Another U.S. Airline Just Announced Free In-Flight Wi-Fi

In 2004, German flag carrier Lufthansa was the first airline to introduce Wi-Fi in the sky. Since those early days, in-flight connectivity has come a long way. For many years, travelers were used to excruciatingly slow connection speeds and sky-high pricing, but as of late, airlines have been installing faster satellite-based networks that rival speeds on the ground. And better yet, many airlines are making onboard internet a free perk for passengers. In fact, another major airline recently announced it was joining in on the trend — find out which U.S. airlines offer free in-flight Wi-Fi below. 

American Airlines Wi-Fi

In April 2025, American Airlines — the world’s largest airline by passengers carried — announced that it would be introducing complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi beginning in January 2026. The carrier says that when the service goes into effect, it will be offered on more than 2 million flights a year and on more planes than any other U.S. domestic carrier.

There’s a small catch, though: You have to be a member of AAdvantage, the airline’s loyalty program, to log on to the free internet, but it’s free to join AAdvantage if you’re not already a member. Also, free Wi-Fi won’t be offered on every single aircraft, at least to start. In a press release, American said that it will be available “on all aircraft equipped with Viasat and Intelsat high-speed satellite connectivity, accounting for roughly 90% of its fleet.”

Currently, American passengers can connect to the internet starting at $10 per flight, but that price can jump up to $35 for longer flights. (Monthly in-flight Wi-Fi subscriptions are also available.)

Delta Air Lines Wi-Fi

While American’s announcement should be welcome news for the airline’s flyers, Delta passengers have been surfing the web for free since 2023. The Atlanta-based carrier was the first of the “Big Four” U.S. airlines (American, Delta, Southwest, and United) to announce free fleetwide high-speed internet, available to members of the airline’s SkyMiles loyalty program.

As of mid-2025, the service is available on over 800 aircraft. Passengers will be able to connect to Wi-Fi for free on the vast majority of domestic flights, with the exception of certain aircraft like Boeing 717 and Delta Connection regional aircraft. Free Wi-Fi is currently available on select long-haul international flights. On flights where it’s not yet available, passengers can still pay to connect to the internet on board.

United Airlines Wi-Fi

In September 2024, United Airlines announced it was installing high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi on more than 1,000 planes in its mainline and regional fleet. In a press release, the airline touted that “customers will soon enjoy the same high-speed, low-latency internet service in the air that they enjoy on the ground,” with access to live streaming, gaming, and connectivity across multiple devices.

Starlink internet debuted on the first United aircraft in May 2025, with an early review from The Points Guy noting the service is “every bit as fast as advertised.” The airline said that it would take several years for complimentary internet to be introduced fleetwide. As on American and Delta, Starlink internet will be available to customers who have signed up for the airline’s free loyalty program, MileagePlus.

In the meantime, United offers Wi-Fi for a flat rate of $10 on U.S. domestic and short-haul international flights (like Canada and Mexico), while MileagePlus members can get a discounted rate of $8 per flight. On other flights, pricing will depend on the route length and destination.

Wi-Fi on JetBlue, Southwest, and Other U.S. Airlines

Free in-flight connectivity is old news for one U.S. airline: JetBlue. The New York-based carrier has been offering Fly-Fi — the airline’s name for its high-speed broadband satellite internet service — for free on every flight since 2013. JetBlue was the first major U.S. airline to make in-flight internet free, calling itself a “trailblazer in onboard technology.” 

Southwest offers fleetwide Wi-Fi for a flat rate of $8 from takeoff to landing. (The service is free for A-List Preferred and Business Select customers.) Passengers can also take advantage of free in-flight messaging and use the internet to stream entertainment to their devices. As of May 2025, the airline was reportedly testing free Wi-Fi, so look out for a future announcement. 

Seattle-based Alaska Airlines also offers high-speed satellite Wi-Fi for an $8 flat rate, which is available on a majority of the fleet, while select T-Mobile customers can log on for free for 60 minutes during the flight. 

After not having Wi-Fi for many years, budget airline Spirit has recently introduced high-speed Wi-Fi, which is free for elite members and those who purchase a Big Front Seat. In-flight Wi-Fi plans for all other customers start at $5.99 per flight, as of mid-2025. 

However, Frontier, the other major budget airline in the U.S. (and Spirit’s main rival) has yet to offer Wi-Fi on any of its flights, even for purchase. But given where the industry is headed in terms of in-flight connectivity, we expect that to change in the near future.