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DALLAS — After becoming the first of the big four U.S. airlines to offer free Wi-Fi on most domestic flights, Delta Air Lines (DL) is expanding its free Wi-Fi service to select international long-haul flights. In partnership with T-Mobile, passengers can enjoy fast, streaming-quality internet on Viasat-equipped aircraft, further enhancing the in-flight experience.
Currently, DL offers free, streaming-quality connectivity on nearly 700 aircraft, covering more than 90% of Delta’s domestic mainline fleet. The airline plans to extend this service to most customers by the end of the year.
“As we continue to roll out fast, free Wi-Fi and the in-flight experiences it powers, we’re able to serve customers traveling both domestically and internationally in new, in-the-moment ways. The scale at which we’re bringing free Wi-Fi to customers is unmatched in the airline industry, and it’s a testament to the incredible efforts of Delta teams across the business that have expertly navigated an extremely complex rollout.”, says Ranjan Goswami, S.V.P. – Customer Experience Design.
Strategic Rollout, Future Plans
The airline is rolling out free Wi-Fi on Viasat-equipped widebody aircraft on a route-by-route basis to ensure hassle-free, premium customer service. This strategy mirrors the approach taken with domestic installations in 2022.
The international Wi-Fi portal does not initially require a SkyMiles log-in, but later this year, Delta plans to transition to the Delta Sync Wi-Fi experience, offering personalized content and exclusive offers to SkyMiles members.
DL began offering free Wi-Fi on most flights to/from France last month. However, the airline anticipates rolling out the service to further destinations according to the following timeline.
- August 2024 – United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and Italy
- September 2024 - Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland
- October 2024 - South America (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) followed by Hawaii
- December 2024/ January 2025 - Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal
- Mid-Late 2025 - Transpacific region (including Asia, Australia and New Zealand) and South Africa
Delta’s regional routes will follow a similar process and come online in 2025, including those serviced by Boeing 717 aircraft.
Featured Image: Michael Rodeback/Airways
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