Which airlines offer free Wifi on flights?
Inflight Wifi used to be an expensive luxury, but now it’s becoming more and more common. Even at 36,000 feet, you can enjoy staying connected to the Internet, email, and social media from your laptop, tablet, or smartphone while flying.
But while inflight Wifi is becoming more common, it still typically does come with a cost.
Right now, there are only two major U.S. airlines offering free Wifi on flights.
Here’s an overview of which airlines offer free Wifi and which ones charge.
Which Airlines Offer Free Wifi On Flights?
JetBlue Airways and Delta Air Lines are the only two U.S. airlines that currently offer free Wifi on flights.
JetBlue Airways was the first American airline to offer free Wifi on all flights for all passengers. From takeoff to landing, you can enjoy Fly-Fi, the airline’s free Wifi service.
Coverage does vary based on the type of plane and the route, but all flights over the continental United States and many flights over Central America and the Caribbean offer free Wifi, along with select flights from the United States to London.
Delta Air Lines recently joined the free Wifi competition by making complimentary Wifi available to all Delta SkyMiles members.
SkyMiles is Delta’s free loyalty program, and if you aren’t already a member, you can sign up online now. You also have the option to join SkyMiles on the plane when connecting to the Wifi so you can start using it immediately.
Delta has already rolled out free Wifi on most domestic flights, with a plan in place to have all domestic flights equipped with free Wifi by the end of 2023 and all international flights by the end of 2024.
However, since it’s still rolling out, there are some planes that are equipped with the legacy Intelsat provider, which requires a Wifi pass to be purchased. But soon, all planes will be transitioned to the new Viasat provider, which offers free Wifi.
How Much Do Other Airlines Charge For Wifi?
JetBlue Airways and Delta Air Lines are leading the way with free Wifi for all passengers, but most airlines in the United States still charge for Wifi access.
Here’s an overview of how much Wifi will cost you on other major U.S. airlines:
- American Airlines: You can purchase a single flight pass for $10.
- Southwest Airlines: While Wifi used to cost $8 for the whole day on Southwest, it’s now $8 per flight segment. This means that if you have a connecting flight, you’ll need to purchase a pass for each segment.
- United Airlines: You can purchase a single flight pass for $10. T-Mobile customers with an eligible plan get free Wifi and texting.
- Alaska Airlines: A single flight pass is available for $8.
- Spirit Airlines: This budget airline offers dynamically priced Wifi starting at $2.99 for browsing and $5.99 for streaming, but topping out at $15-16.
- Frontier Airlines: Depending on the device and the length of the flight, Wifi costs between $4.95 and $12.95.
Which Other Airlines Offer Free Wifi?
While only two U.S.-based airlines currently offer free Wifi, there are a handful of international airlines that offer this complimentary service.
Other airlines with free Wifi include:
- Norwegian Airlines (free Basic plan available)
- Emirate Airlines (available to all Emirates Skywards members, but limited to texting, Whatsapp, and Messenger)
- Philippine Airlines (offers 30 minutes of free Wifi on select international flights)
- Qantas (available on most domestic flights within Australia)
- Air New Zealand (available on select flights)
In the future, more airlines may offer free Wifi, but for now, it remains a premium upcharge on all but a small handful of airlines.
