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The passenger cabin of a Boeing 737-900ER Delta while landing in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Mike Blake | Reuters
Delta Airlines will offer free Wi-Fi to travelers starting February 1, chief executive Ed Bastian said on Thursday.
Most U.S. flights will roll out the service next month, but it’s going to be available every week, Bastian said during a presentation on the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Delta’s plan to make Wi-Fi free, after years of scrutinizing the choices, comes as airlines compete for purchasers in a travel recovery from the pandemic crisis nearly three years ago.
“It’s for free. There isn’t a positive print,” Bastian said on Thursday. “We invested over $1 billion to create it.”
Travelers will access the free online service by logging in with their Delta SkyMiles loyalty program account details, added Bastian.
Delta last March said it was equipping more of its planes with high-speed Wi-Fi Viasat and made it available for a flat fee of $5. The operator already offers free messages.
Most airlines charge for Wi-Fi: United Airlines charges $8 from members of its frequent flyer program and $10 from other customers and Southwest Airlines charges $8. It’s free JetBluewhich has several corporate sponsors for the service, and Hawaiian Airlines plans to offer free web access this yr using SpaceX’s Starlink.
Some airline executives have been hesitant to introduce the free service until the service becomes more reliable.