Delta's rollout of free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members on international flights is already underway, and the airline says it plans to introduce this service on most long-haul flights to Europe by the end of 2024 and its transpacific routes by late 2025.
After offering free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members on most domestic flights for the last year and a half, Delta said Monday it began rolling it out on some long-haul flights to Europe last month, starting with routes to Paris (CDG) and Nice (NCE) from all of its U.S. hubs.
Next, Delta says it will add free Wi-Fi to U.K., Germany, Netherlands, Spain, and Italy flights in August, followed by 10 other European destinations in September, according to a news release. South American routes to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru will get free Wi-Fi in October, and Hawaii flights are scheduled for a similar October timeframe. This winter, Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal flights will have the free Wi-Fi turned on, followed by Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa flights in mid-to-late 2025.
At the outset, Delta says travelers won't need a SkyMiles account to access free Wi-Fi on international Delta flights until later this year.
Delta made a big splash when it became the first of the big four U.S. air carriers to offer free inflight Wi-Fi. But the rollout of free Wi-Fi has been slow thanks to a 2023 snafu with satellites.
As of Monday, Delta says its Viasat free Wi-Fi is available on nearly 700 aircraft, including more than 90% of Delta's domestic mainline fleet (which does not include Delta Connection flights). Notably, Delta also snuck in an announcement that its regional routes are also expected to have free Wi-Fi installed in 2025, including on its aging Boeing 717 planes.
After months of testing, Delta first launched free Wi-Fi on domestic flights in February 2023. You need a SkyMiles account to get online, but it's free to join – and you can even get signed up mid-flight in order to use the complimentary internet. In our experience, it lives up to the hype, setting a standard for the airline industry going forward. In the U.S., only JetBlue also offers free inflight connectivity.
Despite Delta touting free internet, many travelers are walking onboard their flights surprised to see a price tag to get online. It's because that blazing fast and free service hinges on Wi-Fi provider Viasat … and not every Delta jet is equipped with Viasat just yet.
Thrifty Tip: To find out if your Delta flight has complimentary internet onboard, look for the “Free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles Members” placard when booking your trip. Or just look for a sign as you're boarding the plane. But that's only for domestic flights, you won't see this badge on international flights just yet, even the already-in-service Paris and Nice ones.
Delta says to keep an eye on your pre-flight emails and Fly Delta app notifications to see if your upcoming international flight will have free Wi-Fi on board, or visit Delta's website.
Bottom Line
Delta now has a timeline in place for the rollout of its international free Wi-Fi, and the first flights to Europe with free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members are already flying this August.
The rollout of free Wi-Fi across Delta's network is expected to be done by late 2025, with most long-haul routes to Europe getting free Wi-Fi by the end of 2024.
