Free Wi-Fi on US airlines has gone from a rare perk to a standard feature in about three years. Delta was the first of the biggest airlines to make it free in 2023, Southwest followed last fall, and American and United expanded free access this year.
The Catch
On almost every airline, free Wi-Fi requires a loyalty account. You'll need to sign in with the airline's free program, such as Delta SkyMiles or American AAdvantage. Joining costs nothing and takes a few minutes, so it's worth doing before you get to the airport. JetBlue is the exception, since its Fly-Fi is free for everyone without an account.
Airline by Airline
Delta offers free Wi-Fi to SkyMiles members on most domestic flights and many international ones, sponsored by T-Mobile.
American started offering free Wi-Fi to AAdvantage members in January, sponsored by AT&T. It now covers all of its narrowbody jets and most of its smaller regional planes.
United's Wi-Fi is free for MileagePlus members, but only on planes with Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service that's fast enough to stream video. United had Starlink on more than 600 planes by October 1 and aims for 1,000 by the end of the year. On its other planes, Wi-Fi still costs money, with passes starting at $8 for MileagePlus members on domestic flights, so it's worth checking which plane you're on before you fly.
Southwest has offered free Wi-Fi to Rapid Rewards members since last October, and it began adding Starlink to its planes this year.
Alaska Airlines is rolling out free Starlink for Atmos Rewards members. Its sister airline, Hawaiian, already has Starlink on its Airbus jets.
JetBlue's Fly-Fi is free for everyone on every plane, as it has been for years.
What's Next
The next race is about speed. Starlink is spreading quickly, and American reportedly plans to add it across its fleet, with installation on its Airbus jets expected to begin next year. Delta and JetBlue have chosen Amazon's satellite network instead, though that service is still a while away from passengers.
For now, the simplest tip is the most useful one. Before your next flight, sign up for the airline's free loyalty program and keep the login handy, because that's usually all it takes to get online for free.
