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Over the past few years, inflight Wi-Fi technology has advanced significantly. Inflight Wi-Fi used to be an exception, not the norm. But things have improved significantly. Inflight Wi-Fi has seen a significant increase in availability, and speeds have also improved. Many of us are now able to work as efficiently in the air than on the ground. This is why I fly first class. It gives me more space and allows me to be productive.
How to get discounts on Wi-Fi in flight
Wi-Fi can be a great way to save money, even though it is generally not very expensive (at least when you take into account that you are traveling 500 miles an hour in a tube metal going seven miles above the Earths surface).
Some of the best ones are gone now, so I am going to show you six ways that you can save money on Wi-Fi in flight. In no particular order
Benefits of an airline credit card
Some airline credit cards provide discounts or statement credits to purchase Wi-Fi onboard. Take this example:
You can get a lot of Wi-Fi free with the right Southwest credit card
Gogo Wi-Fi Passes can be purchased in advance
Gogo offers variable pricing when you board a flight. Prices can vary based on airline, route, day of week, etc. A Gogo pass can be purchased in advance to lock in a price. Gogo offers two types of passes for travel to Alaska and Delta in advance:
A continuous one-hour pass is $7 and valid on domestic Gogo-equipped planes
For $19, purchase a continuous 24-hour pass that is valid on all domestic Gogo-equipped planes
All passes are valid for one year from the date they were purchased. While the one-hour pass may not be the best deal, I believe the 24-hour pass offers significant savings, especially for multiple flights (all must be on the same airline).
Sometimes, airlines may also offer Wi-Fi passes in advance. Keep an eye out!
Subscribe to a monthly service
You can also purchase monthly Wi-Fi subscriptions in advance. These passes can be purchased directly by airlines or by Wi-Fi providers.
Gogo, for example, sells monthly Wi Fi passes for Delta and Alaska. If you are a frequent traveler with a particular airline, this can be a good option. These are your options:
For $49.95 per month or $599 for a year, you can purchase a domestic Wi Fi subscription for Alaska and Delta.
A monthly subscription to Delta Global Wi-Fi is available for only $69.95
Sometimes, we see airlines selling monthly subscriptions directly. This happens when multiple Wi-Fi providers are used by airlines (for example, the domestic American fleet has Wi-Fi from Viasat and Gogo). American Airlines offers Wi-Fi subscriptions that are valid for its narrow-body fleet. This doesn't work for wide-bodied planes with Panasonic Wi-Fi. These are the options:
A Wi-Fi subscription can be purchased for $49.95 per monthly for one device
For $59.95 per month, you can purchase a Wi-Fi subscription that covers two devices
Use your T-Mobile Wi-Fi benefit
T-Mobile has formed a partnership to Gogo, which operates on selected Delta, American and Alaska planes.
Magenta plans include one hour of Wi-Fi and unlimited texting.
You can get unlimited Wi-Fi and texting for your entire flight with a Magenta Plus Plan
This perk can be taken advantage of by ensuring that your flight features Gogo WiFi. To do this, log in to the Log-in page and enter your mobile number.
Fly JetBlue or La Compagnie
Flying an airline that offers free Wi-Fi is a great option if you need high-speed Wi Fi but don't want to pay a lot. La Compagnie and JetBlue are two airlines that I think of as being innovative in this regard. Both offer high-speed Wi Fi at no cost to their passengers, with Viasat providing unlimited data. This is quite an exceptional offer.
La Compagnie offers free high speed Wi-Fi
Other airlines offer Wi-Fi free of charge, but with data limitations or speeds that aren't as good.
Some airlines have begun to offer free Wi-Fi on a much larger scale. Delta, for example, is working hard towards this goal, and I expect other airlines to follow their lead. It might take a while before this becomes a reality.
Select airlines offer first and business class flights
Airlines don't offer Wi-Fi free of charge in business and first class. JetBlue is the only US airline that offers premium passengers Wi-Fi free of charge. However, premium international airlines offer Wi-Fi free of charge, especially in first class. This is true for airlines such as All Nippon Airways and Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Japan Airlines and Lufthansa.
There are different restrictions. Some airlines offer unlimited Wi-Fi while others have data caps.
Cathay Pacific offers Wi-Fi free of charge in its first class
Bottom line
The technology behind inflight Wi-Fi is advancing rapidly. I believe it will be available on a wider basis soon. There are alternatives that will save you money than the price of Wi-Fi onboard.
T-Mobile is my personal mobile network, and I get free Wi-Fi from it on any Gogo-equipped aircraft. American Airlines is my primary US airline, so I have a monthly Wi Fi subscription. A two-device plan works well for me since Ford and myself often travel together. I will usually purchase a day pass for Alaska and Delta in advance.
Apart from that, I will usually only pay out of my pocket for Wi-Fi once I am onboard.
Are there other ways to save on Wi-Fi in a flight?
