On board Delta planes comes free wifi for all
Delta follows Jetblue and becomes a the second U.S. airline to introduce fast, free Wi-Fi for all. [...]
Delta
SkyTeam
United States of America
Delta follows Jetblue and becomes a the second U.S. airline to introduce fast, free Wi-Fi for all. In collaboration with T-Mobile.
Fast-streaming free wifi for all
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Wifi is coming to most planes by February 1 for domestic connections, while service on the entire intercontinental fleet will have to wait until the end of 2024.
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The airline will offer the service on more than 700 Viasat-equipped aircraft by the end of 2023.
"At work, at home, and everywhere in between, connectivity is essential to everyday life, and your journey on Delta should be no different," Delta CEO Ed Bastian said at CES 2023 in Las Vegas. "Our vision has long been to provide an experience at 30,000 feet similar to what our customers have on the ground."
To connect for free you will need to be enrolled in the Delta SkyMiles loyalty program. You will not need to have a status or activate anything, but just use your credentials and you will have access to the service.
Unlimited, all channels excluding motion/broadcast, through January 2026. Non Exclusive. Free Wi-Fi, Wifi, Garrett Swann, Comfort+
"At T-Mobile, we believe that staying connected while traveling should be a seamless and easy experience," said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. "T-Mobile customers already get free in-flight Wi-Fi, and now we are partnering with Delta to bring that experience to all customers, regardless of their wireless provider, so that everyone traveling with Delta can enjoy online access from takeoff to landing. "
Currently, the following Delta aircraft have been reconfigured with Viasat connectivity:
- Entire fleet of Airbus A321s
- Most of the Boeing 757-200 fleet.
- Most of the Boeing 737-900ER fleet.
- Some Airbus A320s
- Some Airbus A319s
- Some A220-300
- Some Boeing 737-800s
Figuring out if the flight you are about to buy includes fast wifi is very simple: on the Delta website, when searching for flights, simply locate those with the "fast-streaming-wifi" banner.
There also remains the option of paid use, without registering, at a flat fee of 10$ per flight.
Delta Sync
Delta is not stopping at free Wi-Fi. The airline is developing a personalized entertainment experience with Delta Sync, which includes two main components: the exclusive Delta Sync hub and the Delta Sync on Demand service.
The first will be accessible through the DeltaWifi.com website, and will include personalized content, promotions, and entertainment options.
A trial version of this hub will be released by spring (probably around April) and will include Paramount content, free access to the New York Times games, Wordle, Spelling Bee, and the crossword puzzle, Atlas Obscura destination guides, and Resy restaurant recommendations.
Delta and Paramount have entered into a partnership that allows SkyMiles members without a subscription to watch Paramount movies streamed without commercial interruption for up to 24 hours after the flight begins.
SkyMiles members can earn even more Delta miles when they sign up for a new Paramount account.
Meanwhile, Delta Sync on Demand will be an exclusive service for SkyMiles members that will be added to the airline's 146,000 TV screens.
By logging into their seat's IFE system, travelers will enjoy a personalized experience with a new trip planning feature, content suggestions, and real-time updates along the way.
With the Delta Sync on Demand feature, it will be possible to order food and beverages from the seatback monitor in domestic first class. Expansion of the service will depend on feedback from customers and flight attendants.