American Airlines to roll out free Wi-Fi for loyalty program members

Jan 6 (Reuters) - American Airlines said on Tuesday it would ​launch free in-flight Wi-Fi in ‌partnership with telecom firm AT&T for ‌customers enrolled in the carrier's loyalty program.

Airlines are increasingly competing on free onboard internet access as ⁠they vie for ‌loyalty-driven customers.

"Free high-speed Wi-Fi isn't just a perk — ‍it's essential for today's travelers," Heather Garboden, chief customer officer of American ​Airlines, said in a statement.

In ‌2023, Delta Air Lines became the first major U.S. carrier to offer free in-flight Wi-Fi in partnership with T-Mobile. In 2025, ⁠United Airlines partnered with ​Elon Musk's Starlink ​for in-flight internet services.

American Airlines said the rollout of Wi-Fi ‍would ⁠begin in January and be available on nearly all of ⁠its flights by early spring.

(Reporting by ‌Aishwarya Jain in Bengaluru; Editing ‌by Maju Samuel)