Delta introduces fast, free onboard Wi-Fi

Delta Air Line becomes the first major U.S. airline to introduce fast, free Wi-Fi for all as a core element of its customer experience. The airline will offer fast, free Wi-Fi in partnership with T-Mobile to all customers on board most domestic mainline flights beginning from Feb.1.

By the end of 2023, the airline will offer the service on more than 700 Viasat-equipped aircraft. Delta also announced plans to bring free Wi-Fi on international and regional aircraft by the end of 2024.

“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 feel 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.

Speaking on behalf of T-Mobile, CEO Mike Sievert said “At T-Mobile, we believe staying connected while traveling should be an easy, seamless experience”. He added, “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 announced more exciting plans for the Delta Sync Exclusives hub. The hub is a new SkyMiles-unlocked mobile platform aimed at elevating the in-flight connectivity experience with exclusive offers, access, and entertainment from beloved brands that are the mainstays of everyday life. Later this spring, Delta will launch the Delta Sync Exclusives hub.

The culture of innovation that fueled the journey

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

Through the warmth and service of the Delta people and the power of innovation, Delta never stops looking for ways to make every trip feel fit for customers.