American Airlines has started rolling out free, high-speed Wi-Fi onboard its aircraft for members of its AAdvantage® loyalty program, the airline announced on January 6, 2026.
The service, which is sponsored by telecom operator AT&T with Viasat and Intelsat providing satellite connectivity, will be implemented progressively.
Narrowbody aircraft (including regional aircraft with a two-class cabin) will be the first to be fitted, although free Wi-Fi will be accessible on nearly every American Airlines flight by the end of the year, including those operated by the carrier’s long-haul fleet.
In order to connect to the free Wi-Fi, American Airlines’ loyalty program members will have to log in with their personal details via a dedicated web portal.
In a press release announcing the new free broadband offering, American Airlines highlighted that it has more aircraft fitted with inflight connectivity than any other carrier in the world, with more than 900 planes equipped with high-speed satellite Wi-Fi.
The advent of new forms of satellite connectivity, such as those offered by SpaceX’s Starlink through low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, has led several major airlines, from Qatar Airways to Air France, to start offering free internet onboard. This has put pressure on large carriers to come up with similar offerings to stay competitive.