Delta Air Lines has made this announcement:
Streaming your favorite content, finishing an important business presentation or shopping for the perfect gift shouldn’t be things you can only do from your sofa or your desk. That’s why Delta is outfitting nearly all its domestic mainline aircraft with Wi-Fi more like what you would find at home by the end of 2022.
“New Wi-Fi on Delta is faster and more reliable than ever before,” said Glenn Latta, Managing Director – In-Flight Connectivity. “We’ve put this connection through countless tests and scrutinized every detail to ensure customers are getting speed and reliability that exceeds their expectations.”
Since CEO Ed Bastian outlined Delta’s vision for the future of travel at CES 2020, connectivity has only become more important to customers. Even amid a global pandemic, the airline doubled down on making that vision a reality by investing in new technology on board that will unlock a new era of connected travel in the years ahead.
Delta’s Wi-Fi by the numbers
- New Viasat Wi-Fi is on average up to twice as fast as service offered in 2019
- More than 300 aircraft are equipped with fast-streaming Viasat Ka-Band Wi-Fi today, and a total of 500+ aircraft planned to offer it by the end of the year
- 16.9M devices were connected, 200,000 flights flown and 427,000 hours spent browsing on Viasat-equipped aircraft alone since June 2021
- All 127 A321ceos, 130 Boeing 737-900s and select 757-200 fleets outfitted in 2021, an average of 50 aircraft outfitted per month between June and December 2021
- More than 50% of domestic enplanements are served by Viasat connectivity
“As we look for new ways to bring an at-home experience to more customers, we see personal device streaming as an ‘and’ for our customers who purchase Wi-Fi access, not an ‘or’,” said Ekrem Dimbiloglu, Managing Director – In-Flight Entertainment & Connectivity. “It’s why we recently added new partners like Spotify, HBO Max and Peloton to continue to enrich Delta Studio as a platform and offer even more of the content our customers love. And good news: they can expect to see more of this in 2022.”
Read on for three things to know about Delta’s fast and reliable Wi-Fi.
1. Connecting to Wi-Fi and Free Messaging is simple
Connecting to onboard Wi-Fi is easier than ever. Once onboard, customers can select the “DeltaWiFi.com” network in their device’s settings. After connecting, customers will be automatically directed to a landing page where Wi-Fi can be purchased. For a flat rate of $5 per flight customers can stay connected to streaming-quality speeds for the duration of their trip – from the plane pushback to park.
If you haven’t connected to onboard Wi-Fi in the past, save time with the Fly Delta app by pre-connecting to the “DeltaWifi.com” network directly prior to travel. The app will automatically remember you’ve connected previously, saving you time the next time you travel.
Customers can use their smartphones to stay connected to friends and family through iMessage, Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp at no extra charge with Free Messaging on all Wi-Fi-enabled routes.
2. Spot the decal to know if an aircraft is fast-streaming ready
Customers on Viasat-equipped routes should look for a decal on their plane’s exterior upon boarding (see below). Delta’s entire Airbus A321ceo, Boeing 757-200 and 737-900 aircraft are outfitted with the new Wi-Fi system as of January 2022.
Additional installations planned for 2022 include select aircraft from Delta’s Airbus A321neo, A220-300, A320ceo, A319 and Boeing 737-800 fleets – nearly all of Delta’s domestic mainline routes by the end of 2022. Keep an eye out for indicators during booking that will denote where “New Wi-Fi” is available.
3. Use an existing Wi-Fi subscription
The best way for frequent customers to access Wi-Fi onboard is through a subscription via Intelsat (formerly Gogo). Wi-Fi subscriptions purchased through Intelsat can be used on Viasat-enabled flights as well. With one subscription, customers can enjoy seamless access across all Wi-Fi enabled Delta routes.
