American Airlines to make Wi-Fi free on most of its fleet in 2026

Core Points - American Airlines will offer free Wi-Fi starting in January for members of its AAdvantage loyalty program, sponsored by AT&T [1] - The move aligns with industry trends as other airlines like JetBlue and Delta have already implemented complimentary inflight internet for their loyalty program members [2] - Approximately 90% of American Airlines' fleet will be equipped with the free service, utilizing Intelsat and Viasat satellite Wi-Fi [3] Industry Context - JetBlue has provided complimentary inflight internet for several years, while Delta began offering it to SkyMiles members in 2023 [2] - United Airlines is in the process of equipping its fleet with SpaceX's Starlink satellite Wi-Fi, which will also be free for MileagePlus members [2] - American Airlines is testing the service on select routes and plans to install high-speed internet on 500 regional planes by the end of next year [4] - Southwest Airlines has not yet announced any plans regarding free Wi-Fi services [4]