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Aisha
09 March 2026
Optus has one of Australia's more competitive roaming setups for travellers heading to the United States. On an eligible postpaid plan, the $5 per day Daily Roaming option is half the cost of what Telstra charges for its Zone 2 Day Pass, and it comes with a much more generous 5 GB of daily data. But the fine print matters more than the headline rate. Not all Optus plans qualify for Daily Roaming, the Zone structure affects which option applies to you, and prepaid customers have a separate set of choices with their own limitations. This guide breaks down every current Optus USA roaming option, who it applies to, and where the hidden costs still catch travellers off guard.
Optus customers travelling to the US can use their existing Australian number for calls, texts, and data. The United States falls within Optus's Zone 1 classification, meaning it is covered by the carrier's better-value Daily Roaming and Roaming Pass options.
Optus Daily Roaming ($5/day) is the headline option. Available on Choice Plus, Plus Family, and Plus Promo plans, it activates automatically the first time you make a call, send a text, or use data after you land. You get 5 GB of data and unlimited standard calls and texts for a 24-hour window. If you exceed 5 GB, Optus automatically adds another 5 GB pass for an additional $5. Data does not roll over between days.
The Optus Roaming Pass ($10/day) provides 1 GB of data and unlimited calls and texts for 24 hours. This is the default on plans eligible for roaming but not the $5 Daily Roaming tier, such as Choice Direct Debit plans.
Standard Roaming Rates apply if your plan is not eligible for either of the above: $1.00/MB data, $0.50/SMS sent, $1.50/min calls. Avoid for any meaningful data usage.
Optus Prepaid Roaming Add-ons are available for Flex Plus, Flex, and Flex 5G prepaid plans via the My Optus app for Zone 1 destinations including the US. Options include a 1-day and 7-day add-on. Check current pricing in the app before your trip.
Check your plan before you fly. Daily Roaming at $5/day is only available on specific plan tiers. Open the My Optus app, tap your service, then Add-ons. If you can see the $5 Roaming option, your plan qualifies. Knowing this before you land saves nasty surprises.
Daily Roaming activates automatically — which can catch you out. The $5 charge triggers the moment you use any data, make a call, or send a text overseas, including background app activity. Disable background app refresh and mobile data for non-essential apps before landing.
The daily window is 24 hours, not a calendar day. Optus Daily Roaming runs on a rolling 24-hour clock from first activation. A late-night activation on day one could result in two charges within the same calendar day.
Prepaid customers: add-ons do not auto-renew. If your 7-day pack expires, you need to manually purchase a new one via the My Optus app. Top up before you run out.
The $5/day is among Australia's best roaming rates for the US. Telstra's equivalent Day Pass costs twice as much for less than half the daily data. For short trips of one to five days on an eligible plan, Optus Daily Roaming is genuinely good value.
At AUD $5 per day, Optus Daily Roaming is competitive for short trips. A four-day city break to New York works out to $20. But the calculation shifts on longer itineraries. A two-week US trip on Daily Roaming adds up to AUD $70. Customers on the $10 Roaming Pass tier pay double that. A dedicated US eSIM from TurkSIM is typically cheaper for trips of ten days or more, with a fixed data volume rather than a rolling daily cap.
Many Optus customers are on older or smaller plans that do not qualify for $5 Daily Roaming. A travel eSIM removes this uncertainty entirely. Your Optus SIM stays in the phone for receiving calls and SMS. The eSIM handles all data at a flat, pre-purchased rate. On any dual-SIM device you can run both simultaneously — Australian number stays reachable, banking OTPs arrive normally.
For Optus customers on older plans, the US trip can come with an unexpected roaming bill. Even on the best value $5 per day Daily Roaming, a three week US road trip through California, Nevada, and Arizona adds up to over $100 before a single data cap overage. TurkSIM’s USA eSIM runs on AT&T and T-Mobile’s local networks at local prepaid data rates. The dual SIM setup keeps your Optus SIM active. Bank OTPs and two factor codes come through without a hitch.
To use this setup, your device simply needs to be one of the modern eSIM Compatible Phones that support running two SIM profiles at the same time. Most recent iPhones, Samsung Galaxy devices, and Google Pixel phones already support this, which makes adding a travel eSIM before departure quick and straightforward.
Yes. Optus offers international roaming in the US for both postpaid and prepaid customers. The US falls within Zone 1, making it eligible for Daily Roaming and Roaming Pass options on qualifying plans.
On Choice Plus and equivalent postpaid plans, Optus Daily Roaming costs AUD $5 per day for 5 GB of data and unlimited calls and texts. On other eligible postpaid plans, the Roaming Pass costs $10 per day for 1 GB. Standard rates apply on non-eligible plans. Always confirm plan eligibility in the My Optus app before travelling.
No. The $5/day Daily Roaming option is only available on specific tiers including Choice Plus, Plus Family, and Plus Promo. Other eligible plans may use the $10 Roaming Pass instead. Check the Add-ons section in the My Optus app.
Optus automatically adds another 5 GB roaming pass for an additional $5. Data does not roll over to the next 24-hour window.
This is plan-dependent. Check with Optus before departure. A dual-SIM device with a TurkSIM eSIM for data keeps your Optus number active for incoming messages independently.
Yes, for customers on Flex Plus, Flex, and Flex 5G prepaid plans. Prepaid Roaming Add-ons are available for Zone 1 destinations including the US via the My Optus app. They do not auto-renew when they expire.
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