American Airlines is bringing free Wi-Fi to its fleet starting in 2026.
The Fort Worth-based carrier announced the upgrade Tuesday, saying it was partnering with fellow Texas-based company and telecommunications giant AT&T to offer the Wi-Fi feature, which will be available to the airline's AAdvantage loyalty members on over 2 million flights starting in January of next year.
"We've been working diligently to outfit our aircraft with best-in-class high-speed Wi-Fi and together with AT&T are proud to offer those services at no cost to our most loyal customers," Heather Garboden, American Airlines' chief customer officer, said in a statement, adding it was a "natural partnership" between the two companies.
The Wi-Fi capability will be offered on flights equipped with high-speed satellite connectivity from Viasat and Intelsat, or about 90% of the company's fleet, American said.
The carrier said it will also introduce high-speed Wi-Fi in over 500 regional planes by the end of this year.
AT&T said in a statement that the company was "proud" to partner with American on the Wi-Fi upgrade.
"People want to be connected. Everywhere. All the time. Whether it's staying in touch with those who matter most, following a favorite sports team or catching up on that show everyone is talking about, connectivity brings people a world of possibilities. By advancing connectivity, everything becomes more immediate and accessible anywhere they go," AT&T EVP and general manager of mass markets Jenifer Robertson said in a statement.
American already offers in-flight Wi-Fi on select domestic flights and some flights between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America at a starting cost of about $10.
Other domestic carriers including Delta, Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue already offer free Wi-Fi for their customers, while smaller carriers like Southwest, Spirit and United offer customers Wi-Fi for a fee.
Delta partnered with T-Mobile to introduce free Wi-Fi for all customers in 2023. JetBlue became the first carrier to offer free Wi-Fi on every flight back in 2013.
In a statement to ABC News, American said the upcoming arrival of its free in-flight Wi-Fi has been an ongoing work in progress.
"As an airline, American is committed to doing what's right for our customers at the right time -- which is why we make it a point to share important updates like this one when we have firm details, rather than simply good intentions," the carrier said. "We've been working quietly toward this goal for quite some time and once implemented, will be able to offer complimentary Wi-Fi on more planes than any other domestic carrier."
Editor's note: This article has been updated to include a statement from American Airlines.
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