In this guide
- How we put this guide together
- Does O2 include roaming?
- Where can you roam with O2?
- How much roaming data do you get?
- What happens if you go over the limit?
- Roaming outside Europe
- Fair usage and long trips
- What a typical trip actually costs
- How O2 roaming compares
- How to check and manage your roaming
- Roaming FAQs
- Does O2 still offer free EU roaming?
- Does O2 roaming work in Turkey?
- What happens if I use more than 25GB abroad with O2?
- Can I roam outside Europe with O2?
- How long can I roam in Europe on O2?
- Editorial policy
O2 is the only major UK network that has not reintroduced EU roaming charges, letting you use your allowance abroad up to 25GB with no daily fee. This guide explains exactly what is included, what happens if you pass the 25GB limit, the destinations that catch travellers out, and how O2 compares once you look beyond Europe.
Reviewed by: Phil Brown, founder of SIM Only Finder. Phil previously worked in UK mobile retail at Three UK, advising customers on SIM plans, contracts, and network choices. He has spent over a decade running consumer comparison platforms and reviews networks and SIM-only deals based on that hands-on industry background. About the author
Last reviewed: May 2026. Updated regularly to reflect current plan pricing, network changes, and roaming policies.
How we put this guide together
To put this guide together, we reviewed O2's published roaming terms against its own EU Roaming pages and Roaming Fair Usage terms, checking the included allowance, the 25GB fair use limit, the out-of-bundle charge, the bolt-on options, the consecutive-day rule, and the destination lists. Where relevant, we have drawn on our own experience of using UK SIMs abroad. O2 operates its own network in the UK, and coverage reliability assessments reference the most recent RootMetrics UK RootScore Report and Ofcom Connected Nations data.
Does O2 include roaming?
Yes, and on generous terms. O2 has not brought back EU roaming charges, so on a Pay Monthly plan you can use your data, minutes, and texts across O2's Europe Zone with no daily charge, just as you would at home. This applies automatically; there is nothing to activate beyond switching on data roaming in your phone settings.
There is one condition on the headline 25GB figure: free roaming up to 25GB applies if you are on a plan with 25GB or more. If your plan includes less than 25GB, you use your normal allowance abroad rather than a separate roaming cap. Either way, there is no daily fee to unlock it, which is the part that sets O2 apart.
Where can you roam with O2?
O2's Europe Zone covers 48 destinations, taking in the EU member states plus a number of selected European territories. Across all of these your UK allowance applies at no extra cost, subject to the limits below.
The trap to know is which popular destinations sit outside the Europe Zone. Turkey and Morocco are the two that most often catch travellers out: both are common holiday spots, yet neither is in O2's inclusive Europe Zone, so your allowance will not apply there and you would need a bolt-on or pay standard rates. If your trip includes either, do not assume your free roaming covers it.
How much roaming data do you get?
The headline figure is 25GB. If your UK plan includes more than 25GB of data, your roaming is capped at 25GB per month in the Europe Zone, and O2 texts you as you approach and reach that limit. If your plan includes 25GB or less, you are not subject to the separate roaming cap at all: you simply use your normal monthly allowance abroad, exactly as at home.
At 25GB, O2 offers one of the higher included roaming allowances available, high enough that most holidaymakers never approach it. Minutes and texts within the Europe Zone, and back to the UK, follow your normal allowance.
What happens if you go over the limit?
Reaching the 25GB cap, or using up a smaller allowance, does not cut you off, and you have two ways forward.
By default, once you pass the limit you can keep using data and are charged £3.50 per additional gigabyte, which continues until you return to the UK, use up your UK data allowance, or reach your next bill cycle. That is a reasonable per-GB rate by roaming standards, but it is still a charge worth avoiding if you expect to use a lot of data.
The better option is to add a Data Bolt On through the My O2 app before or when you hit the limit, which gives you more data without the per-GB surcharge. For most travellers the sensible approach is to watch for O2's warning texts as you near 25GB and add a bolt-on if you need it, rather than drifting into the £3.50 per GB rate. Bolt-on prices are shown in My O2, so check the current figure there.
Roaming outside Europe
Outside the Europe Zone, what you get depends on your plan, and premium plans are well covered. If you are a Volt customer or on a Plus plan, O2 Travel Inclusive Zone adds 27 destinations beyond Europe at no extra cost, for 75 in total, covering places like the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico. On an Ultimate plan, the Inclusive Zone extends to 75 destinations outside Europe.
If your plan does not include these, the O2 Travel Bolt On covers selected destinations for £7 per day, giving you your allowance abroad for 24 hours. For a country outside both the Europe Zone and the Travel Bolt On list, standard roaming rates apply and can be expensive, so a local eSIM is often cheaper for those. Note that the non-EU Travel Bolt On can carry a speed restriction, so it is best for everyday use rather than heavy streaming.
Fair usage and long trips
O2's roaming is designed for travel rather than living abroad. A fair usage policy applies, and the key limit for longer trips is time-based: if you roam in Europe for more than 63 days in a four-month period, O2 may contact you, and you could face charges or be asked to review your plan. For ordinary holidays and even long trips this is rarely an issue, but for extended stays or remote working abroad it is the constraint to watch. O2 applies these policies, in its own words, to prevent abuse of domestic allowances and to cover the wholesale costs it pays the networks you use abroad.
What a typical trip actually costs
Consider a two-week holiday in Spain on an O2 plan with a 50GB UK allowance, using around 12GB across the fortnight.
Because your plan is over 25GB, your roaming is capped at 25GB, and 12GB sits comfortably within that, so the trip costs nothing extra. This is the everyday O2 experience: for the vast majority of holidays, you pay nothing beyond your normal bill, because typical two-week data use falls well under 25GB. The cost only appears for heavy users: if you used, say, 30GB, the first 25GB is included and the extra 5GB would be £17.50 at £3.50 per GB, or less if you add a Data Bolt On instead. The practical lesson is that O2 roaming is effectively free for normal holiday use, and the 25GB cap is high enough that most travellers never reach it.
How O2 roaming compares
O2's roaming is among the strongest of any UK network for everyday European travel, and the reason is simple: it is the only major network with no daily charge and a high 25GB cap. Against the other big networks, where Three and others apply daily charges on many plans, O2 lets you travel in Europe without thinking about cost. Against budget networks, O2's 25GB beats SMARTY at 12GB and giffgaff at 5GB, though those remain cheaper on monthly price.
Where O2 is less clear-cut is beyond Europe: free worldwide roaming is reserved for Plus, Volt, and Ultimate customers, so a standard plan holder travelling outside the Europe Zone relies on the £7 daily Travel Bolt On or standard rates. For Europe-focused travellers O2 is arguably the best mainstream choice; for frequent long-haul travel on a standard plan, the inclusive worldwide reach of a top-tier Three plan may suit better.
How to check and manage your roaming
Before you travel, switch on data roaming in your phone settings; O2 EU roaming then works automatically with nothing to activate. Use the My O2 app to track how much of your allowance you have used while abroad, and to add a Data Bolt On if you approach the 25GB cap or use up a smaller allowance. For trips beyond Europe, check in My O2 whether your plan includes the Travel Inclusive Zone or whether you need the £7 Travel Bolt On.
To avoid surprises, watch for O2's warning texts as you near the limit, and add a bolt-on rather than letting the per-GB charge run. If you are moving to O2 from another network and want to keep your number, our PAC code transfer guide explains how.
Roaming FAQs
Does O2 still offer free EU roaming?
Yes. O2 is the only major UK network that has not reintroduced EU roaming charges. On a plan with 25GB or more, you can use up to 25GB of data in the Europe Zone at no extra cost, with no daily fee. Plans under 25GB use their normal allowance abroad.
Does O2 roaming work in Turkey?
No, not on your inclusive allowance. Turkey, like Morocco, sits outside O2's Europe Zone, so your UK allowance does not apply there. You would need a bolt-on for a covered destination or pay standard roaming rates, so check before you travel.
What happens if I use more than 25GB abroad with O2?
You can keep using data, charged at £3.50 per gigabyte until you return to the UK, use up your UK allowance, or reach your next bill cycle. To avoid that surcharge, add a Data Bolt On through the My O2 app.
Can I roam outside Europe with O2?
It depends on your plan. Volt and Plus customers get 27 inclusive destinations beyond Europe, and Ultimate plans get 75. Otherwise, the O2 Travel Bolt On covers selected destinations for £7 a day.
How long can I roam in Europe on O2?
O2's fair usage policy allows roaming for up to 63 days in a four-month period. Beyond that, O2 may contact you and charges could apply, so it is built for trips rather than living abroad.
Best for: European travellers who want the most generous mainstream roaming, with a high 25GB cap and no daily charge, plus premium Volt, Plus, and Ultimate customers who get inclusive worldwide destinations. Standard-plan customers who frequently travel long-haul should check whether the £7 daily bolt-on suits, or consider a network with inclusive worldwide roaming.
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Editorial policy
This guide is produced by the SIM Only Finder editorial team to help travellers understand O2 roaming charges, allowances, and limits. Network terms, pricing, and roaming availability are checked regularly and updated to reflect current policies. Always confirm current terms directly with the network before travelling.
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