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If you’ve traveled on Delta Air Lines’ Boeing 717s or Delta Connection regional jets, you might’ve noticed something those planes don’t have: free Wi-Fi. Meanwhile, most of Delta’s other mainline aircraft feature “fast, free Wi-Fi.”
Nearly all of the 717s and regional jets do have internet — it’s just that you have to pay for it. And the connections are meh. The planes haven’t yet been retrofitted with the updated systems. So, when will that happen?
Delta’s V.P. of In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity Julieta McCurry said equipment installations will “be added to more than 400 aircraft starting in mid-2024.”
So, that’s good news! I hope we’ll be using free Wi-Fi on those planes by this time next year.
Delta’s Free Wi-Fi: What’s Your Experience Been?
I’ve used Delta’s free Wi-Fi maybe a dozen-ish times. I experienced a couple of connectivity hiccups but nothing too onerous. I found that texting from my iOS devices to Android users usually works when using the stock Messages app.
The speeds are great for sending emails and browsing the internet. Games occasionally get interrupted. The Delta’s free Wi-Fi is not ideal for photo editing (downloading and uploading image) — but can help out in a pinch.
Streaming video-wise, it’s fair. I frequently use apps such as MLB.tv and Fox Sports to watch sporting events not available on Delta’s seatback IFE. Those streams frequently buffer when I use Delta’s Wi-Fi. (But, hey, what a great First World problem to have!)
I’m pleased we now know when the service will expand to more planes. What’s your experience been on Delta’s free Wi-Fi? Please share your thoughts in the below Comments section!
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There is a sadness to this announcement. Suggests that 717’s are not going to be replaced anytime soon. Boy does Delta run planes till the bitter end of their lifecycle.
Better those than CRJ-200s!
I fly a lot of 717 flights around the upper Midwest from DTW. I’d be happy with a “meh” as most of the time it’s worse. Pages load super slow or just fail to load. Even emails with modest attachments can get hung up. Plus, about 18 months ago Delta dropped the free entertainment from the system. So why don’t they make the existing service on 717’s and CRJ’s free? Maybe they have some sort of long term contract with Boingo they can’t break but it’s not good for business travel. However, my free Delta wifi experience on longer flights has generally been quite good.
No WiFi at all over the pacific in the a320neo’s yet.
Seems the satellite broke.
Also not in the A220 fleet. Super annoying to have to shell out $15 for wifi all while you were bombarded with free wifi ads on the walk to the plane. PLUS: This new “baby French-Canadian Airbus” is supposed to be the crown jewel of small domestic routes and therefore why its its being flown on flights between NYC, BOS, SEA and AA and UA’s hubs. It you want to showcase why I should fly DL vs UA, not having a heavily advertised benefit isn’t a great look. (We can discuss how UA has hot meal service in F to ORD while DL has a snack basket of coach snacks in another thread.)
I haven’t had much luck with “free wifi” on Delta in 2024. Seems like half the time my aircraft only had paid wifi, and the the half of the time it was onboard for free, it worked maybe 50% of the time. I had better luck with the previous paid system. The two times I really needed it for work on Transatlantic business trips flown in D1 last Summer, wifi didn’t work at all. The FA’s said that was pretty common.
I’m all for free wifi, but I’d rather have paid wifi when I need it than no wifi at all.