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Jan 5, 2023 - Economy & Business

Delta Air Lines to offer free WiFi on domestic flights starting in February

Herb Scribner
A Delta airlines Airbus 320 approaches Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

A Delta airlines flight approaches Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Photo: Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

Delta Air Lines and T-Mobile will begin offering free WiFi on all flights beginning in February, the two companies announced Thursday.

Why it matters: Delta joins JetBlue as the only major U.S. airline to offer free wireless internet connectivity to all passengers.

Delta adds free WiFi

Details: Delta will begin rolling out the Wifi on domestic flights on Feb. 1. More than 700 planes in its fleet will offer the perk by the end of 2023, the company said in a statement.

  • International and regional routes will add Wifi by the end of 2024, per the statement.
  • Travelers can access the WiFi by logging into their Delta SkyMiles frequent flyer account "while on the ground or on the plane," the companies said.

What they're saying: “The ability to stay connected while seeing the world is simply foundational," Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in the statement.

  • Bastian called Delta’s partnership with T-Mobile an "exciting step forward" in offering an "onboard experience that’s as comfortable and personalized as sitting in your own living room."

Flashback: The Wall Street Journal reported in December that Delta was planning to roll out free wireless internet as early as 2023. Delta told WSJ it was exploring “various offerings to select customers on select routes.”

How to access free Delta WiFi

Travelers can access the WiFi by logging into their Delta SkyMiles frequent flyer account "while on the ground or on the plane," the companies said. Those without a SkyMiles account can sign up for free.

  • The service will be available on "smartphones, tablets and laptops," T-Mobile said.

Context: Most airlines charge for WiFi.

  • United Airlines, for example, charges $8 for members who have frequent flyer programs and $10 for normal flyers. Southwest Airlines also charges $8.
  • JetBlue is the only other airline with free WiFi.
  • But Hawaiian Airlines is planning to offer free Wifi through SpaceX’s Starlink in 2023 and American Airlines has also been testing offering free WiFi after watching ads, WSJ reports.

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