Delta plans to offer free Wi-Fi starting February 1

Delta Airlines It will provide travelers with free Wi-Fi starting February 1, CEO Ed Bastian said Thursday.

Most US flights will offer the service next month, but it will become more available every week, Bastien said during a presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Delta’s plan to make Wi-Fi free, after years of studying the possibility, comes as airlines compete for customers in a travel rebound after a pandemic recession nearly three years ago.

“It’s free. There’s no fine print,” Bastien said Thursday. “We invested over a billion dollars to create this.”

Bastian added that travelers will access the free internet service by logging in with their Delta SkyMiles frequent flyer account information.

Delta said last March it was equipping more of its planes with fast Wi-Fi viasat And make it available for a flat fee of $5. The carrier already offers free messaging.

Most airlines charge for Wi-Fi: United Airlines She charges $8 for frequent flyer members and $10 for other customers, and Southwest Airlines $8 fee. it’s free Jet Bluewhich has some corporate sponsorship for the service, and Hawaiian Airlines plan to submit it Free internet With SpaceX’s Starlink this year.

Some airline executives hesitated to roll out the free service until the service became more reliable.