eSky and Thomas Cook are adding complimentary mobile data to the travel-booking experience through new partnerships with Kolet. On the surface, the offers are simple: travellers receive 1GB of data for two days, giving them enough connectivity to handle the awkward first hours after landing.

The more interesting detail is that these are not two unrelated travel brands. eSky Group completed its acquisition of Thomas Cook in October 2024. Using Kolet across both eSky and Thomas Cook therefore looks less like a promotional coincidence and more like an early attempt to build connectivity into the group’s wider service ecosystem.

A practical arrival pack

Customers booking through eSky will receive up to 1GB of complimentary Kolet data, valid for two days, with coverage available in 190 countries. Users download the Kolet app, install the eSIM and activate it before travelling. eSky says this is only the first stage of the partnership, with additional benefits planned later.

“By teaming up with partners offering innovative solutions, we’re consistently increasing the value of our products and meeting the real needs of today’s explorers, for whom convenience, flexibility and access to digital services are an integral part of travel,”

says Martyna Chaberka, Ancillary Product Coordinator at eSky Group.

Thomas Cook is introducing a closely related offer. Its current booking conditions state that customers purchasing a flight or package holiday can receive 1GB per passenger, valid for two days and available to first-time Kolet users.

READ MORE: From Booking to Arrival: Where eSIM Revenue Leaks

Package-holiday customers are sent a redemption link shortly before departure and are encouraged to install the eSIM before boarding.

“Having mobile data when we travel overseas has become part of the holiday experience, which is why we’re delighted to be partnering with Kolet to add even more value to our offering, a simple extra that makes a real difference once our customers arrive in destination,”

said Ryan Cotton, Chief Marketing Officer at Thomas Cook.

That is the correct way to view the benefit: as an arrival pack rather than a full holiday data plan. One gigabyte should comfortably cover maps, messaging, hotel contact, ride-hailing and light browsing. It will disappear much faster with video streaming, large downloads, hotspot use or long video calls.

Thomas Cook has tried this before

The Kolet deal is not Thomas Cook’s first experiment with complimentary eSIM data. Its earlier promotion used Airalo, with qualifying bookings receiving 1GB through the Airalo app. Airalo later presented the arrangement as a case study in how eSIM vouchers could be added to Thomas Cook’s post-booking journey.

There is no public indication that the move to Kolet reflects dissatisfaction with Airalo. It is more useful to read it as evidence that travel connectivity is becoming a competitive supplier category. Airlines and travel agencies can now evaluate eSIM partners much as they compare insurance, transfers or airport-parking providers: by coverage, integration options, support, economics and conversion after the free allowance is used.

READ MORE: The Great SIM Swap: How Airlines Are Partnering with eSIM Providers for Seamless Onboarding

For travellers, the provider name may matter less than the activation experience. A free gigabyte has limited value if the redemption email is overlooked, the phone is not eSIM-compatible, the device is locked or setup instructions are confusing. Travellers who already have affordable roaming included in their mobile plan may also find the extra installation unnecessary.

Kolet’s travel playbook

Kolet is already pursuing this embedded-distribution model with major airline brands. Virgin Atlantic offers customers the same basic proposition—1GB of free data for roughly two days—while Air France provides up to 1GB for two days, a discount on additional plans and integration with Flying Blue Miles.

That shows where the market is heading. The free allowance brings the traveller into the eSIM provider’s app at exactly the moment connectivity becomes urgent. The travel brand adds a useful perk without building telecom infrastructure, while the eSIM company gains a highly relevant customer and an opportunity to sell a larger plan.

The model could still be improved. Top-up prices, local network partners, expected speeds and support responsibilities should be visible before installation, not discovered after the customer has downloaded another app. Thomas Cook’s restriction to new Kolet users also means returning Kolet customers do not receive the same benefit.

Final thoughts about eSky & Thomas Cook eSIM solutions

The important story is not that eSky and Thomas Cook are giving away 1GB. It is that mobile data is moving from an optional product travellers search for separately into the booking itself.

Airalo, Kolet and other B2B eSIM platforms are competing to become the connectivity layer behind airlines, OTAs, loyalty programmes and financial apps. For travel companies, the attraction is obvious: eSIMs are digital, destination-relevant, easy to distribute and capable of producing both customer value and ancillary revenue.

The next competitive step will not be another “190 countries” claim. It will be deeper integration: one-click installation, clearer network information, automatic destination matching, loyalty rewards and enough data to remain useful beyond the airport transfer. If eSky Group develops the Kolet relationship in that direction across its brands, this could become more than a welcome freebie. It could become a standard part of how a holiday is packaged.