Air Canada offers free Wi-Fi for Aeroplan members

Air Canada Announces Plans to Offer Free Wi-Fi to Aeroplan Members on Flights

Air Canada has revealed its intention to provide complimentary Wi-Fi to Aeroplan members aboard its flights starting in the upcoming year. This initiative builds upon the airline’s existing partnership with Bell, which currently enables passengers to enjoy free text messaging capabilities while in the air.

The airline announced on Thursday that the Bell-sponsored internet service will be accessible on all Wi-Fi equipped aircraft for flights within North America and Central America beginning in May 2025. The service will then expand to include long-haul international routes in 2026.

Air Canada has assured passengers that they can anticipate a “streaming-quality” Wi-Fi experience on Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, and most Air Canada Express aircraft.

Mark Nasr, Air Canada’s executive vice-president of marketing and digital, as well as president of Aeroplan, emphasized that free Wi-Fi has been a frequent request from customers. Nasr stated in an interview, “We think it’s becoming a core expectation of customers whether they’re traveling for business or for leisure.”

Currently, Air Canada offers various Wi-Fi packages on select flights for a fee, starting at $6.50 for a prepaid one-hour pass. Passengers can also opt for a $21 one-way pass for internet access throughout their flight or choose a monthly plan priced at $65.95. These options are designed to offer savings compared to purchasing in-flight Wi-Fi.

While Aeroplan members will benefit from complimentary Wi-Fi, non-members will still have the option to purchase Wi-Fi packages, as mentioned by Nasr.

Earlier this year, WestJet and Telus Corp. announced their partnership to provide free internet service to members of WestJet Rewards. This service, delivered through Starlink, utilizes low-earth orbit satellites to deliver Wi-Fi connectivity to passengers.

Porter Airlines has also joined the trend by offering free Wi-Fi on its Embraer E195-E2 fleet, a service that was introduced in 2022.

Air Canada intends to upgrade the remainder of its Boeing 737 MAX fleet to offer Wi-Fi by next year, in addition to equipping the majority of its Air Canada Express fleet with Wi-Fi capability for regional Canadian and U.S. routes.

This announcement by Air Canada comes on the heels of the introduction of a free Wi-Fi texting service for Aeroplan members, which was initially unveiled in May 2023 and is also sponsored by Bell. This service enables Aeroplan members to send and receive messages on various apps while flying on Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft.

Source: The Canadian Press (Dec. 12, 2024)

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