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Virgin Atlantic will offer free Wi-Fi for passengers — but not any time soon
Emily McNutt
Contributor
March 05, 2021
•
3 min read
Virgin Atlantic will offer free Wi-Fi for passengers — but not any time soon
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Virgin Atlantic plans to roll out free Wi-Fi as part of its offering to passengers. But, don't expect to be able to take advantage any time soon, as the airline says that free Wi-Fi is still a long ways off.
As reported by PaxEx.aero, Virgin Atlantic's In-Flight Entertainment and Communications Manager Mark Cheyney said in a Connected Aviation Intelligence webinar that the carrier is still relying on paid Wi-Fi as a "revenue driver."
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"We don't see it being a revenue driver forever," Cheyney said. "There will come a time where Wi-Fi is free. We're edging closer to it, but we're not there yet."
A company spokesperson then clarified that the airline doesn't "currently have plans to make Wi-Fi free."
Nevertheless, the prospect of free Wi-Fi on Virgin Atlantic's long-haul flights — in whatever the timeline — is a promising one.
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The carrier's partner Delta Air Lines, which also owns 49% of Virgin, offers free messaging on its flights. Earlier this year, Delta's CEO Ed Bastian shared the airline's goal that it plans to offer free Wi-Fi within a year or two.
Related: Delta's laying the groundwork for free inflight internet with latest Wi-Fi move
Delta's decision to offer free Wi-Fi was spurred by its transition from Gogo to satellite-based Viasat. Viasat controls its entire network, which means lower costs for Delta, allowing the airline to make the move to a free model.
Virgin Atlantic's Wi-Fi provider is Inmarsat on just its Airbus A350 fleet and has contracts with the likes of Panasonic and Gogo on its other types of aircraft. It's unclear if Virgin plans to consolidate those contracts into a single provider. If so, it would make the rollout of free Wi-Fi more manageable and cost-effective.
In recent months, Virgin Atlantic has been more closely aligning its offering with Delta. Earlier this week, the airline announced that it will begin charging for more-desirable economy seats, such as those closer to the front of the plane. Delta — as well as Virgin's joint-venture partners Air France and KLM — already charge for that.
At the start of the year, Virgin massively devalued its partner award chart for Delta, before backtracking on the full scope of the changes.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Best for dining at restaurants
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Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 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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$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
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.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.