How to Call Airlines and Hotels From Abroad Cheaply

To call an airline or hotel from abroad cheaply, call over the internet instead of from your mobile on roaming. Hotel room phones and mobile roaming are the two most expensive ways to make the call, and airline hold times can run to an hour. An internet calling service such as LimePhone lets you call from a browser or the Android app over Wi-Fi, reaches US toll-free airline numbers that often block foreign callers, and counts calls to the US, Canada and the UK against your plan minutes.

Key points

• Avoid the hotel room phone for outside calls. Many hotels add a surcharge per minute or per call.
• Roaming charges apply to every minute you spend on hold, which adds up fast with airlines.
• US airline 1-800 numbers frequently reject calls from abroad. Calling from a US number over the internet gets through.
• Most airlines list local numbers for each country they fly to. Use one if it exists.

Calling an airline from abroad

1. Try the app or website first. Rebooking, seat changes and refunds are often faster online than on the phone.
2. Find the right number. Airlines publish country-specific numbers on their "contact us" pages. Your booking confirmation may also list one.
3. Call over Wi-Fi. With LimePhone, choose the airline's country in the dialer and call from your browser or phone. A call to a US, Canadian or UK airline number uses your plan minutes, so a long hold costs nothing extra.
4. Use the callback option if the airline offers one, and give your LimePhone number so the return call reaches you over Wi-Fi rather than on roaming.

Calling a hotel abroad

Hotels have geographic numbers, so you can call them directly. Dial the country code, then the number without its leading zero. A call from the US to a hotel in Mexico costs $0.032 a minute on LimePhone, and to a hotel in France $0.0374. Every destination is on the rates page.

If you are already staying at the hotel, use the free internal line for reception, but avoid dialing outside numbers from the room phone.

What these calls cost

Before you travel

• Save the airline's and hotel's numbers, including any local or international alternatives.
• Set up an internet calling service and test a call on Wi-Fi before you leave.
• Give airlines and hotels a number that reaches you abroad. A LimePhone number rings wherever you are signed in.

How we checked

LimePhone prices and per-minute rates in this article come from the live LimePhone rate table and plan list, checked on October 24, 2026. Rates change; the current figures are always on the rates page and pricing.

Frequently asked questions

How do I call a US airline from abroad?

Use the airline's number for the country you are in, or call its US number from a US number over the internet. Many US airline toll-free numbers do not accept calls from outside the US.

Is it expensive to call a hotel from abroad?

It depends on how you call. Mobile roaming and hotel room phones are expensive; internet calling to a hotel's landline usually costs a few cents a minute.

Will airline hold time cost me money?

On roaming, yes, every minute. On LimePhone, calls to US, Canadian and UK numbers use your plan minutes, so hold time costs nothing extra.

Can an airline call me back abroad?

Yes, if you give it a number that reaches you. A LimePhone number rings on Wi-Fi in your browser or the Android app, wherever you are.

About the author

Vincent Hawley writes LimePhone's guides to business phone numbers, international calling and calling over the internet.

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