Airplanes use one of two methods to connect to the internet. Airplanes relied on air-to-ground (ATG) technology for Wi-Fi systems before the 2010s. That’s when satellite Wi-Fi for inflight connectivity appeared as an option. Like most airlines, American Airlines is upgrading its fleet to take advantage of satellite Wi-Fi technology. Here’s how to connect to the internet while traveling on an American Airlines plane. Remember to pack a travel charger so that your phone doesn’t run out of power during your flight.
A quick intro to internet connectivity on airplanes
ATG connections are limited, delivering slow speeds and unreliable connections. Like a cellular network, airplanes that use ATG connect to a network of ground-based towers, which transmit signals to the aircraft. They aren’t fast enough to meet the needs of modern streaming quality, and if no towers are nearby, there isn’t a signal.
Satellite-connected Wi-Fi introduces low-cost internet connectivity, with speeds closer to what we are familiar with on the ground. It also increases the number of flights that can offer Wi-Fi and improves the stability of the connections. We can now maintain a connection even on international flights and other long-distance trips that may not be within range of ATG towers.
There can still be some drops in quality since keeping your streaming quality up can be tricky when traveling 30k feet in the air and at high speeds. With old ATG connections, you couldn’t stream HD-quality video or download a large file. With a satellite connection, you can stream from Netflix or Hulu and play mobile games that require an internet connection at a reasonable latency.
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American Airlines aircraft with Wi-Fi connectivity
Not all aircraft in the American Airlines fleet have been updated with satellite Wi-Fi antennas. How do you know if your flight has a high-speed satellite connection? American Airlines makes it easy to figure out if your flight has Wi-Fi. Check your boarding pass to see the plane number assigned to your flight, and go to American Airlines’ list of planes. Every plane in their fleet is listed there, and most planes offer a Wi-Fi connection.
Even if the plane is equipped with Wi-Fi, not all flights offer it. American Airlines mostly offers Wi-Fi for domestic flights and in countries near the US. They use a provider called Panasonic Wi-Fi on their wide-body jets, including Boeing 777s and 787s, that travel internationally. American Airlines says that their Wi-Fi speeds aren’t fast enough to stream, but you can check emails, send messages, and browse the web.
How to connect to American Airlines inflight Wi-Fi
Connecting to Wi-Fi on an airplane is similar, regardless of the airline you use. Like airports, you’ll make a connection through a web portal. It’s not as simple as selecting the Wi-Fi connection from your list of available networks, but it isn’t difficult.
- Put your device into Airplane Mode.
- Turn on your device’s Wi-Fi and choose the AA-Inflight network.
- Open your web browser and go to aainflight.com.
- Select Get online, the Wi-Fi Packages button, or the Wi-Fi icon to access inflight Wi-Fi.
Unlike some airlines, American Airlines doesn’t offer free texting, but you can send messages using Wi-Fi-based texting apps if you have a connection. American Airlines has a few other restrictions you should be aware of.
- You can’t log in to two devices at the same time with the same username. If you’re traveling with another person, both of you must buy your own internet packages.
- Wi-Fi subscription plans only work on most domestic flights between US airports or between select countries, like the US and Canada or Mexico.
- The American Airlines Wi-Fi subscription plan doesn’t include Panasonic international Wi-Fi services.
- You can’t use Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VOIP) services with inflight Wi-Fi.
The price of Wi-Fi on an American Airlines flight
American Airlines offers Wi-Fi on most flights for as little as $10. If you’re a frequent flyer, you can buy monthly or annual American Airlines Wi-Fi Subscription Plans for up to two devices.
Monthly subscription plans are $49.95 for one device and an additional $10 to add a second device. Annual subscription plans are $599 for one device and an additional $100 to add a second device.
To buy a subscription plan, you must be an AAdvantage member, which is American Airlines’ frequent-flyer program with loyalty points and miles. Save your email address to your AAdvantage account, and use a credit card with a US billing address.
If you’re an eligible T-Mobile customer, you get free inflight Wi-Fi, texting, and streaming on most flights. T-Mobile customers also get free Wi-Fi on Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, and select Delta Air Lines flights. Make sure you’ve set up everything you need to before take-off.
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American Airlines helps you stay entertained while you fly
Even if your flight doesn’t offer Wi-Fi, or you don’t want to purchase a Wi-Fi package, most flights offer free inflight entertainment. Like other airlines, a large library of movies and TV shows is stored on an onboard server. There’s no need to pay for a Wi-Fi connection. You only need a phone, tablet, or computer to watch. Another option is to pair your earbuds to the plane’s entertainment system.
The media is still accessed over the inflight Wi-Fi connection, so your device needs to be capable of connecting to a Wi-Fi network. Still, it’s like connecting to another device on your home Wi-Fi network. Follow the same steps to connect to the AA-Inflight Wi-Fi signal, go to aainflight.com, and select View free entertainment or click the entertainment icon.
