Delta Air Lines may roll out free in-flight Wi-Fi for passengers as early as 2023.
According to The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal, which cited people familiar with the matter, the Atlanta-based carrier is expected to initially offer wireless internet on a "significant portion" of its aircraft, before expanding the service to more of its fleet next year. Delta customers will probably have to enter a SkyMiles loyalty number to browse the web, though that program is also free.
Delta, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, told the Journal it's now testing Wi-Fi infrastructure with "various offerings to select customers on select routes."
The sky seems to be the actual limit when it comes to free internet access. While we've come to expect complimentary Wi-Fi nearly everywhere we go—from friends' houses and restaurants to shops to stadiums—flights remain one of the last roadblocks to a truly connected existence.
Delta first tested free Wi-Fi on domestic flights in 2019, the Journal says. Last year, it began outfitting nearly all domestic mainline craft with Viasat Ka-Band wireless access—available for a flat fee of $5 per flight. (That's more than Starbucks charges for a grande PSL and a seat near an outlet.)
"It's complex to do, but we are actively testing it right now and it's working," Delta Chief Customer Experience Officer Allison Ausband said at an industry event in November, as reported by the Journal.
Company chief Ed Bastian in April confirmed the airline had carried out "exploratory" in-flight internet tests using SpaceX's Starlink, which was granted FCC approval for sky-high trials.