Beginning February 1, Delta will offer free WiFi in its aircraft.
The first of the “big three” airlines in America to offer quick, free WiFi to all passengers is Delta Air Lines.
In a game-changing move that could put pressure on arch-rivals American Airlines and United to detach their own in-flight Internet services, Delta Air Lines is planning to offer free WiFi to passengers on domestic and international flights.
High-speed WiFi will be offered on the majority of domestic Delta flights starting in February, with the exception of those operated by twin-aisle jets or by regional Airbus A220 and Boeing 717 planes.
Upgrading those jets with high-speed Viasat technology until the end of 2024 will also turn on the “free WiFi” feature.
This includes foreign aircraft, such as the Airbus A350 operated by Delta between Sydney and Los Angeles.
According to Delta CEO Ed Bastian, connectivity is crucial to daily life at work, at home, and everywhere else. Your trip on Delta should be no different.
Our goal has always been to provide clients with an experience at 30,000 feet that is comparable to what they can get on the ground.
The free WiFi will be accessible “from pushback to park” rather than just once the flight has reached cruising altitude, although passengers must be members of Delta’s SkyMiles reward program to connect to it.
The airlines claim that if necessary, customers will have the choice to sign up for SkyMiles right from the WiFi login screen.
The option to purchase Wi-Fi connectivity is available to clients who would like not to have a SkyMiles account for a flat fee of US$10 per device per flight.
The high-bandwidth technology will allow passengers to connect numerous devices at once, and Delta claims it is strong enough “to enable streaming-quality connectivity at every seat onboard.”
