American Airlines has announced plans to provide free Wi-Fi to its AAdvantage loyalty program members starting in January. This move follows a growing trend among airlines offering complimentary inflight internet to enhance their loyalty programs and compete with one another. The free Wi-Fi service will be sponsored by AT&T and will be available on planes equipped with Intelsat and Viasat satellite Wi-Fi, which is expected to cover 90% of American Airlines’ fleet by next year. While some of the airline’s older Boeing wide-body planes may not feature free Wi-Fi, they will still offer internet service to passengers.
American had been testing the free Wi-Fi service on select routes, and with the upcoming rollout, the airline plans to equip 500 regional planes with high-speed internet by the end of next year. This announcement comes at a time when other airlines, such as JetBlue Airways and Delta Air Lines, have already made free Wi-Fi a part of their loyalty programs. JetBlue has been offering complimentary internet for several years, while Delta began providing the service for SkyMiles members in 2023. United Airlines is also following suit by outfitting its fleet with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite Wi-Fi, which will be free for MileagePlus members.
The free Wi-Fi offering marks a significant shift in the industry, where inflight Wi-Fi has traditionally been a costly service, often priced at over $20 per flight. With more airlines providing complimentary internet access, the pressure is mounting on others to follow suit and enhance the travel experience for their frequent flyers.
Southwest Airlines, however, has not made any announcements regarding free Wi-Fi availability. As one of the few airlines that has yet to adopt the trend, Southwest remains an outlier in this aspect of customer service. The move by American Airlines aligns with the broader industry trend of making travel more convenient and rewarding for loyal customers by offering essential services like Wi-Fi as part of their membership benefits.
This shift in the airline industry reflects the increasing importance of in-flight connectivity and the competition to provide more value to loyal passengers. As more carriers embrace free Wi-Fi, it seems likely that other airlines will follow suit to stay competitive in the evolving market.
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