Delta Introduced Fast, Free Onboard WI-FI

Delta Air Lines said it would offer fast, free Wi-Fi in partnership with T-Mobile to all customers on board most domestic mainline flights beginning from Feb. 1 2023 and would be the first major US airline to offer free Wi-Fi as a core element of its customer experience.

The airline also said it would offer the service on more than 700 Viasat-equipped aircraft by the end of 2023. Delta also announced plans to bring free Wi-Fi on international and regional aircraft by the end of 2024.2

“At work, at home and everywhere in between, connectivity is essential to daily life, and your journey on Delta should be no different,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian at CES 2023 in Las Vegas. “Our vision has long been to deliver an experience at 30,000 feet that feels similar to what our customers have available on the ground.”

Designed to fuel Delta’s vision of more personalized travel, customers will log in using their Delta SkyMiles account or join SkyMiles on the ground or in the air for free to connect. 

“At T-Mobile, we believe staying connected while traveling should be an easy, seamless experience,” said Mike Sievert, T-Mobile CEO. “T-Mobile customers already get free in-flight Wi-Fi 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.”

Delta also announced its plans for Delta Sync Exclusives hub — a new SkyMiles-unlocked mobile platform coming this spring aimed at elevating the in-flight connectivity experience with exclusive offers, access and entertainment from beloved brands that are mainstays of everyday life. Delta will launch Delta Sync Exclusives hub later this spring.

 Delta has long used technology as a tool to further its mission of connecting people and to redefine consumer expectations.

Working with engineers from Viasat — the satellite internet service provider behind the airline’s connectivity revolution — teams at Delta have applied a rigorous approach to testing, learning and scaling best-in-class in-flight connectivity, with an eye toward rolling out the new system on more routes at an unprecedented scale by the end of 2024.

From development to implementation, the scale of the airline’s global operation required a Delta-led team of engineers, developers, designers, product leaders and technicians working tirelessly to build, install and deploy an ecosystem of technologies fit to unlock the future of travel.

“We didn’t just want free Wi-Fi to offer base-level service – we wanted it to be transformative for the entire onboard experience,” said 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.”