Singapore Airlines Introducing Free Wi-Fi to Scroll in the Skies

Singapore Airlines Wi-Fi went from fee to free in a new rollout by the airline to offer the bandwidth and speed flyers needed to stay productive and entertained during international flights.

As Singapore Airlines currently runs the world’s longest flight routes (such as JFK-SIN, which clocks in at 9,537 miles for a mere 18 hours and 50 minutes of flight time), the news comes as a welcoming perk for premium flyers and loyal PPS Club members.

Singapore Airlines had previously offered Wi-Fi to Business Class passengers in a free starter service limited to 100Mb, after which they would pay up to $16 for a range of packaged options—the most expensive of which lasted only three hours.

Singapore Airlines B777 / Photo: Courtesy of Singapore Airlines

But in a revamped connectivity arrangement, the airline now allows Suites and First Class passengers, Business Class passengers, and PPS Club (Singapore Airline’s points and rewards arm) members traveling in Premium Economy or Economy to enjoy complimentary unlimited Wi-Fi during their flight.

KrisFlyer members (Singapore Airlines’ branded credit card) traveling in Premium Economy also taste the in-demand service.

In addition, the airline offers a complimentary three-hour Wi-Fi plan to those in Premium Economy. At the same time, KrisFlyer members traveling in Economy receive a complimentary two-hour Wi-Fi plan—no status levels required.

For passengers not sitting in a special seat or not members of a branded club, Singapore Airlines Wi-Fi pricing will not cost more than $15.99 for a full flight pass with unlimited data.

Staying ahead of the competition

The airline’s Wi-Fi perk is an outlier in an industry full of pricy connectivity packages, data caps, slow to nil speeds, and promises of Internet ramp-ups that go on unfulfilled. To date, JetBlue is the only US carrier to offer free Wi-Fi fleetwide, while Delta Air Lines announced free Wi-Fi service through T-Mobile on domestic and international flights during a presentation at CES in January, promising fleetwide connectivity by the end of 2024.

“At work, at home, and everywhere in between, connectivity is essential to daily life, and your journey on Delta should be no different,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian told CES attendees in Las Vegas. “Our vision has long been to deliver an experience at 30,000 feet that feels similar to what our customers have available on the ground.”

Photo: Singapore Airlines, Airbus A350-900. Courtesy of Saif Zaman / Unsplash

In a statement mirroring that sentiment, Singapore Airlines’ senior vice president of customer experience, Yeoh Phee Teik, added, “Staying connected, even at 35,000 feet in the air, has become an essential aspect of the travel experience. With our enhanced Wi-Fi offerings, SIA’s customers can stay in touch with their loved ones, post photos and videos on their social media channels, or keep updated on the latest news. These changes are in response to customer feedback and part of SIA’s continuous investment to enhance their travel experience and maintain our leadership position.”

The airline’s Wi-Fi speeds reportedly range from around 1 Mbps up to a nicely paced 8 Mbps, with uploads at 1-2 Mbps—easy enough for texting, social media scrolling, and emails at leisure without watching the clock or observing data caps.

And while the Wi-Fi perk on Singapore Airlines is available on most flights, it will not be offered on the company’s short-haul aircraft, mainly using Boeing 737-800s and Boeing 737-8 MAX that flies the nearby routes around Southeast Asia.