If there is something I like, it’s a deal. Or even better, it’s FREE! Staying connected at 35,000 feet is about to get a major upgrade — and it won’t cost you a dime. Starting January 2026, American Airlines will begin offering complimentary inflight Wi-Fi on most of its flights, exclusively for AAdvantage® members. The move, backed by a sponsorship with AT&T, will make American the largest U.S. airline to offer free Wi-Fi access at this scale.
If you’re one of the millions of travelers who likes to stream, scroll, or stay productive in the air, this is big news. Wi-Fi will be available on flights equipped with Viasat or Intelsat high-speed satellite connectivity, which currently makes up about 90% of American’s mainline fleet. And yes — this includes the ability to check your email, message friends, or catch up on your Netflix queue, all without hitting your wallet!
“Our customers greatly value staying connected while in the air… and together with AT&T are proud to offer those services at no cost to our most loyal customers,” said Heather Garboden, American’s new Chief Customer Officer.
To prepare for the full rollout, American has already completed test runs on select routes, and the results “surpassed performance expectations.” In parallel, the airline is outfitting over 500 regional aircraft with high-speed connectivity in time for the 2026 launch. Meaning there will be no escaping the world or work. Before Wi-Fi was on planes I loved to disconnect. Now I go crazy when Wi-Fi isn’t available.
Sponsored by AT&T?
Honestly I find it odd that American Airlines is having their wi-fi sponsor by AT&T. Why not, just offer it themselves? Well AT&T and American are both Texas-based giants with a shared mission of keeping people connected. Just in different ways. The partnership is a logical one, or at least that’s what they claim! American is positioning it as a major enhancement to its already competitive AAdvantage® program — which now not only offers flexible status earning and redemption, but also one of the most robust inflight Wi-Fi offerings in the sky.
“Connectivity brings people a world of possibilities… we’re proud to partner with American Airlines to connect people to what matters most to them — even in the sky,” said Jenifer Robertson, EVP at AT&T.
With this move, American joins a growing list of global carriers prioritizing onboard digital access — but goes one step further by tying it directly to its loyalty program. If you’re not already an AAdvantage member, this might be the nudge you’ve been waiting for.
Bottom line
Free inflight Wi-Fi is coming to most American Airlines flights in early 2026 — just make sure you’re signed up for AAdvantage before you board as you’ll need your Advantage number to log in. Similar to Delta, Emirates and other airlines which offer their frequent flyers free wifi.
