Nova Iceland SIM Card: Travel eSIM and Airport SIM

A Nova Iceland SIM card is built for visitors: Nova's English page leads with a prepaid travel eSIM and a plastic SIM you can collect at Keflavik airport. We read it on 8 October 2026. The prices sit on a sign-up portal that returned no readable content to us, so we quote none.

Which Nova Iceland SIM card can a visitor buy?

Travel eSIM. Nova describes it as mobile data where you choose the duration, and calls it "unlimited". You can set it up before you leave, and it activates when you arrive in Iceland; Nova also says you can set it up at Keflavik airport. Prices are under "See prices" on Nova's eSIM portal, which we could not read. Check it yourself.

Plastic SIM. If your phone has no eSIM, Nova says you can buy a physical SIM at ELKO in Keflavik airport or at any Nova store. The stores it lists are in Kringlan, Smaralind, Akureyri and the flagship in Lagmuli, Reykjavik. There is also a "travel pack" page that we could not read.

Does a Nova prepaid SIM need ID?

Nova's English page does not say whether ID is required. We do not know either way.

Nova Iceland SIM card coverage and 5G

Two Nova claims, both Nova's own: its coverage page says it reaches over 98 percent of the population, and the English page promises "5G coverage across Iceland" and the fastest connection on its network. Neither is a measured result, and population coverage says little about the highlands or remote stretches of the Ring Road. Nova's page does not break down 4G against 5G or say anything about the highlands. Our Iceland notes describe Nova as strong in towns and patchier in the countryside; that is an unverified lead from our own data and Nova does not state it. A map is at nova.is/farsimi/thjonustusvaedi, and you should use it for any route outside Reykjavik.

Nova or a travel eSIM?

Nova's eSIM is a local plan, bought from the carrier itself, and that is its advantage: you know whose network you are on. Travel eSIM sellers generally do not say which Icelandic network they use, so you cannot assume it is Nova's. Compare prices on our Iceland comparison and the cheapest eSIM page. Two other local options exist: Siminn sells a 3,000 kr prepaid SIM and eSIM starter pack, and Vodafone Iceland sells starter kits at Keflavik airport and across the country. The Iceland hub has the wider guide.

What Nova's site does not say

It does not give a readable price list on the page we reached, an ID rule, the data limits behind "unlimited", or a coverage breakdown by technology. We have not tested the service, and we would check the portal on the day you buy.

Common questions

Is a Nova Iceland SIM card good for tourists?

Nova builds its English page around visitors, with a prepaid travel eSIM and a plastic SIM at Keflavik airport. It claims over 98 percent population coverage. Check its portal prices against a travel eSIM before choosing.

Can I buy a Nova SIM card at Keflavik airport?

Nova says you can set up the eSIM at Keflavik and buy a plastic SIM at ELKO in the airport. Stores in Kringlan, Smaralind, Akureyri and Lagmuli also sell them. The page does not give airport opening hours.

How much is the Nova travel eSIM?

We cannot say. Nova's English page links the prices to its eSIM portal, which returned nothing readable to us. Nova describes the plan as unlimited data with a duration you choose. Check the portal for the current price.

Does Nova Iceland have 5G?

Nova says it offers 5G coverage across Iceland and the fastest connection on its network, and that it covers over 98 percent of the population. These are Nova's own claims, not independent measurements. Its pages give no 4G or highland detail.

Do I need ID for a Nova prepaid SIM in Iceland?

Nova's English page does not say whether ID is required. If it matters to your plans, ask in a Nova store or at its support desk before you rely on buying a SIM at the airport.

Nova Iceland SIM card: the travel eSIM, the airport SIM and Nova's coverage claim