United rolls out free fleetwide Wi-Fi for select flyers
Free fleetwide Wi-Fi is now available on United Airlines ... with a catch.
If you're a T-Mobile subscriber on an eligible plan, you can now enjoy free internet access on all United-operated flights — no matter the distance or destination, as confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.
This includes all long-haul routes and covers all of United's internet providers, including Panasonic, Thales and Viasat.
At this point, the only planes that don't (yet) feature free T-Mobile access are two-cabin regional jets. These planes, operated by smaller subsidiaries, are outfitted with Gogo air-to-ground connectivity, and free internet will be enabled in the coming weeks and months.
United first teamed up with T-Mobile in September 2022 to enable inflight internet access for select subscribers. At the time, free Wi-Fi was limited to a subset of planes, including the entire Boeing 737 fleet and select Boeing 757-300s and Airbus A319s.
These planes are equipped with Viasat or Thales Wi-Fi antennas, the two providers that were initially covered in the announcement.
However, United and T-Mobile recently expanded the tie-up to include Panasonic, which provides internet access to the rest of United's mainline fleet.
Going forward, all you need to do is connect to the "Unitedwifi.com" network once you're on the plane and then enter your eligible T-Mobile phone number to start browsing. Streaming is supported, but note that the free T-Mobile Wi-Fi is limited to cellphones (not laptops).
T-Mobile's Magenta and Magenta Max plans include free inflight internet. The former plan includes four full-flight passes each year, with one hour of internet access available on all other flights. Magenta Max subscribers receive unlimited inflight Wi-Fi all year long.
T-Mobile is a popular wireless carrier for frequent flyers. In addition to free inflight Wi-Fi on United (and on select American Airlines and Alaska Airlines jets), many plans include a generous allowance of high-speed international data roaming. Once you've gone through your allotment of 5G data, you'll enjoy unlimited throttled internet access when roaming.
That's in stark contrast to the two other major U.S. cellular providers, AT&T and Verizon, both of which charge a $10 daily fee for international data.
While T-Mobile subscribers can now enjoy fleetwide Wi-Fi access on United, everyone else can access cheaper internet plans on the carrier.
United offers a free messaging plan across its entire fleet, while connectivity on all domestic and short-haul international flights now costs a flat $8, or 1,600 miles, per device for MileagePlus members.
The airline also redesigned the splash page for its Wi-Fi network, making it even easier for first-timers to connect to the network.
Internet access on long-haul flights ranges in price. I recently paid $8 for Wi-Fi from Newark to Barcelona but have seen $37.99 full-flight passes on the London-to-San Francisco route.
T-Mobile subscribers are the big winners. However, the competitive pressure is on for United to enable free Wi-Fi for all passengers.
Earlier this month, Delta Air Lines enabled unlimited free Wi-Fi with no device limits on all planes equipped with Viasat antennas. The airline's offering has worked well in the past few weeks, with download speeds topping 50 Mbps on full flights.
Delta's free Wi-Fi is sponsored by T-Mobile, but the only requirement to use the internet on Delta is that you must be a SkyMiles member.
That said, United may not be ready to make internet free to all.
"A small price creates a little bit of friction that we think is a way to help people that really need it — are gonna be able to have it and use it," chief customer officer Linda Jojo said during the Skift Aviation Forum in Dallas last November.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.