American Airlines recently leveled up the domestic travel game by offering free high-speed Wi-Fi on all Viasat-equipped flights. Here is all you need to know about the AA program.
On a recent flight from BNA to DFW, I decided to put this new service to the test. And it was very good!
While other carriers have toyed with messaging-only or tiered paid models, AA’s current approach is simple: if you have an AAdvantage loyalty account, you’re getting the full experience for zero dollars. For many, having gate-to-gate connectivity is a significant productivity boost.
The Partnership: Why AT&T is Involved
It is important to clarify how this works: while you will see AT&T branding throughout the login portal, they aren’t the ones actually providing the signal. AT&T is simply footing the bill as a lead sponsor to gain eyes on their brand. The actual hardware and satellite constellation are managed by Viasat.
Viasat differs from Starlight as in they use traditional high-altitude satellites. This means you will see higher latency, though it is generally not a problem for email or even streaming.
AA free wifi experience: The Connection Process
The login flow is impressively streamlined. Unlike some international carriers that require complex voucher codes or credit card “pre-authorizations” for free tiers, AA keeps it internal.
Connect to the AA-Inflight Wi-Fi network immediately after boarding.
Navigate to aainflight.com.
Log in with your AAdvantage credentials (make sure you have these saved in your password manager beforehand!).
Watch two short advertisements – one for AT&T and one for AA’s own credit card products.
You are now connected for the entire duration of the flight without further interruptions.
Real-World Speed Tests
I ran tests at three distinct points to see if the congestion increased as more passengers joined the network.
| Phase of Flight | Download (Mbps) | Upload (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|
| Gate/Taxi (BNA) | 81.4 | 1.1 |
| Cruising Altitude (30k ft) | 123.8 | 0.9 |
| Descent/Taxi (DFW) | 52.2 | 1.2 |
Analysis: The Upload Gap
The download speeds are staggering and the best part of the AA free wifi experience. At 123 Mbps, this connection is faster than most public Wi-Fi and even some home connections. I tried streaming 4K video from YouTube and Disney+, and there was zero buffering. For the passenger who wants to “Netflix and chill” across the country, this is perfect.
However, the upload speed is throttled to around 1 Mbps. This is a probably a deliberate technical choice by Viasat and AA to prevent a single user from hogging the return path to the satellite.
- What works: Email, Slack, WhatsApp, Web Browsing, and 4K Streaming.
- What doesn’t work well: Zoom/Teams calls (the lag is noticeable), live-streaming to Instagram/TikTok, or uploading large attachments to Google Drive.
Our Take
American Airlines has effectively removed one of the biggest pain points of domestic travel. It is surprisingly good and you won’t even have to watch hours of commercial. Credit where credit’s due. Hopefully, they keep it that way.
