Enjoy Free Wi-Fi on United Flights With T-Mobile [How To Connect]

If you have an eligible T-Mobile account, you can now enjoy free onboard Wi-Fi on most United Airlines flights, as first noted by The Points Guy.

While T-Mobile has been offering complimentary hour-long sessions to customers for quite some time, the carrier has now expanded to offering free connectivity for the entire duration of the flight — to both domestic and international destinations.

Here are the details!

Where Can You Receive the Free Wi-Fi?

The complimentary T-Mobile Wi-Fi is offered on all mainline United aircraft flights, except on regional jets operated by United Express.

Normally, Wi-Fi costs $8 for a MileagePlus member and $10 for a non-MileagePlus member, so depending on how many segments of flying you’re doing, you might save quite a bit of money by holding an eligible T-Mobile plan.

Note that you can only access free Wi-Fi on your cell phones. If you’d like to browse with your laptop, you’ll need to purchase an additional Wi-Fi plan.

Hot Tip: T-Mobile customers already receive complimentary Wi-Fi coverage on Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines as part of their Coverage Beyond benefits.

Which T-Mobile Plans Are Eligible?

According to T-Mobile, Coverage Beyond includes:

• Free Wi-Fi for the entire flight on every flight with Magenta MAX, Business Unlimited Ultimate, and equivalent Sprint plans
• Free Wi-Fi for the entire flight on 4 flights the customer chooses annually, with a free hour for every flight after that with Magenta, Business Unlimited Advanced, and equivalent Sprint plans

How To Connect

Once you’re onboard, turn your phone on airplane mode. You’ll connect to the inflight United Wi-Fi signal, then visit “Unitedwifi.com” where you’ll plug in your T-Mobile phone number. To prove it’s you who is using the service, you’ll receive an automated message on your phone, and then you’ll be connected.

In previous years, passengers who didn’t have T-Mobile service used to log in with the number of a friend or family member who had a T-Mobile plan, but recently the mobile carrier has cracked down on this and now requires verification.

Final Thoughts

Airlines in the U.S. are starting to offer cheaper and easier ways to connect to inflight Wi-Fi, with many offering to provide free connectivity to all users relatively soon.

While this T-Mobile and United partnership won’t benefit those who aren’t T-Mobile customers, it’s nice to see an opportunity for a large subset of wireless customers to connect to free Wi-Fi onboard.