Ivato International Airport (TNR) lies 16 kilometres northwest of central Antananarivo. A new international terminal opened in December 2021, operated by Ravinala Airports, the concession that also runs Nosy Be's Fascene airport. It is a small airport by international standards, and the arrivals process is short: immigration, baggage, customs, and then the arrivals hall. Most long-haul flights come in from Paris, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Mauritius and Réunion, and several can arrive close together, which makes the counters busy.
The key fact for connectivity is that Yas has its own store at the airport, the Yas Store Aéroport Ivato, which is one of only nine places in the country that sells the Yas tourist eSIM. That makes Ivato one of the easier places to get a local line, as long as you arrive during opening hours and are willing to queue. If you land late at night, or want to go straight to your driver, a travel eSIM installed at home is the better option.
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Yas, Orange and Airtel at Ivato
All three operators sell SIM cards at the airport, according to traveller reports and the airport's own list of services, which includes a SIM card purchase point. The Yas Store Aéroport Ivato is listed on Yas's website as one of the stores that sells the tourist eSIM: 60,000 ariary for 5 GB, an hour of national calls, five international minutes and 50 texts, valid for thirty days. Airtel's kiosk is often the easiest place to buy an Airtel SIM, since the company has very few shops elsewhere.
The airport does not publish opening hours for the operator counters. Flights that arrive late at night or very early in the morning may find them closed, so do not plan around buying a SIM if you are landing outside normal business hours.
What to have ready at the counter
Your original passport, because registration is required for any new line, and Yas takes your photo. Cash in ariary, or euros if the counter accepts them, since card payment is not guaranteed. An unlocked phone. For the tourist eSIM, you will also need WiFi or data to scan the QR code, so connect to the airport WiFi first.
How long it takes
Allow at least half an hour if there is a queue. Registration involves entering your passport details and, at Yas, taking a photo. When several international flights arrive together, the wait can be longer. If your driver is already waiting, let them know you will be delayed.
Ravinala's Free WiFi: Four Hours, Scanned From a Poster
Ravinala Airports provides free WiFi at Ivato. Each user gets four hours of free internet, which can be spread over up to four days. To connect, you scan the QR code on the WiFi posters, which the airport says are located in the departure area. Arriving passengers may not see the posters in the arrivals hall, so look for one or ask staff.
Find a WiFi poster
Posters with the QR code are in the departure area. Your phone camera can scan them directly.
Accept the terms
The connection opens a short login page. Once accepted, your four-hour allowance starts.
Use it for setup tasks
Message your driver, scan a Yas tourist eSIM QR code, or download a missing offline map.
The WiFi is useful for a few minutes of setup, but it does not work once you leave the terminal, and finding a poster after landing is not guaranteed. It is not a replacement for your own data on the drive into the city.
Ivato to Tana: Licensed Taxis, Line D and the Domestic Shuttle
The airport lists three ways to leave: licensed taxis, the public bus, and car rental. Licensed taxis wait outside arrivals and are the usual choice for visitors. Fares are negotiated, not metered, and quotes for the centre generally fall between 50,000 and 80,000 ariary, roughly 11 to 18 dollars at the October 2026 rate. Agree the price before you get in. The ride takes about 35 minutes in light traffic and more than an hour at the evening peak. Many hotels and tour operators also arrange transfers.
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed taxi | 50,000 to 80,000 Ar | 35 to 75 minutes | Agree the fare first |
| Hotel or tour transfer | Varies, often in euros | 35 to 75 minutes | Driver waits with a sign |
| Taxi-be Line D | A few hundred ariary | Over an hour | Stop is a walk from the terminal, hard with luggage |
| Car rental | Varies | 35 to 75 minutes | Most visitors hire a driver instead |
Signal on the road into the city is generally good, with occasional short drops. Your phone is useful for following the route and messaging your hotel if traffic is heavy.
Connecting to a domestic flight
Domestic flights to Nosy Be, Morondava, Toliara, Fort Dauphin, Sainte Marie and other destinations use a separate domestic terminal. The airport runs a free shuttle between the international and domestic terminals. If you have a same-day connection, use the airport WiFi or your eSIM to check your domestic flight status, since schedule changes are common.
Arriving With an eSIM Versus Queuing for Yas
The Yas counter offers the best value for a long stay: the tourist eSIM, or a regular Yas SIM with a Net Month bundle of 15 GB for 75,000 ariary. A travel eSIM installed at home offers speed. Which one to choose depends on when you land and how long you are staying.
Install a travel eSIM at home if
Queue at the Yas store if
Many travellers do both: a small eSIM to cover the arrival and the first day or two, then a Yas SIM once they have time to register. Nomad's 3 GB plan for 12 dollars, valid for thirty days, is a good size for this, and because Nomad can connect to Yas, it also works well as a backup once you head out of the city.
What Connectivity Costs at Ivato, in Ariary and Dollars
The table compares what you can buy at the airport with what you can install before you travel, at about 4,460 ariary to the US dollar in early October 2026.
| Option | Price | Data | Validity | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yas tourist eSIM (airport store) | 60,000 Ar / about US$13.50 | 5 GB, plus calls and texts | 30 days | Yas |
| Yas SIM + Net Month 75000 | About 76,000 Ar / US$17 | 15 GB | 30 days | Yas |
| Nomad 3 GB | US$12 | 3 GB | 30 days | Airtel / Yas |
| Nomad 10 GB | US$25 | 10 GB | 30 days | Airtel / Yas |
| Airalo 5 GB | US$28 | 5 GB | 30 days | Airtel |
| Holafly 7 days | US$39.50 | Unlimited | 7 days | Airtel |
The local options are cheaper per gigabyte, and the Yas tourist eSIM also includes calls and a number. The travel eSIMs cost more but are ready the moment you land. Exchange counters and ATMs are available at the airport if you need ariary for a SIM or a taxi, though it is worth bringing some euros as a backup in case an ATM is out of service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Yas store open for late-night arrivals at Ivato?
Do not count on it. The airport does not publish opening hours for the operator counters, and flights that land late at night or very early in the morning may find them closed. If you are arriving outside business hours, install a travel eSIM before you leave home, or buy your Yas SIM the next day at the Yas Store Zoom Ankorondrano in the city.
How do I connect to the free WiFi after landing?
Ravinala Airports offers four hours of free WiFi, usable over up to four days. You connect by scanning a QR code on the WiFi posters, which the airport says are in the departure area. In arrivals, look for a poster or ask staff. The WiFi only works inside the terminal.
What should a taxi from Ivato to central Tana cost?
Quotes for the centre usually fall between 50,000 and 80,000 ariary, roughly 11 to 18 dollars. Fares are not metered, so agree the price before you get in. The ride takes about 35 minutes in light traffic and more than an hour at the evening peak. Many hotels arrange transfers, which avoids negotiating.
Do I need to change terminals for a domestic flight?
Yes. Domestic flights use a separate terminal, and the airport runs a free shuttle between the international and domestic terminals. Allow enough time between flights, and check your domestic flight status on landing, since schedule changes are common.
Can I buy the Yas tourist eSIM at Ivato without a physical SIM slot?
Yes, that is what it is for. You buy a voucher at the Yas Store Aéroport Ivato, register with your passport, then scratch the voucher and scan the QR code with your phone. You need a working internet connection to download the profile, so connect to the airport WiFi first. Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked before you queue.