American Airlines teams up with AT&T to bring free Wi-Fi to all flights

[Shawn Knight]

Something to look forward to: American Airlines is teaming up with the nation's second-largest wireless provider, AT&T, to bring high-speed, satellite-based Wi-Fi to its entire fleet of passenger jets. The rollout is set to begin this month starting with dual-class and narrow body regional planes and barring any unforeseen hiccups, should be completed by early spring.

The in-flight perk requires membership in American's loyalty program, AAdvantage, which is free to join. Passengers can sign up ahead of time at AA's website or right from their seat during flight. Connectivity will be powered by Viasat and Intelsat, two of the world's leading satellite communications providers.

American's rollout is less about leading the pack and more about keeping up with the Joneses. In 2024, United Airlines partnered with SpaceX to bring Starlink Internet to its flights. The rollout got under way in mid-2025, and initial tests were promising. Demonstrations saw average download speeds of 128 Mbps with peaks north of 230 Mbps during taxiing and takeoff, putting it in the same category as some at-home broadband offerings. Like American, customers have to be part of United's loyalty program to access the free perk.

Heather Garboden, American's chief customer officer, agrees, noting that free high-speed Wi-Fi isn't just a perk but rather, essential for today's travelers.

Airlines are also playing a role in what customers access while in the air. Last year, United reached an agreement with streaming leader Spotify to bring free audiobooks and video podcasts to passengers. The initial rollout included more than 450 hours of curated playlists that can be accessed via seatback screens.

Once American's rollout is complete, the company will have free Wi-Fi on more flights than any other airline in the world, we are told.

If doom scrolling social media at 35,000 doesn't sound like much fun, you can always opt for Airplane Mode – the real-time game where you play as a window seat passenger on a long-haul commercial flight over the Atlantic. The game features stereotypical "bad" experiences you might encounter on a real flight including delays, turbulence, crying babies, and even bad Wi-Fi.

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American Airlines teams up with AT&T to bring free Wi-Fi to all flights

 

[Pwnjuice]

You know what’s more essential than Wi-Fi—or even free Wi-Fi—on this airline? Being on time and arriving at the correct airport. American is the worst.

 

[NumberNine]

I think their decision to do this was driven more by the amount of data they can collect and profit from while skimming the web traffic of every passenger on their flights. Sure, you bought a plane ticket and they got a slice of that... but do you really think it stops there? Anyways, wear protection, use VPNs.

 

[JMGuy]

[rant]
Cool, free Wi-Fi… if you join yet another “loyalty” program. Every airline loyalty scheme is the same scam: promise perks, quietly devalue them, change the rules, and deliver almost nothing when it actually matters.

I’d gladly trade Wi-Fi, points, and branded partnerships for on-time flights, crews that aren’t burned out, and an end-to-end experience that doesn’t feel like a glorified prison bus where they intentionally signal throughout the flight how much better first-class passengers are than the rest of us in steerage coach.

Fix boarding, fix delays, fix missed connections, stop nickel-and-diming, and treat passengers like humans and I’ll gladly pay a premium for my ticket.

Instead we get “essential” perks tied to programs I can’t trust. Congrats on your faster doomscrolling while sitting on the tarmac for 90 minutes suffocating on that sweet, sweet cabin air.

The last time I flew American the entire experience was so sub-par—even after paying for upgrades—that I won’t ever fly with them again. Get bent American Airlines.
[/rant]

 

[bclaymiles]

"powered by Viasat and Intelsat"



Wait until the poor rube customers actually start using it, and enjoy the average RTT latency of 700ms for geosynchronous satellite internet. On every mouse click. For the entire flight.

 

[DrSuess]

I actually like the 10-15hrs unplugged when flying to Asia, Europe or South America. I get sit in my seat listen to some music, watch a movie or sit quietly wearing noise canceling headphones. The isolation is relaxing.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

I actually like the 10-15hrs unplugged when flying to Asia, Europe or South America. I get sit in my seat listen to some music, watch a movie or sit quietly wearing noise canceling headphones. The isolation is relaxing.

You can do that without a flight.

 

[DrSuess]

You can do that without a flight.

That presumes I have the time.

 

[VitalyT]

I think that having a comfortable seat and legroom is more essential for flights.

After going through a 3-hour flight on Raynair, just 2 days ago, I am in urgent need of a chiropractor, as the horridly uncomfortable seat ruined my back.

Somehow, WiFi was the last thing on my mind.

P.S. For the record, it was a FR-1026 (from Budapest to Dublin)

 

[opckieran]

"powered by Viasat and Intelsat"



Wait until the poor rube customers actually start using it, and enjoy the average RTT latency of 700ms for geosynchronous satellite internet. On every mouse click. For the entire flight.

There's no way a major airline would have missed a crucial detail like this in 2026, right?

...right?

 

[AlexIL]

Wi-Fi on flights? Every Middle Eastern airline has that for a decade and glorious American Airlines just arrived at it?

Who’s more developed than? A desert dweller with a goat or…

I should keep quiet regarding leg space, schedules, well rested crews… wait.

Did I started about departures that looks like prison transport boarding and arrivals that resembles cattle disembarkment?

Air travel? Yeah thanks.

 

[DrSuess]

I think that having a comfortable seat and legroom is more essential for flights.

After going through a 3-hour flight on Raynair, just 2 days ago, I am in urgent need of a chiropractor, as the horridly uncomfortable seat ruined my back.

Somehow, WiFi was the last thing on my mind.

P.S. For the record, it was a FR-1026 (from Budapest to Dublin)

When I was younger I flew weekly between the West Coast and the East Coast in economy for meetings 5 or so hours one way each time, I didn't mind it when I was younger. Now I am intolerant to economy on any flight longer than 90 minutes. And you are right leg room and a comfortable seat are the most important things that I am willing to pay a premium for.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

That presumes I have the time.

Fair enough.

But you can unplug in many ways while being busy. For instance, turning off 99% of phone notifications. Checking email only once a day. Etc.