Photo: American Airlines

American Airlines is the latest airline to move toward a free Wi-Fi model for loyalty members. Starting in 2026, American will have free Wi-Fi on all aircraft equipped with Viasat and Intelsat in-flight connectivity (IFC), the airline announced Tuesday. This accounts for 90% of its fleet. 

The free Wi-Fi will be available to AAdvantage loyalty members, sponsored by AT&T. American reported it conducted a limited-time test of the complimentary Wi-Fi on select routes, and it “surpassed performance expectations.” 

The airline said it is on pace to outfit more than 500 regional aircraft with high-speed Wi-Fi by the end of 2025, in time for next year’s complimentary Wi-Fi service.

“Our customers greatly value staying connected while in the air, whether communicating with friends, getting work done, checking in on social media or streaming their favorite subscription services,” said Heather Garboden, chief customer officer, American Airlines. “We’ve been working diligently to outfit our aircraft with best-in-class high-speed Wi-Fi and together with AT&T are proud to offer those services at no cost to our most loyal customers.”

The regional aircraft are being upgraded from the Gogo legacy air-to-ground (ATG) solution with Intelsat’s multi-orbit solution with an electronically steered array (ESA) antenna, under a deal announced in late 2023. 

More airlines are moving to the free model for onboard Wi-Fi for loyalty members, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Air Canada.