What you get
If you want the easiest answer, start with the Canary Islands. Turkey generally gives you the most family-hotel facilities for your money, Egypt is the one for serious heat and snorkelling, and Madeira suits families who start getting restless after day two sitting around the pool day.
If you want the easiest answer, start with the Canary Islands. Turkey generally gives you the most family-hotel facilities for your money, Egypt is the one for serious heat and snorkelling, and Madeira suits families who start getting restless after day two sitting around the pool day.
Your free Kolet plan includes:
- 1GB of mobile data to use in more than 190 destinations
- 48 hours of use from activation, or until you use the full 1GB - whichever happens first
- A digital eSIM, with no physical card to collect or swap
- A separate 1GB allowance for each eligible passenger on the booking
- No card details or subscription required, and no charge or automatic renewal when the free data ends
- 24/7 human support from Kolet if you need a hand
Kolet considers each passenger separately. If someone else on your booking has used Kolet before, it won’t affect your eligibility.
What is an eSIM?
If you want the easiest answer, start with the Canary Islands. Turkey generally gives you the most family-hotel facilities for your money, Egypt is the one for serious heat and snorkelling, and Madeira suits families who start getting restless after day two sitting around the pool day.
An eSIM is a digital SIM that’s built into your phone. Instead of collecting or swapping a plastic SIM card, you install it through the Kolet app.
Your usual SIM stays in your phone, along with your normal number. Kolet sits alongside it and handles your mobile data, so you can use apps such as WhatsApp without swapping SIM cards.
How to claim and activate your free eSIM
If you want the easiest answer, start with the Canary Islands. Turkey generally gives you the most family-hotel facilities for your money, Egypt is the one for serious heat and snorkelling, and Madeira suits families who start getting restless after day two sitting around the pool day.
Before you fly: Download the Kolet app and install the eSIM.
After you land: Activate the data.
Before your flight 🛫
These are the bits worth doing at home, while you still have access to stable WiFi.
Step 1: Open your Thomas Cook email
We’ll send you an email with a unique link 72 hours before your holiday starts. Open the link and follow the instructions. If you can’t see the email, check your junk or spam folder.
Step 2: Download the Kolet app and claim your data
Use the link to download the Kolet app from the App Store or Google Play, then create an account. You won’t need to enter any card details or start a subscription.
Step 3: Install the eSIM
Install it at home while you’re connected to stable, private Wi-Fi. This adds the eSIM to your phone, but it doesn’t start the 48-hour window or use any of your data.
Once you’ve landed📍
Step 4: Activate your data
Open the Kolet app and follow its instructions to activate the plan. Phone menus vary, so let the app guide you through the settings. Your 48 hours and 1GB allowance begin when you activate it.
Will my phone work with a Kolet eSIM?
If you want the easiest answer, start with the Canary Islands. Turkey generally gives you the most family-hotel facilities for your money, Egypt is the one for serious heat and snorkelling, and Madeira suits families who start getting restless after day two sitting around the pool day.
Most newer phones support eSIM. Check your model with Kolet’s eSIM compatibility guide before you travel; it only takes a few seconds.
Your phone also needs to be unlocked, which simply means it can connect to a mobile network other than the one you normally use. This mainly affects some older phones bought directly from a network. Most newer phones are already unlocked, so you probably won’t need to do anything. If yours is locked, your usual provider can unlock it for you.
Privacy, terms and support
If you want the easiest answer, start with the Canary Islands. Turkey generally gives you the most family-hotel facilities for your money, Egypt is the one for serious heat and snorkelling, and Madeira suits families who start getting restless after day two sitting around the pool day.
Thomas Cook won’t share your personal information with Kolet. If you claim the offer, you’ll create your own Kolet account and agree to Kolet’s terms and conditions. You can read Thomas Cook’s booking terms and conditions for more information.
Kolet provides and manages the eSIM service, including any extra data you buy. If you need help, contact Kolet directly through its help articles or use the chatbot in the Kolet app.
Frequently asked questions
If you want the easiest answer, start with the Canary Islands. Turkey generally gives you the most family-hotel facilities for your money, Egypt is the one for serious heat and snorkelling, and Madeira suits families who start getting restless after day two sitting around the pool day.
Can I keep my normal phone number?
Yes. The Kolet eSIM gives you data, not a phone number, so your normal number stays on your usual SIM. You don’t need to remove your physical SIM card.
If you use your usual SIM for calls or texts abroad, your normal provider’s roaming charges may apply. You can use data-based apps such as WhatsApp instead while your Kolet data is active.
What happens after the two days end?
Your free plan stops after 48 hours, or when you use the full 1GB - whichever happens first. There’s no surprise charge or automatic renewal. If you want more data, you can buy a top-up in the Kolet app.
Which countries are covered?
Kolet works in more than 190 countries. Check yours on Kolet’s destinations page or in the app before you travel, as available networks can vary by country and location.
Do I need Wi-Fi to activate the eSIM?
Yes. Install the eSIM on a stable, private Wi-Fi before you fly. You don’t need Wi-Fi to activate it after you land; open the Kolet app and follow the instructions.
Do I qualify if I've used Kolet before?
No. The free 1GB offer is only for people using Kolet for the first time. If you already use Kolet, you can still buy data in the app, but this offer won’t apply.
How to make your free 1GB go further
If you want the easiest answer, start with the Canary Islands. Turkey generally gives you the most family-hotel facilities for your money, Egypt is the one for serious heat and snorkelling, and Madeira suits families who start getting restless after day two sitting around the pool day.
Your free 1GB comes in particularly handy between baggage reclaim and reaching your hotel:
- On a city break, use maps to work out which station exit you need, pull up your hotel booking or order a taxi from arrivals.
- On an All Inclusive holiday, check your transfer details and send the “we’re here” message before settling in.
- On a family holiday, each eligible passenger can claim their own allowance, which is handy for sharing locations or finding each other again when the group splits up.
Video calls, streaming, app updates and photo backups can use 1GB surprisingly quickly. Download entertainment and offline maps before you leave, pause automatic backups and updates, and save anything data-heavy for a trusted Wi-Fi connection.
Book a package holiday and get 1GB free
H2: October half-term holidays at a glance
About the author
Lydia’s well-travelled, with first-hand experience of destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America.
She’s compared pizza in Naples, Florence, Venice, and Rome. Trecked through the Pompeii ruins, the blue streets of Chefchaouen and the techinicolour cities of Japan. Skied in Alpe d’Huez, toured the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, soaked in the thermal baths of Budapest and Iceland. Saw dolphins and giant turtles in Mauritius, swam cenotes in Mexico, and quad biked over Cape Verde’s dunes.
Back home, she’s usually dancing West Coast Swing, playing guitar or walking in the countryside.