American Airlines has announced their plans to provide complimentary Wi-Fi on flights starting in January 2026. The program, sponsored by AT&T, will offer high-speed Wi-Fi on over 2 million American flights each year. In order to access the free Wi-Fi, passengers must be members of American’s AAdvantage loyalty program. Once enrolled, passengers can simply log in to connect to the internet. The Wi-Fi will be available on planes equipped with Viasat and Intelsat high-speed satellite connectivity, which covers 90 percent of the airline’s fleet. American Airlines is also in the process of outfitting over 500 regional aircraft with high-speed Wi-Fi by the end of 2025.
Many major US-based airlines now offer some form of free Wi-Fi program, made possible by satellite connectivity. United Airlines began using Starlink for Wi-Fi earlier this year, while Hawaiian Airlines and Delta conducted tests with SpaceX’s satellite internet service in 2022. Ultimately, Delta opted for Viasat for their T-Mobile-sponsored Wi-Fi program in 2023, with the same loyalty program requirement as American Airlines.
This article was originally published on Engadget.
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