Alaska Airlines has just significantly improved its Wi-Fi pricing, as the airline continues to roll out high speed Wi-Fi throughout its fleet.
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Alaska Airlines lowers Wi-Fi pricing
Alaska Airlines has just introduced $8 flat rate pricing for its high-speed Wi-Fi. This pricing applies for all mainline aircraft with satellite-enabled connectivity. This is really attractive pricing, and those with an Alaska Visa Card can even save 20% on these purchases.
Alaska’s Wi-Fi is offered in partnership with Intelsat, and offers better reliability and faster connections than the previous generation offering, all at a lower cost:
- Alaska claims that the new web portal loads 50% faster than before, with a one-click connection experience
- Connection speeds are 20x faster than the previous, basic Wi-Fi system
- The new system allows you to use Wi-Fi gate-to-gate, rather than just above a certain altitude
- The system also has broad coverage, so should even work for flights to Alaska and Hawaii
This new flat rate pricing is in addition to the airline offering free messaging with iMessage, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp.
It’s noted that most Alaska and Horizon planes feature Wi-Fi, with the exception of select Boeing 737 MAX 9s, plus all Q400 turboprops (though these are used on shorter flights).
What’s the logic for flat rate Wi-Fi pricing?
I’ve always found the concept of flat rate Wi-Fi on flights to be interesting:
- On the one hand, it doesn’t make much sense that you’ll pay the same amount to use Wi-Fi on a 30 minute flight as you’d pay to use it on a six hour flight, both in terms of costs incurred and demand for the service
- On the other hand, there’s something to be said for managing expectations, and customers being able to know in advance how much they’ll pay for Wi-Fi, whatever the cost may be; for some travelers, this becomes part of the value proposition of flying with an airline
Airlines seem to be increasingly moving toward flat rate Wi-Fi. This is an area where Southwest Airlines was first, as the airline has had flat rate $8 Wi-Fi pricing for quite some time. United Airlines, meanwhile, charges $8 for Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members, and $10 for non-Mileage Plus members.
One thing is for sure — the value proposition of inflight Wi-Fi has improved considerably in recent years. We’re constantly seeing improvements to Wi-Fi speeds, and on top of that pricing has largely become more attractive.
Bottom line
Alaska Airlines has introduced flat rate Wi-Fi for $8 per flight on all aircraft equipped with the high-speed satellite system. $8 is significantly less than what Alaska previously charged on most flights for Wi-Fi, so I’d consider this to be a fantastic development.
What do you make of Alaska Airlines’ new flat rate Wi-Fi pricing?
JetBlue is free. Why can’t other airlines just do that? The airplane is the only place where you can’t get Wi-Fi for free. Even as a paying customer!
I Definitely agree with you
At some point airlines will have to start offering wifi for free. Really, $8 is an annoyance fee. Personally, I don't bother with on board wifi at any price. It's a luxury to be disconnected while in the air.
Just a reminder that JetBlue internet has always been free and is legit fast for planes (often around 10-15Mbps).
JetBlue has many other issues, but their free internet, which is fast enough for video streaming, has always been awesome.
Matching Southwest's price, is this news?
As an Alaska 75K, this is a most pleasant change. Let's hope Alaska can solve its pilot problems and get their expansion back on track.
Marshall
United is 25% off when paying with a cobrand card. $6 for transcon Wi-Fi is the least brainer of no brainers.
RE: Mike That is/was a great benefit. It was limited to 60 minutes, then cut off 60 minutes after logging in. One strategy was to wait until the flight was half over or about 90 minutes left of other flight then log in and use the internet. That 60 minutes was good for prioritizing work. Important work first then news then waste time online.
This was not my experience. I've used the free TMO wifi on cross country flights dozens of times, and it's stayed working the entire time.
All users get 60 minutes. Those like me who want more pay $5 a month and get unlimited. I think that’s the difference between you two. It is a GoGo feature so hoping it stays working if there have been recent changes, but did use it in January and worked fine.
The price reduction is such that I'm not renewing my $49.95 monthly pass. This is a good development.
That's my first thought, too, unless I fly 7 or more Alaska flights in a month, which happens sometimes.
Can you still get this for free with T-Mobile, or is that perk limited to the old Wi-Fi that’s being phased out?
The T-Mobile free WiFi on Alaska only works on T-Mobile devices. Useful anyway but not if you have a tablet or laptop.
All T-Moblile users get 60 minutes. Those like me who want more pay $5 a month and get unlimited. I think that’s the difference between you two. It is a GoGo feature so hoping it stays working if there have been recent changes, but did use it in January and late fall and it worked fine. All the way to Hawaii in one case.
For the purposes of AmEx Platinum airline travel credits, does this code as an Alaska in-flight charge or as a third-party (Intelsat) charge?
Before the change, Alaska's wifi was charged by Gogo, and it did not qualify for the AMEX Plat airline credit.
Not sure about it after the change, but I doubt it.
Plus, if you pay with your BofA Alaska Credit card, you'll get 20% back as an inflight purchase, and 3x points.
It still shows as GoGo as of this past week and I would not expect that to change. I just canceled two $74.95 2-device plans and will just do the $8 with discount from now on.