You'll Now Have Access to Free Wifi on All Delta Flights

Let them have wifi.

And thanks to Delta, in partnership with T-Mobile, they soon will — or, at least on most domestic mainline flights, they will.

Starting February 1, the airline announced in a release, it will become “the first major U.S. airline to offer free wifi as a core element of its customer experience.” (In this context, “major U.S. airline” implies U.S. carriers with more than 30 million DOT enplanements, which conveniently disqualifies JetBlue — an airline that has long provided its passengers, regardless of fare, with free wifi.)

Further, by the end of 2023 the carrier will offer the service on more than 700 Viasat-equipped aircrafts, as well as on international and regional aircrafts by the end of 2024.

“At T-Mobile, we believe staying connected while traveling should be an easy, seamless experience,” said T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert. “T-Mobile customers already get free in-flight wifi and now we’re partnering with Delta to bring that experience to all customers — regardless of their wireless provider — so that anyone flying Delta can enjoy online access from takeoff to touchdown.”

Once the service launches, passengers will either have to log in using their Delta SkyMiles account or join SkyMiles — which they’ll be able to do either on the ground or during the flight — to connect for free. In the spring, Delta also plans to launch a mobile platform they’ve coined “Delta Sync Exclusives hub,” which is set to involve exclusive offers and entertainment.

“We didn’t just want free wifi to offer base-level service — we wanted it to be transformative for the entire onboard experience,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “It is imperative all customers onboard can enjoy their favorite content just as they would at home, and we’ve put this system through meticulous tests to make that possible.”