Dive Brief:
- American Airlines is partnering with AT&T to offer complimentary in-flight Wi-Fi across more than 2 million flights in 2026, the airline announced Tuesday.
- The airline will offer the free Wi-Fi exclusively to AAdvantage loyalty program members. By 2026, the airline expects to have about 90% of its fleet retrofitted with complimentary Wi-Fi.
- “Our customers greatly value staying connected while in the air, whether communicating with friends, getting work done, checking in on social media or streaming their favorite subscription services,” Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden said in a prepared statement.
Dive Insight:
With the appointment of Garboden as CCO in February, American renewed its focus on customer experience. Complimentary Wi-Fi is the latest example and is expected to improve the in-flight experience.
American is the latest airline to boost its Wi-Fi capabilities. United Airlines partnered with SpaceX in the fall of 2024 to offer Starlink Wi-Fi to customers, beginning this year. Delta said on an October earnings call that over 90% of its domestic mainline network already offers fast, free Wi-Fi.
American says it is on track to implement high-speed Wi-Fi on more than 500 regional planes by the end of year.
By making in-flight Wi-Fi as a complimentary perk of being an AAdvantage member, American Airlines is driving more customers into its loyalty program.
Loyalty programs are a big business for airlines. In the fourth quarter of 2024, American’s loyalty revenues grew about 14%, according to CEO Robert Isom on an Q4 earnings call. AAdvantage members make up 75% of premium cabin revenue.
