Delta’s new Wi-Fi offering launches this week — but it’s missing one important detail
Some Delta passengers are in for an upgraded Wi-Fi experience starting later this week.
On Tuesday, the Atlanta-based carrier announced that the first jet — a new Airbus A321ceo (current engine option) — equipped with Viasat's Ka-band receiver will enter service on Saturday, May 1. The new service will cost $8 per flight, per device, regardless of the destination.
However, there's one thing missing from the news release — there's no mention of Delta's plan to offer free Wi-Fi for all passengers.
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In early 2019, Delta CEO Ed Bastian shared a goal for the airline to offer free, fast Wi-Fi on its flights within a year or two. Of course, the pandemic has since upended the industry, but Tuesday's update omits any mention of Bastian's promise.
But Delta says that's still the plan.
“We are committed to delivering Free Wi-Fi in the future, and this is a significant step on that journey," Ekrem Dimbiloglu, Delta's director of brand experience – inflight entertainment a Wi-Fi, said in a statement to TPG.
"Our Free Wi-Fi pilot in spring 2019 gave us valuable insights to better understand the challenges to providing a service that meets our standard – and having the right equipment was a key part of that," Dimbiloglu continued, saying the carrier is working to ensure its technology could handle the demand needed to provide free Wi-Fi. "Our vision for the future of travel will not come to life overnight. While we’ve had to shift our focus during the pandemic, our journey to offering the best customer experience possible has never stopped."
It was just last week that Bastian spoke to TPG founder Brian Kelly in a Future of Travel webinar and reiterated that "we need to get Wi-Fi that works, Wi-Fi that is fully capable and Wi-Fi that’s also free."
Connecting to Viasat means that the internet speeds should be faster than the current Gogo Wi-Fi portal — a key component of Delta's free inflight internet promise.
In January, Delta detailed plans to begin a shift away from Gogo Wi-Fi to instead join forces with rival Viasat, a move that was described as "a significant step" on the journey to free Wi-Fi.
Either way, flyers will likely prefer the Viasat connectivity. For one, it supports inflight streaming. If you can't find something to watch on the seat-back monitor, you'll be able to stream your favorite shows on-demand.
Delta will also debut a new internet landing page later this summer, dubbed Delta Portal Platform, with a brand-new user interface that supports a more personalized experience.
You'll still be able to access free messaging with the new Wi-Fi service, but it remains to be seen if the carrier’s current free internet partnership with T-Mobile will carry over to Viasat — back in January, a Delta spokesperson was unable to confirm whether or not T-Mobile customers will be able to score free Wi-Fi on Viasat-equipped planes.
Tuesday's news includes an updated rollout schedule for the remainder of the fleet. All new A321ceos, as well as Boeing 737-900s and 757-200s aircraft — a total of 300 jets — are slated to be outfitted with ViaSat by the end of 2021. The carrier promises to have "nearly all of its domestic mainline fleet" complete by the end of 2022.
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Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel75,000 bonus milesAnnual Fee
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The Capital One Venture X card is one of the best all-round travel credit cards ever launched. Not only is it offering a tremendous welcome bonus, but cardholders can earn tons of miles on everyday spending and receive a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus to boot. Its annual fee is $395, but cardholders can count on up to $300 in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One Travel each year and other valuable benefits like access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One’s own growing family of airport lounges.Pros
- Excellent welcome offer worth 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months.
- Up to $300 in annual travel statement credits toward bookings make through Capital One Travel.
- 10,000 bonus miles (worth $100 toward travel) each account anniversary.
Cons
- The $395 annual fee might be expensive for some, but this card’s benefits provide much more value than that.
- If you don’t travel frequently, this might not be the best card for you.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive up to $300 back annually as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Named editors' choice for "Best New Credit Card of 2021" by The Points Guy
- Earn 10 miles per dollar when you book on Turo, the world's largest car sharing marketplace, through May 16, 2023