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WestJet becomes the latest airline to offer free fleetwide Starlink Wi-Fi

Zach Griff
Zach Griff
Senior reporter
Zach Griff is a senior reporter at TPG. He writes travel and product reviews, deep dives into loyalty programs, news about the airline industry and more.
July 26, 2024
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3 min read
Westjet Boeing 737-700
WestJet becomes the latest airline to offer free fleetwide Starlink Wi-Fi
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Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet is getting on the free Wi-Fi bandwagon.

The airline announced Wednesday that it will begin offering free fleetwide Wi-Fi later this year. WestJet is partnering with SpaceX's Starlink satellite provider to equip its fleet with Wi-Fi service.

The first jets equipped with the new Starlink Wi-Fi will take off before the end of 2024. The airline plans to complete retrofits across its entire narrow-body fleet by the end of 2025, followed by wide-body aircraft by the end of 2026.

WestJet's Wi-Fi service will be offered in partnership with Canadian telecom giant Telus as part of what the companies are calling a "multi-year strategic partnership."

In order to connect to WestJet Wi-Fi, you'll need to be a member of the WestJet Rewards frequent flyer program. You can easily become a member of the program anytime before your flight.

Once you join, you'll be eligible for unlimited free Wi-Fi across devices.

WestJet currently offers paid Panasonic Wi-Fi on some of its fleet, but that service is much slower and less reliable than Starlink.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

"Through our strategic partnership with TELUS, we are setting a new standard in the Canadian airline industry by offering Starlink's revolutionary inflight connectivity, and thanks to TELUS we are able to bring this inflight experience to WestJet Rewards guests for free," said John Weatherill, WestJet's chief commercial officer, in a statement.

Based on this statement, Telus seems to be sponsoring WestJet's free Wi-Fi service, much in the same way that T-Mobile is sponsoring free Wi-Fi in the U.S. with WestJet's codeshare partner, Delta Air Lines.

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That said, though Delta may have commanded headlines for its fleetwide rollout of free Wi-Fi, the Atlanta-based carrier has teamed up with Viasat to equip much of its fleet with free and fast Wi-Fi. Viasat has long been a reliable internet provider, but the Starlink network offers even faster download and upload speeds.

Starlink is among the fastest and most reliable satellite Wi-Fi providers, and it's proven to be a popular choice for new airline Wi-Fi installations. In the U.S., Hawaiian Airlines and public air charter carrier JSX have already debuted Starlink internet, and internationally, Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand and airBaltic have all announced Starlink partnerships.

I tested Starlink's inflight Wi-Fi offering on board JSX and was blown away by the speeds and reliability of the service. Download speeds topped 150 Mbps, and I had no trouble streaming shows and joining video calls with no buffering or lag.

Related reading:

Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
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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    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.

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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.

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  • 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.