In the past few years, Delta has been investing in improving its inflight Wi-Fi, with the goal of eventually offering free Wi-Fi throughout the fleet, in partnership with T-Mobile. The airline started rolling out free Wi-Fi on domestic flights in early 2023, and so far, 90% of domestic mainline aircraft have this service.
However, free Wi-Fi on long haul, international flights, has been a work in progress. The airline has now provided an updated timeline for offering free Wi-Fi on international flights, so let’s go over the details.
In this post:
Delta international flights will have free Wi-Fi by late 2025
Delta has slowly started introducing free Wi-Fi on international, wide body aircraft that are equipped with a Viasat system. As free Wi-Fi rolls out internationally, the Wi-Fi portal is initially not requiring a SkyMiles log-in. Later this year, all Viasat Wi-Fi equipped aircraft will convert to the personalized Delta Sync Wi-Fi experience, which will require logging into a SkyMiles account.
Wi-Fi is rolling out on Viasat-equipped international aircraft between July 2024 and late 2025, with the availability of the service varying by route. Specifically, here’s the timeline for free Wi-Fi on Viasat equipped aircraft:
- As of July 2024, free Wi-Fi is available on routes to & from France
- As of August 2024, free Wi-Fi is available on routes to & from the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, and Italy
- As of September 2024, free Wi-Fi will be available on routes to & from Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland
- As of October 2024, free Wi-Fi will be available on routes to & from South America (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru), followed by Hawaii
- As of December 2024 and January 2025, free Wi-Fi will be available on routes to & from Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal
- As of mid to late 2025, free Wi-Fi will be available on routes to & from the transpacific region (including Asia, Australia, and New Zealand) and South Africa
The airline of course notes that this schedule is subject to change based on the aircraft installation schedule, and also based on testing and satellite availability.
Furthermore, during this transition period, there are some coverage gaps where Wi-Fi is not available until additional satellites are positioned to provide full coverage. Some aircraft will have a paid Intelsat Wi-Fi experience until these additional satellites are in service, and these aircraft are outfitted with upgraded satellite Wi-Fi.
Delta is behind schedule with free Wi-Fi rollout
It’s nice to see Delta providing a more detailed timeline for when we’ll see Wi-Fi on international, wide body flights. However, it’s worth noting that Delta is way behind schedule with its Wi-Fi rollout. For example, in mid-2023, Delta stated it planned to have free Wi-Fi on all international flights by the end of 2024. Now that timeline has been pushed back to the second half of 2025.
Admittedly delays do happen with projects like these, so that’s hardly surprising. Ultimately I commend Delta for undertaking this project, as it’s no small task. While Delta is playing catch-up with JetBlue in offering free Wi-Fi, it’s still in a completely different league than American and United, neither of which have announced plans to match Delta’s free Wi-Fi.
Bottom line
Delta has been working on introducing free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members. Currently over 90% of the domestic mainline fleet has free Wi-Fi. Now Delta is largely turning to the international wide body fleet for rolling out free Wi-Fi, and a schedule has been revealed.
We’ve started to see free Wi-Fi rolled out on some transatlantic flights, and over the next year or so we should progressively see this service offered throughout Delta’s long haul network. Delta’s free Wi-Fi project should now be complete by the end of 2025, assuming there aren’t additional delays.
What do you make of Delta’s Wi-Fi rollout for international flights?
I stopped flying delta seattle to haneda due to lack of wifi onboard. I take either JAL or ANA, service not comparable with any of the US airlines. Those who are excited about delta service, probably never flew Singapore, Japan, Emirates or Qatar airlines. Perhaps its better not to have that comparable experience so stay excited. Not having wifi onboard on a 10 hours flight for last one year and seem to continue another year...
I stopped flying delta seattle to haneda due to lack of wifi onboard. I take either JAL or ANA, service not comparable with any of the US airlines. Those who are excited about delta service, probably never flew Singapore, Japan, Emirates or Qatar airlines. Perhaps its better not to have that comparable experience so stay excited. Not having wifi onboard on a 10 hours flight for last one year and seem to continue another year is hard to comprehend for work travellers.
Just flew to Venice and we didn’t have free wifi on the 763. Pleasant flight otherwise & ended up spending like $20 or so for a full flight WiFi - gotta listen to my free Youtube music!
The frustrating part is on wide bodies that have been converted to Viasat but are flying to Asia now don’t have WiFi at all for the time being, instead of connecting to Gogo. Wish the satellites would have been in place first, then switched the plane hardware to Viasat.
The roll out would have been earlier for the Pacific… but when Viasat launched their satellite a year ago… they lost communication as soon as the satellite was launched! They lost a Billion dollars ! What Delta should have done is keep gogo for their Pacific Fleet… at least there is wifi available for the long flights!
Czechia, not Czech Republic
p.s.: Go Delta
Delta will offer by far the largest free WiFi equipped fleet in the world. American and United haven’t even committed to doing the same. JetBlue has a very small international network
Some of the delays are because Viasat still doesn’t cover the Pacific with hi speed WiFi
And let’s also knit forget that United has converted a small digit percentage of its domestic fleet to AVOD. Most of their AVOD domestic aircraft are new deliveries...
Delta will offer by far the largest free WiFi equipped fleet in the world. American and United haven’t even committed to doing the same. JetBlue has a very small international network
Some of the delays are because Viasat still doesn’t cover the Pacific with hi speed WiFi
And let’s also knit forget that United has converted a small digit percentage of its domestic fleet to AVOD. Most of their AVOD domestic aircraft are new deliveries not refurbished. Supply chains for everything is much longer than planned
Praise Delta....check.
Downplay competitors....check.
Irrelevant fluff....check. (Tell me how AVOD is relevant)
A350-1000.... missing.
ATL BOS SEA.... missing missing missing.
Premium....missing.
Profitability.... missing.
No BINGO yet.
Does this give you pride? A sense of accomplishment? Occult satisfaction? You yourself have said you are not an employee of Delta, nor are you a meaningful investor in Delta, which means you play no part in what Delta offers or does not offer. Why are you constantly trotting out Delta's accomplishments as if they were your own? Do you understand your behavior is insufferable?
It'll be great when they have wifi-equipped planes (with any wifi as a standard) and don't install satellite wifi with no international coverage.
"Small" details that other airlines didn't overlook.
"While Delta is playing catch-up with JetBlue in offering free Wi-Fi, it’s still in a completely different league than American and United, neither of which have announced plans to match Delta’s free Wi-Fi."
Delta is also in its own unique league by still flying mainline planes with no wifi whatsoever (some 737s and A350s) or ground internet (717s) for quite some time and only recently revealing timing to bring them up to the AA standard...
"While Delta is playing catch-up with JetBlue in offering free Wi-Fi, it’s still in a completely different league than American and United, neither of which have announced plans to match Delta’s free Wi-Fi."
Delta is also in its own unique league by still flying mainline planes with no wifi whatsoever (some 737s and A350s) or ground internet (717s) for quite some time and only recently revealing timing to bring them up to the AA standard of satellite wifi on every single mainline plane for years now.
Delta marketing is cute, except when you hop on an A350 bound for Auckland or Haneda and realize you have no wifi whatsoever or get on a 717 and remember GoGo is still a thing some airlines didn't bother planning past for years.
So it’s risk a very small chance that I’m occasionally on an older plane with slow or no WiFi, or fly AA and have a 100% chance of paying for WiFi? The highest cost of any US airline in fact. And also not having a tv screen? And $1 ramen cups in first class? And some of the worst service in the sky? I’ll take my odds with Delta thanks.
Also, isn’t it funny...
So it’s risk a very small chance that I’m occasionally on an older plane with slow or no WiFi, or fly AA and have a 100% chance of paying for WiFi? The highest cost of any US airline in fact. And also not having a tv screen? And $1 ramen cups in first class? And some of the worst service in the sky? I’ll take my odds with Delta thanks.
Also, isn’t it funny how American charges the most for WiFi out of all US carriers, and is still struggling financially? I’d look for another job if I was you Julie, bankruptcy looms ever closer.
lol. You clearly haven’t flown aa in a while with those nonsensical tropes
Facts are facts. Flying across the pacific on delta? Don’t expect WiFi.
But thanks. I don’t work for aa.
Nice to hear, but I am generally curious to know if wifi on a plane would make or break your decision to fly with an airline? Love the option, but having wifi versus not having it...no big deal for me. How much $$ does it cost Delta to roll this out? Maybe this money could be used for other things, i.e. not having a melt down a few weeks ago? ;)
Maybe, but this plan has been in place for a few years now, and I would wager they won’t make the same mistake with the IT meltdown going forward. Yes, Delta had 1 really bad week, but I look forward to flying DL on other 51 weeks where it’s mostly better than UA and AA operation-wise while I enjoy wifi or have IFEs on most mainline jets. ;) ;) ;)