Staying connected when flying long-haul with Delta Airlines just got easier.
The Atlanta-based airline announced this week that it will officially introduce free high-speed Wi-Fi service on its transatlantic flights. The airline tested free long-range Wi-Fi on flights to France last month and is now ready to roll it out more broadly.
In August, Delta will roll out free Wi-Fi on flights to the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy. Below is the detailed rollout schedule for Delta’s free international Wi-Fi:
When to go: Best time to buy international flights
- September 2024: Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland
- October 2024: South America (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru), followed by Hawaii
- December 2024 and January 2025: Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal
- Mid to late 2025: Trans-Pacific (including Asia, Australia, New Zealand) and South Africa
Additionally, Delta said its regional routes and flights operated by Boeing 717s will go through a similar process and are scheduled to begin service in 2025.
As we’ve seen throughout Delta’s free Wi-Fi rollout, these schedules are of course subject to change. In fact, Delta had promised to complete its free Wi-Fi rollout on long-haul routes by the end of the year, so this updated rollout plan technically means a delay of almost 12 months.
To equip its long-haul planes with free Wi-Fi, Delta must first get Viasat satellite service on its twin-aisle jets, which would provide Delta with enough bandwidth to offer streaming Wi-Fi speeds to all passengers. (Hughes Network Systems, another satellite provider, serves Delta’s Boeing 717s and regional jets.)
Rather than just “turning on” free Wi-Fi on its long-haul routes, the airline is planning its rollout with great detail, which it says will allow it to monitor the reliability of the service, especially since bandwidth is at a premium at sea.
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During the transition period, please monitor Delta’s website and subscribe to pre-flight emails for details regarding internet availability for your route.
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Until airlines roll out free Wi-Fi on long-haul routes, you’ll have to pay for in-flight internet on jets with the existing Intelsat internet provider, with package prices determined based on distance flown and other dynamic factors.
As free Wi-Fi rolls out internationally, the international Wi-Fi portal will initially not require a SkyMiles login. Later this year, all Viasat-powered aircraft will switch over to a personalized Delta Sync Wi-Fi experience unlocked with a SkyMiles login. The Delta Sync portal will provide a customized in-flight experience and benefits.
The free streaming-quality connection is currently available on about 700 aircraft, covering more than 90 percent of Delta’s domestic mainline routes, and the airline says the product will be available to “the vast majority of our customers by the end of the year.”
The latest information on which internet providers are on board which jets can be found at the bottom of this post.
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Delta’s Free Wi-Fi Deployment Status
Jets that already offer free Wi-Fi provided by Viasat include:
- Airbus A220-300
- Airbus A319
- Airbus A320
- Airbus A321
- Airbus A321neo
- Boeing 737-800
- Boeing 737-900
- Boeing 757-200 (some planes)
Some of the planes below already have Viasat Wi-Fi installed and will have free Wi-Fi available in the coming months, following the route-by-route rollout schedules listed above.
- Airbus A330-200
- Airbus A330-300
- Airbus A330-900neo
- Airbus A350
- Boeing 757-300
- Boeing 767-300
- Boeing 767-400
The following planes currently have in-flight Wi-Fi service (formerly Gogo) but are expected to have Viasat or Hughes Wi-Fi service by the end of next year.
- Airbus A330-200 (some models)
- Airbus A330-300 (some models)
- Airbus A330-900neo (some models)
- Airbus A350 (some planes)
- Boeing 717-200
- Boeing 757-300 (some planes)
- Boeing 767-300 (some planes)
- Boeing 767-400 (some planes)
- Bombardier CRJ-700
- Bombardier CRJ-900
- Embraer E170
- Embraer E175
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