Is Free Wi-Fi Coming to American Airlines? Trial Begins on Key Routes
The test will cover three domestic routes as the legacy carrier contemplates a wider rollout
Photo: Courtesy of Fallon Michael / Unsplash
Surfing the web from an American Airlines flight has long been pricey. While competitors JetBlue and Delta already offer free Wi-Fi and United will follow this year, American has stuck to its steep passes and subscription plans, charging as much as $35 for Wi-Fi on a single flight.
That may be changing, however. American just announced that it’s trialing free Wi-Fi on three specific routes in both directions:
- Charlotte (CLT) and Jacksonville (JAX)
- Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham (RDU)
- Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and Miami (MIA)
American said it will be evaluating customer uptake of the service, whether it and provider ViaSat can offer enough bandwidth to support those customers, and “the impact to customer satisfaction via NPS scores [Net Promoter Scores].”
“While relatively small in scope, this is already a big stride in our organization’s very critical work to give our customers what we know they want,” chief customer officer Heather Garboden said.
American hasn’t clarified why it chose the three routes or how long the trial will last. A successful test could mean complimentary Wi-Fi is rolled out across its network.
American Airlines traveler reclining in First Class / Photo: American Airlines
However, American Airlines still doesn’t have seatback screens in its domestic fleet, so you’ll need to use your own devices to connect.
American currently charges between $10 and $35 for Wi-Fi on a single flight. Subscription plans are also available, offering travelers unlimited Wi-Fi on flights within the Western hemisphere for $49.95 per month for one device and $59.95 per month for two devices.
Competitors Remain Ahead
Compared to some of its rivals, American Airlines has been slow to consider waiving internet frees. JetBlue has offered free in-flight Wi-Fi since 2013. Along with the seatback consoles featured across its fleet, its “Fly-Fi” has made it a “trailblazer in onboard technology,” Director of Product Development Mariya Stoyanova said in 2023.
The legacy U.S. airlines took a full decade to catch up with JetBlue. Delta began offering free Wi-Fi on domestic flights in February 2023 and on international flights last summer. You have to be a SkyMiles member to log on but it’s free to join.
Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
Meanwhile, United recently moved up the timeline for launching its own free Wi-Fi, powered by SpaceX’s Starlink. While the airline had initially only planned to be in the testing phase in early 2025, it announced that its first Starlink-enabled regional jets will enter service in just weeks.
United hopes to install the service on all its regional jets and the first of its mainline planes by the end of the year, before moving onto the rest of its 1,000-strong fleet. Similar to Delta, you’ll need to be a member of the United’s free loyalty scheme, MileagePlus.
Photo: Starlink antenna. Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines
United is the second U.S. airline to adopt Starlink, a high-speed, low-latency satellite internet service delivered by low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Hawaiian Airlines was the first to debut free Starlink-powered Wi-Fi last February. It now offers free Starlink Wi-Fi on all Airbus-operated flights between Hawaii and the continental U.S. and Oceania.
