American Airlines is making inflight Wi-Fi free—but only for some travelers

Core Points - American Airlines will introduce free high-speed Wi-Fi on flights starting this month, with plans to extend the service to approximately 2 million flights by 2026 [1] - The service will be sponsored by AT&T, highlighting the importance of free Wi-Fi for modern travelers according to the airline's chief customer officer [1] Service Rollout - The rollout of the free Wi-Fi service will occur in phases, beginning this month on narrowbody and dual-class regional fleets, with nearly all American Airlines flights expected to offer the service in a few months [2] - Only members of the AAdvantage loyalty program will be eligible for the free Wi-Fi service [2] AAdvantage Membership - Non-members can sign up for a free AAdvantage account on the American Airlines website to access free Wi-Fi and earn loyalty points [3] - AAdvantage members can access free Wi-Fi through the aainflight.com portal by logging in with their membership details [4] Competitive Landscape - Other U.S. airlines, including Delta, United, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Southwest, also provide free Wi-Fi for loyalty members, while JetBlue offers it to all travelers on most flights [5] - Wi-Fi costs for non-members typically range from $8 to $10, with international flights potentially costing up to $35 [6]