Use these tricks to connect to hotel, airline, and airport Wi-Fi networks
Editor's Note
Whether you're trying to preserve your cell phone data or get online while in flight, connecting to Wi-Fi networks seems to be a constant task when traveling. And this either requires figuring out the correct router name and password or entering a passphrase and/or accepting terms and conditions on a log-in page.
If it's the latter, figuring out how to get to the Wi-Fi log-in page can be the biggest hurdle to getting back online. What if I told you there's a shortcut to figuring out the log-in portal? For the past few years, I've been using a single URL to prompt the portal log-in page for Wi-Fi routers around the world. And it's a URL that I highly recommend that you save on your browser(s) of choice:
http://www.msftconnecttest.com
As this site isn't secured with HTTPS protocol, your browser will let it redirect to the Wi-Fi log-in page, and it's never failed to work during my constant travels, at least using a Windows laptop. The only downside is that using this URL redirects to the MSN homepage if you're already connected to the internet.
If you're looking for alternative websites to try, Zapier suggests the following:
- www.example.com
- Apple iOS and macOS: captive.apple.com
- Microsoft Windows: www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt
- Google Android and Chrome: google.com/generate_204
For airlines specifically, you'll want to try browsing directly to the Wi-Fi log-in page:
- American Airlines:
- airborne.gogoinflight.com
- www.aainflight.com
- aa.viasat.com
- British Airways: shop.ba.com
- Delta: deltawifi.com
- United: unitedwifi.com
- Alaska: AlaskaWiFi.com
- JetBlue: flyfi.com
- Southwest: southwestwifi.com
If you find yourself trying to connect to an airline Wi-Fi network and don't have any of these URL saved or memorized, try browsing to a variety of different sites until your browser redirects to the log-in page.
For example, when one TPG staffer struggled to prompt the Wi-Fi landing page when flying AA recently, the flight attendant had a memorable suggestion to prompt the portal login page: go to Disney.com.
I just so happened to be flying AA hours after I learned about this tip, so I put it to the test. Sure enough, entering "disney.com" into my web browser brought up ViaSat's log-in page. Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi was broken on this flight.
Is there something special about Disney's website? Well, no. I tested a number of other websites to see if they would redirect as well. Google.com, CNN.com and Fox.com, Apple.com and IBM.com, FAA.gov, and yes ThePointsGuy.com all redirected to the ViaSat log-in page just as Disney.com did. However, some other websites (Google Flights, Delta, United, Southwest) didn't automatically redirect.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended 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.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month