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American Airlines is set to launch complimentary Wi-Fi starting in January, aligning itself with a growing trend among airlines to offer free internet access, particularly to members of their loyalty programs. This initiative aims to enhance the travel experience and maintain competitiveness in a rapidly evolving aviation market.
The free Wi-Fi service, backed by AT&T, will be available exclusively for members of American Airlines’ AAdvantage loyalty program, as announced by the airline on Tuesday.
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Other airlines are also advancing in this area; for instance, JetBlue Airways has provided free inflight internet for several years. Delta Air Lines followed suit in 2023, extending complimentary Wi-Fi to its SkyMiles members.
Meanwhile, United Airlines is actively upgrading its fleet to include SpaceX’s Starlink satellite Wi-Fi, which will also be complimentary for its MileagePlus loyalty members.
Traditionally, American Airlines has charged roughly $20 for inflight Wi-Fi access. However, beginning in January, the airline plans to offer this service at no charge on planes equipped with Intelsat and Viasat satellite Wi-Fi, which is expected to cover about 90% of its fleet by the end of next year. It is important to note that some older Boeing wide-body aircraft will not feature free Wi-Fi, although they will still provide basic internet access.
The airline has conducted trials of the service on select routes and has future plans to enhance connectivity by installing high-speed internet on 500 regional aircraft by the end of next year.
In contrast, Southwest Airlines remains one of the few major airlines that has not yet announced plans to offer free Wi-Fi on its flights, leaving its future strategy in this area uncertain.
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