Can You Use Internet On a Plane? ( And How )

Imagine your flight without internet connection. No catch up on social media, no movies or news, no music and no books. It’s difficult.

Right!

In addition, these days we can do almost everything online, a conference call, send that email or finish that project while you have plenty of time.

So yes you can use Internet on board the airplanes and most airlines offer Wi-Fi on board the airplanes, there are still plenty of other airlines that offer even free Internet onboard, all you have to do is bring your device, fire it up and start enjoying favorite movies.

Let’s see if you can use the internet on a plane and which airlines offer free and paid Wi-Fi.

Tip: Check out this Travelpro Platinum Elite 21” Carry-On Spinner, a sleek and versatile carry-on that is designed to fit within the limits of most airlines, to save you from the hassle of the airports and the pesky airline fees.

Can You Use Data On A Plane?

The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration ) regulates the U.S aviation industry to make sure that the airplanes and passengers fly safely, so they announce that phones must be in airplane mode on all flights.

All passengers have to disable cellular technology during flights, including cellular data, whether in the U.S, UK or any part of the world.

Cell phones can be used but not for voice communications or for cellular connections.

But why!!

Cell phones can transfer powerful signals to cover long distances, and when you are in a phone call with cellular data you interfere with the airline frequency and with the cell tower on the ground. That will make the airplane crew don’t receive any data properly.

So that is why most airlines allow you to use WiFi on their planes, and according to the FAA you can use your device on airplane mode or with the cellular connection disabled.

And you can use WiFi connection on your device if the plane has an installed WiFi system and the airline allows its use.

How To Use Wifi On An Airplane To Connect To The Internet?

The easiest way to use the internet on a plane is by connecting to the WiFi.

You can just enable WiFi on your device and login to the airline website or app and start browsing the internet, though some airlines’ WiFi speed is better than others.

The table below shows the airplanes that have WiFi on their Airplanes.

U.S airlines

AirlinesCraftsPrice
American airlinesIn domestic flights Wi-Fi is now available on nearly all U.S. flights.
International Wi-Fi is available on all Boeing 777-300ER flights.
Wi-Fi is available on almost all routes for as little as $10.If you are a frequent traveler, you can join the American Airlines Wi-Fi Subscription Plan for $49.95 for a monthly plan or $59.95 for a 2-device monthly plan.
United AirlinesAll mainline aircraft in the United fleet are equipped with Wi-Fi, except for those that operate to and from Guam. All regional two-cabin aircraft are also equipped with Wi-Fi.Wi-Fi access plans cost $10 on domestic flights, or $8 on regional flights or for MileagePlus members. Pricing may vary on international flights.
Delta Airlines Three different Delta fleet types are being installed with Viasat in 2021 for a total of 313 aircraft.Delta provides subscriptions for a Monthly Domestic Plan and a Monthly Global Plan. But you can Message for free using your smartphone with iMessage, Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.
JetblueAll JetBlue operated flights have coverage over the contiguous U.S. Jetblue recently restyled Airbus A320 and A321neo aircraft offer expanded coverage over much of the Caribbean and Central America. Jetblue Airbus A321 Long Range aircraft offers expanded coverage to/from London.JetBlue offers free, high-speed Wi-Fi at every seat, and on every plane.
Alaska Airlines The majority of our fleet – including all Airbus aircraft – now feature streaming-fast satellite Wi-FiFor $16, travelers can buy 24 hours of continuous Wi-Fi access on any Alaska Airlines plane with Gogo. For $36, travelers can buy a bundle of six passes for 45 minutes of continuous Wi-Fi access (where available) each, good for 60 days after purchase.
Southwest Airlinesthe entire fleetSatellite-based gate-to-gate Internet connectivity is available for $8 all day, per device. (Free for southwest A-List Preferred Members!)
Virgin America the entire fleet 30-minute session $2; Gogo Unlimited $49.95/month (unlimited internet on all Gogo equipped airlines); Gogo All Day Pass $14 (24 hours of internet access on the same airline); 1-Hour Pass $5 (internet access on any single domestic Gogo equipped flight); The Traveler Pass $39.95 (monthly subscription for unlimited internet on one Gogo equipped airline)
Info from Airlines Official Websites

You can find more about other airlines here.

How To Get Internet On A Plane Without Wifi?

As long as you can’t use cellular data on planes, the only way you have to browse the internet is connecting to the airlines WiFi.

If you don’t have access to WiFi or you don’t want to pay for it, most airlines offer free social media access and messaging.

For example Delta Airlines permit you to connect to Delta Wi-Fi so you can book, change, or check the status of your flight on delta.com, all without purchasing a Wi-Fi pass.

You can also message for free from your smartphone via iMessage, Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.

Can You Email On A Plane?

If you are connected with your airline WiFi you can Email, Text and tweet normally without any issues, and if you purchase your airline WiFi there are no limits to what you can do with the internet.

You can do almost everything you do normally when connected to the Internet, including sending emails, making calls, and even watching movies.

Final Thoughts

You can use the internet on a plane but not with your phone cellular data, the FAA and most airlines do not allow using cellular data on their flights, however you can use WiFi provided by the airlines to browse the internet, send your email and catch up on social media.

Chances are high that there is hard work going to find solutions and allow cellular data to be used on planes as most airlines WiFi connections are slow and don’t provide the maximum amenity for passengers.

People also ask:

If you find this article helpful please give us a like, that will help and motivate our team to create more of free and open content.

Thank you

Happy travels