Airplane Wi-Fi: How It Works, Airline Availability, Fees & More

Key Takeaways

• Airplane Wi-Fi operates via satellite or air-to-ground (ATG) systems, which use cell towers.
• Satellites communicate with ground stations, which then relay signals to the aircraft. They have better coverage over open water but can be slower.
• Different airlines partner with providers like Gogo or Viasat, with pricing often based on flight duration or subscription plans.

Not too long ago, it was the norm to board a plane and know that you were entirely unreachable for the duration of your journey. There was nothing to do but switch off and enjoy a good book, have a snooze, or watch the inflight entertainment system.

But in today’s digitally-demanding age, more and more airlines are introducing onboard Wi-Fi so that passengers can share their trips on social media and business travelers can use their flight time productively.

Around a decade ago, when airplane Wi-Fi was first introduced, it was expensive and slow, with just enough bandwidth to satisfy a few laptops or Blackberry phones. But with the surge in smart device ownership, airlines are now exploring and implementing more advanced options to improve connectivity.

How Airplane Wi-Fi Works

There are 2 types of operating systems for airplane Wi-Fi — air-to-ground (ATG) which bounces signals off ground-based cell towers, and satellite Wi-Fi which uses signals from satellites orbiting the earth.

Air-to-Ground (ATG) Wi-Fi

ATG is the same operating system used to provide Wi-Fi to your home or mobile devices. Your mobile device or wireless router receives and transmits radio signals through its antenna to/from ground-based cell towers, and it’s the same on an airplane.

An antenna is placed on the underside of an airplane’s body so that it is positioned to receive and transmit signals to/from these cell towers. As the airplane’s journey progresses, these signals move from one available cell tower to the next.

The limitation of ATG is the lack of cell towers in remote areas of land or large expanses of water such as oceans, causing this type of connection to only be suitable for land travel, with the expectation of some black spots here and there.

Wi-Fi speed is slow with an ATG connection at around 3 Mbps, so it’s suitable for checking emails or messaging apps but wouldn’t hold up against any bandwidth-intensive actions such as streaming or uploading files.

Satellite Wi-Fi

With satellite operating systems, ground-based units transmit signals to a satellite in orbit, which then relays the signal to the airplane.

This system allows for better connections where no cell tower coverage is present, such as over large expanses of water, although due to the distance the signals must travel, latency issues can be experienced which can still affect Wi-Fi speed.

Ku-Band and Ka-Band are 2 types of satellite operating systems with Ku-Band utilizing 12-18 GHz and Ka-Band 26.5-40 GHz. The higher the frequency, generally the higher the available bandwidth.

Ku-Band

Ku-Band speed is an improvement on ATG connections at around 30 to 40 Mbps; however, signals from satellites are shared with other airplanes so bandwidth reduction may occur depending on airspace concentration.

Although it’s not the fastest Wi-Fi available, it is the most consistent, with hundreds of Ku-Band satellites orbiting the earth, meaning that the airplane’s antenna will be more likely to maintain a signal. This bandwidth, when potentially split across many users, is generally not up to the job of streaming content.

Providers such as Gogo, Panasonic, and Global Eagle Entertainment provide connectivity to airlines using Ku-Band.

Ka-Band

Ka-Band provides the most advanced high-speed satellite Wi-Fi, boasting up to 80 Mbps per airplane; however, there are significantly fewer Ka-Band satellites in orbit with a smaller geographical coverage, so it’s only suitable for some airlines at present.

JetBlue, American Airlines, and United Airlines offer high-speed Wi-Fi for routes over the contiguous U.S., whereas availability for other routes may vary.

Although many Ku-Band providers purchase bandwidth from various satellite owners, Viasat (a provider of Ka-Band) owns its own 4 satellites, with more planned for launch in the coming years. Additional satellites will increase coverage throughout the world, so this should be a real game-changer for Viasat, if successful.

At present, 1,400+ commercial aircraft flying in the U.S. use Viasat’s satellite inflight Wi-Fi. But airlines are having to consider which provider will suit their needs (e.g., domestic U.S. route coverage versus international), with some opting for hybrid Ka-Band and Ku-Band receivers to provide widespread coverage — but of course, this comes at a cost.

Onboard Wi-Fi Installation

For satellite Wi-Fi systems, an antenna is placed within a dome-shaped container on top of the airplane. Over time these antennas have been designed to be more aerodynamic to produce less drag and therefore use less fuel.

Older antennas were required to face the direction of the signal and used a somewhat cumbersome gimbal to provide rotation and tilt. Newer antennas are streamlined and can receive and transmit signals without movement, which can save airlines tens of thousands of dollars in annual fuel reduction.

For ATG systems, there are usually a couple of antennas on the underside of the aircraft, and sometimes the addition of side antennas to receive and transmit signals to/from ground cell towers.

These signals are processed by an onboard modem and are distributed to passenger devices through wireless access points (WAPs), with 1 WAP required for approximately every 50 passengers.

Airline Wi-Fi Availability and Fees

U.S. Airlines

Alaska Airlines

As of 2022, 80% of Alaska Airlines’ aircraft, including all Airbus aircraft, have been upgraded with the Gogo 2Ku satellite, with the goal of equipping all of its fleet with satellite Wi-Fi by early 2023.

This improved Wi-Fi has 20 times more bandwidth, will enable passengers to stream content, and will be available from the departure gate right through to the arrival gate.

If you find yourself on a flight that has yet to be upgraded (E175 and select 737 aircraft), you’ll still have Gogo ATG4 basic inflight internet that does the job for checking emails, social media, and a bit of browsing. However, select 737-9 MAX aircraft and all Q400 aircraft used on shorter flights are not yet equipped with internet.

Basic inflight Wi-Fi coverage includes most of North America, however, satellite Wi-Fi will include some of the usual black spots such as Anchorage, Kona, Mazatlán, Milwaukee, and Orlando.

Hot Tip: T-Mobile customers on eligible plans (Magenta and Magenta MAX) and Sprint customers on eligible plans (Sprint ONE and Sprint MAX) can receive free Wi-Fi on many Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United flights.

Alaska Airlines Wi-Fi Fees

American Airlines

For North American flights, American has a direct Wi-Fi subscription plan with rates starting at $49.95 per month.

Depending on whether you’re flying on a narrow or wide-bodied aircraft outside of North America, American currently uses 3 different Wi-Fi providers, meaning some of the unlimited Wi-Fi packages are not compatible across all services.

All of American’s narrow-bodied aircraft are now equipped with high-speed satellite Wi-Fi provided by either Gogo or Viasat. Its wide-bodied aircraft uses Panasonic satellite Wi-Fi. Providers for individual aircraft models are featured below, with any model not mentioned using the older Gogo services or providing no Wi-Fi at all.

• Gogo 2Ku on around 75% of its Airbus A319s, all A320s, and Boeing 757s that operate to Hawaii
• Viasat on the remaining 25% of its Airbus A319s, all A321s, all Boeing 757-800s, and Max 8s
• Panasonic on the Airbus A330-200/300, Boeing 757-200, 767-300, 777-200ER/300ER, and the 787-8/9

American Airlines Wi-Fi Fees

If you’re a Gogo subscriber, you can also use your subscription on plans that use Viasat Wi-Fi thanks to a partnership between the 2 companies. If you’re flying on a Viasat-enabled aircraft, simply go to the Wi-Fi home page and select Have a Gogo Subscription. From there you’ll be able to type in your Gogo account details and gain access to inflight Wi-Fi.

Hot Tip: To check if your flight has high-speed satellite Wi-Fi, look out for the icon on the flight results page, represented by a Wi-Fi icon with a clock dial. 

Delta Air Lines

Delta offers Wi-Fi on almost all of its flights with both Viasat and Gogo. As with other airlines, Delta has been upgrading its aircraft to offer high-speed satellite Wi-Fi that can now be found on the following aircraft:

• KA from Viasat on select A321, 737-900, and 757-200
• Gogo 2KU on 737-800/900, some 757-200s, 757-300, A220, A319, A320, some A321s, A330-900, and A350
• Standard Wi-Fi (Gogo Ku) is on the A330-200/300, some 757-200s, and 767-300/400 (international flights)
• Air-to-Ground service is on CRJ-700/900, E170/175, and 717

Delta Air Lines Wi-Fi Fees

Prices exclude taxes and fees.

Delta has stated that it hopes to offer passengers free Wi-Fi in the not-too-distant future. In May 2019 it ran selected trial flights offering free Wi-Fi but has yet to disclose if/when it plans to roll this out to all flight operations. Watch this space!

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t yet offer Wi-Fi onboard, but in 2022 signed a deal with Starlink (yes … SpaceX/Elon Musk’s Starlink) to provide free Wi-Fi to passengers within the next year.

It plans to offer Starlink connectivity on flights departing Hawaii to cities throughout the mainland U.S. and international destinations and will begin installing Starlink terminals (antennas) on its planes next year.

JetBlue

JetBlue is the only U.S. airline that offers Wi-Fi free of charge for all passengers, and this high-speed Wi-Fi, referred to as “Fly-Fi,” is supplied by Viasat.

Partnering with Amazon, passengers can stream content through their Amazon Prime account, or non-members can purchase content to stream. Passengers will also earn 3 TrueBlue points for every eligible dollar spent on inflight purchases from Amazon.

Fly-Fi is available on most flights operating throughout the contiguous U.S. JetBlue’s Airbus A320 and A321neo aircraft also offer expanded coverage over much of the Caribbean and Central America. And its Airbus A321 Long Range aircraft offers expanded coverage to/from London.

JetBlue’s Fly-Fi has been praised for providing speeds similar to those achievable on the ground. It’s also one of the most widely accessible connections available gate-to-gate and from any altitude (some services are only available above 10,000 feet).

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines offers a flat fee of $8 per day for Wi-Fi access across multiple flights, if required. The service is free for Southwest’s A-List Preferred members.

Although Southwest uses a high-speed Ku-band connection, the airline does block access to bandwidth-hungry websites and apps such as HBO GO, Netflix, and VoIP.

Southwest Wi-Fi Fees

Hot Tip: Learn more in our guide to Southwest Airlines Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment!

Spirit Airlines

Spirit offers Wi-Fi on nearly all the routes it flies, and it plans to continue enhancing the service over the next year by adding multi-device plans, gate-to-gate coverage, and more.

In keeping with the airline’s brand, the service is relatively low-cost and dependent on the length of the flight.

Spirit Airlines Wi-Fi Fees

United Airlines

United Airlines has 4 Wi-Fi providers across its fleet of aircraft:

• Gogo on the Embraer 170, Embraer 175, Bombardier CRJ-700/550
• Panasonic on the select Airbus 319, Airbus 320, select Boeing 757-200/300, 767-300ER/400ER, 777-200/200ER/300ER, 787-8/9/10
• Thales on the 737-700/800/900, 737-900ER, and select 757-300s
• Viasat on select Airbus 319, select Boeing 737-900, Boeing 757-200 with premium transcontinental service, and 737 MAX 9

United Airlines Wi-Fi Fees

Hot Tip: For premium transcontinental services, you can check which Wi-Fi provider is on board by searching for your flight in the United app and checking under the Amenities section. This information is available 48 hours before the flight departs. 

U.S. Airline Wi-Fi Subscriptions

Many of the major U.S. airlines offer Wi-Fi subscriptions for frequent flyers, usually on a monthly or annual basis. This is great if you fly regularly with the same airline, but these subscriptions are not valid across multiple airlines, unfortunately.

Gogo Subscriptions

For example, you can purchase a monthly domestic-use subscription with Gogo for $49.95 but you must select the airline you choose this to be valid for (available for Alaska Airlines or Delta).

Gogo used to provide multi-airline subscriptions; however, with more airlines adopting a mixture of different providers across their fleets (e.g., Gogo, Panasonic, Viasat, etc.), airlines do not want passengers to only have subscription access on certain aircraft.

With a Gogo day pass costing $19, it’s worth getting the monthly subscription if you fly domestically more than twice a month with the same airline (provided Gogo Wi-Fi is available on that specific aircraft/route).

Airline-specific Subscriptions

American offers a direct Wi-Fi subscription plan for North American flights starting at $49.95 per month.

Delta offers its monthly global subscription through Gogo for $69.95, valid on all domestic and international Gogo-equipped Delta flights.

United Airlines offer its own monthly and annual subscription plans starting at $49 that provide access across its multiple Wi-Fi providers. Passengers can opt for a North and Central America subscription or a global subscription.

iPass Subscriptions

iPass provides access to millions of Wi-Fi hotspots across 180 countries and includes inflight Wi-Fi. iPass is marketed at companies rather than individuals; if you’re lucky enough to have an account through your employer you’ll have Wi-Fi access with select airlines.

iPass states that it partners with Gogo, Deutsche Telekom, and Panasonic to provide Wi-Fi on more than 4,000 aircraft (including domestic and international routes,) but some passengers have reported difficulties gaining access with some providers and airlines.

For a while there were a couple of companies offering subscriptions to iPass for $10 per month, like US Mobile; however, these plans have proven popular and now both state that they are sold out with the ability to join a waitlist.

International Airline Wi-Fi Fees

How To Save on Airplane Wi-Fi

There are several credit cards that offer the benefit of free or discounted airplane Wi-Fi. These credit cards all have annual fees so are not worth getting for this benefit alone, but if you’re choosing between 2 cards, then this may swing the balance in favor of one over another.

• Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Business™ World Elite Mastercard^® — Receive 25% off American Airlines inflight Wi-Fi when purchased with this credit card, valid on Wi-Fi passes for Gogo, Viasat, or Panasonic services, and Wi-Fi subscriptions.
• AAdvantage^® Aviator^® Red World Elite Mastercard^® — Receive up to $25 in statement credits toward Wi-Fi purchases on American Airlines flights.
• AAdvantage^® Aviator^® Silver Mastercard^® (no longer available to new applicants) — $50 per year statement credits for American Airlines inflight Wi-Fi purchases
  
• Southwest^® Rapid Rewards^® Performance Business Credit Card — Southwest’s Wi-Fi costs $8 per day and cardholders will receive this amount back in statement credits when the Wi-Fi is purchased with this credit card. Cardholders will be credited a maximum of 365 $8 credits in 1 year so even if you flew daily with Southwest, you would still receive free Wi-Fi!
• U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite^® Card — Get 12 free Gogo Wi-Fi passes per year, which are valid on domestic and international flights, per segment.

Final Thoughts

Ground-based businesses have long seen the benefits of offering free Wi-Fi to their customers as the marketing exposure of a shared Instagram photo far outweighs the operational costs.

Airplanes are one of the few places where payment is required to access Wi-Fi, but it looks like this may be set to change with airlines like JetBlue trailblazing free inflight Wi-Fi and talks of Delta and Hawaiian Airlines following suit.

With technical developments in streamlining airplane antennas and operational costs for fuel consumption decreasing, the savings can hopefully be passed on to passengers.