Do you want to know about Southwest WiFi? Before, flights were not nearly as fun. If you wanted to watch a movie on your flight, you had to hope that one was playing when you wanted to watch it. If you wanted to listen to music, you had to remember to bring an iPod, Discman, or Walkman. You were pretty much out of luck if you wanted to watch live TV. Things are better now, thank goodness.
Today, planes often offer a wide range of entertainment options on flights, such as movies, flight trackers, and TV shows.
Today, we’re going to talk about what Southwest Wi-Fi offers for fun and Wi-Fi while you’re in the air. Many travelers still think of Southwest as a low-cost airline, but its in-flight entertainment system is surprisingly good. It has movies, on-demand TV, and even live TV on some stations.
Let’s talk about Southwestwifi and entertainment options so you know how to use them on your next flight.
In short, Southwest Airlines does offer Wi-Fi on its flights. The quality of the Wi-Fi connection can vary depending on factors like the type of aircraft, the internet service provided, and your destination.
Most Southwest flights are equipped with Wi-Fi. Southwest’s decision to provide Wi-Fi is influenced by both its desire to stay competitive within the industry and its unique fleet of all-economy class aircraft, which lacks seatback entertainment.
This means that if you want to watch movies during your flight (especially if you haven’t downloaded them in advance), you’ll need to connect to Southwest’s Wi-Fi system to access their entertainment options.
Southwest Airlines – Brief Info
| Airlines Name | Southwest Airlines Co. |
| Founded | March 15, 1967 |
| Founders | Herbert Kelleher, Rollin King |
| Commenced Operations | June 18, 1971 |
| Headquarter | Dallas, Texas, United States |
| Address | 2702 Love Field Dr, Dallas, TX 75235, United States |
| Country | United States of America |
| IATA Code | WN |
| ICAO Code | SWA |
| Callsign | SOUTHWEST |
| AOC # | SWAA304A |
| Frequent-flyer Program | Rapid Rewards |
| ISIN | US8447411088 |
| Aircraft in service | 735(Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 737 MAX 7, Boeing 737 MAX 8) |
| Average Fleet Age | 12 years |
| Destinations | 121(2022) |
| Yearly Passengers | 100 million+ |
| Wi-Fi Provider | Gogo, Panasonic |
| Wi-Fi | Inflight- free WiFi for selected services & Paid for internet surfing. |
| Total Employees | 54,448 (2021) |
| General Customer Service -Phone Number | 1-800-435-9792 (1-800-I-FLY-SWA) |
How to Detect If Your Flight Provides In-flight Wi-Fi
- The Wi-Fi sign is on the outside and inside of planes that have Wi-Fi to let people know that it is available.
- You can also go to Southwest.com/wifi a day before your trip and enter your name and confirmation number to see information about your route.
- Also, each airline’s flight team always tells passengers if Wi-Fi is available or not.
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Important Features of Southwestwifi
- A day’s worth of Wi-Fi costs $8 per device, which means you can’t switch between them. To switch, you would have to pay again.
- When you buy Wi-Fi for the whole day the first time, it works for all of your flights that day, even if you have to change planes.
- On international routes, there may be no network connectivity. If the flight crew thinks there might be a network failure, they usually let passengers know through the in-flight entertainment portal.
- Southwest’s Wi-Fi doesn’t work with Zoom, HBO Max, Netflix, and other high-frequency apps, websites, and videos.
- The airline also blocks and filters any material that could be offensive to the public.
- People who use WhatsApp and iMessage are the only ones who can text for free. Download the app before you get on the plane.
- Also, customers can use as much data as they want on Southwest’s Wi-Fi.
- Airplanes that have Wi-Fi also have free entertainment on board.
- On the other hand, the airline hasn’t yet put in power outlets so that passengers can charge their gadgets. People can also bring power banks with them or use the power stations near the flight gates to charge their phones.
- Apple Pay is one of the payment ways that are accepted.
- Discover, American Express, MasterCard, and Visa are all accepted by PayPal.
How to Connect to Southwest wifi?
To connect to the Wi-Fi on your Southwest flight, follow these steps:
Access Device Settings: Navigate to your device’s settings menu.
Enable Airplane Mode: Toggle on Airplane Mode to disable cellular and wireless connections, then turn on your Wi-Fi.
Connect to SouthwestWiFi: Locate “SouthwestWiFi” from the list of available Wi-Fi networks and select it.
Access the Inflight Portal: A new page should automatically load with a link to www.southwestwifi.com. If it doesn’t load automatically, you can manually enter www.southwestwifi.com into your device’s browser address bar.
Select Your Entertainment: Once you’re on the Inflight Entertainment Portal, you can choose from available entertainment options. Some content may require downloading the Southwest app.
Ensure Airplane Mode During Flight: Remember to keep your device in “airplane mode” after the aircraft doors are closed. Wi-Fi will remain accessible during taxi, takeoff, and landing.
These steps should help you connect to the Wi-Fi on your Southwest flight and enjoy in-flight entertainment and internet access. Please note that specific instructions may vary slightly depending on the aircraft and the updated procedures implemented by Southwest Airlines, so it’s always a good idea to follow any on-screen prompts or guidance provided by the airline staff during your flight.
Southwest Airlines Wi-Fi Coverage
On every plane, you can use Wi-Fi. You can connect your laptop, tablet, or phone to the “SouthwestWiFi” Wi-Fi network to use the internet.
Here are the minimum needs for your system and devices.
- Android 8+ enabled devices
- Apple devices with OS 12.0 or higher
- Windows 10 from Microsoft
The sites that work are the most up-to-date versions of Chrome, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge.
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Southwestwifi Price
Southwest kept up with its reputation as a low-cost airline by charging $8 for each device per trip for its high-speed satellite-based Wi-Fi. This price isn’t too bad when you think about the perks that come with it:
- The Wi-Fi is connected from gate to gate, which means that people can use it from boarding to landing.
- No matter what gadget is used to connect, the price is the same.
- Wi-Fi internet usage is unlimited.
- Both domestic and foreign flights charge the same amount for Wi-Fi.
- The price includes a pass for the whole day, which means that people can still use Wi-Fi on multiple connecting trips on the same day without having to pay again.
- It lets you surf the web, send and receive emails, track flights, and chat for free.
- Before, Southwest travelers had to pay $2 per device for a day’s worth of texting. But now, the airline lets passengers send and receive messages for FREE while they are in the air. But you can only use the free service with iMessage and WhatsApp.
In the United States, Southwest is the only airline that has a deal like this. Alaska Airlines and Delta also have deals like this.
Surprisingly, if you are an A-list Preferred Member, you can still get free Wi-Fi on Southwest. As part of the Rapid Rewards Program, this elite position gives members free Wi-Fi on all planes and other perks when they sign in with their Rapid Rewards account information.
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Southwest Inflight Entertainment
Southwest Airlines has a portal for fun while flying that has a lot of free features. You can watch live and on-demand TV, movies, and music. You can also use the flight tracker to see how much time is left on your trip.
Remember that movies, TV, and music, which are all available for free on international trips, are NOT available for the whole time. Most of the time, though, you can use the Wi-Fi until you cross a foreign border.
Free Live TV
The Southwest in-flight entertainment portal lets you watch 12 live TV stations for free while you’re in the air.
- ABC
- CBS
- CNBC
- CNN
- ESPN
- FOX
- Fox News
- HGTV
- NBC
- NFL Network
- TBS
- USA
Free On-demand TV
There is also a choice of free TV shows that you can watch whenever you want. Some of these have been hit shows like “Parks and Recreation,” “The Office,” “Chopped,” and “Cocomelon.”
Movies
During your flight, you can use the computer to watch movies for free at any time.
Music
With iHeartRadio, you can listen to music for free on your trip.
Free Texting
If you want to stay in touch with friends and family while you’re flying, you can send free texts through iMessage and WhatsApp.
How to Save on Southwest Wi-Fi Fees?
Some people may be sad about this change. If you always fly Southwest, you may be wondering how to save money on the cost of wifi on the plane. You can get free Internet access if you join Southwest’s Rapid Rewards reward program and reach the A-List Preferred level. If you fly a lot, this could be a choice for you. You can get an A-List Preferred rank if you take 50 qualifying one-way flights or earn 70,000 qualifying points per year.
Get a Southwest credit card. This is another way to save money. Many of the best Southwest credit cards offer 25% cash back on purchases made on the plane, including Wi-Fi fees. When you use the right credit card to pay for wifi, you could get 25% back as a bill credit. Airline credit cards also have other useful benefits and let people win rewards when they use them to buy things.
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How to get upgraded Wi-Fi on Southwest for free?
Here are some ways to enhance your Southwest in-flight Wi-Fi experience without additional charges:
1. Fly Business Select: Southwest Airlines offers Business Select as its highest fare class, which includes complimentary in-flight Wi-Fi on all enabled aircraft. Choosing Business Select also provides perks like priority boarding, a complimentary drink on select flights, and an increased Rapid Rewards earning rate.
2. Elite Status: Southwest has two tiers of elite status: A-List and A-List Preferred. While the benefits may not be as extensive as some other airlines’ elite statuses, they still come with valuable perks. A-List Preferred members enjoy free Wi-Fi on all Southwest flights, including international ones. You can earn elite status by meeting specific flight or base point requirements within a calendar year.
3. Credit Cards: If you don’t have or don’t want to pursue elite status, you can still get free Wi-Fi on Southwest flights through certain credit cards. The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card, with an annual fee of $199, offers 365 $8 Wi-Fi credits annually, allowing you to enjoy in-flight internet without additional charges for a year. Additionally, many travel credit cards, including the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Citi Prestige® Card (no longer available to new applicants), offer travel credits that can be used to offset expenses such as Wi-Fi charges during your flight.
Please note that credit card benefits and offers can change over time, so it’s a good idea to check the terms and conditions of the specific card you’re interested in and confirm the details with the card issuer.
Is Southwest Wi-Fi worth it?
Southwest Airlines’ in-flight wifi is provided by Türk Telekom infrastructure, which is a pretty good choice when it comes to connecting people to the internet.
You can connect your laptop, tablet, or phone to their high-speed internet, which has no trouble running high-bandwidth apps. Like most airport wifi services, some people love it and others can’t find anything good to say about it.
Conclusion
Southwestwifi does a lot of things right, like not charging you to change or cancel your flight or to check your bags for free.
The airline also gives free live TV, music, and movies, as well as a lot of other free entertainment.
If you want full internet access, you can pay $8 per flight to get it. However, loyal Southwest customers who reach A-List Preferred level or who have a Southwest Performance Business card don’t have to pay this fee.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Southwestwifi
Does Southwest Airlines Have Inflight Wi-Fi?
Yes, Southwest Airlines has a good wifi service on board.
Do All The Southwest Airlines Aircraft Have WiFi Service?
Yes, all of their planes have wifi on board as of right now.
Can I Purchase a Paid Subscription When I am On Board?
Yes, you can.
Is There Any Daily Subscription available On WN?
Yes, you can sign up for a daily membership.
Is The Southwest Wi-Fi Service Limited?
No, you can use the WiFi as long as you are on the ship and the link is working.
How Many Devices Are Allowed To Connect The WN Wifi?
With one membership, you can use wifi on one device at a time. Even though you can use a different device to connect to the WiFi. You can also buy the same wifi deal again for other devices.
Is Southwest Wi-Fi Free?
Southwest Airlines charges $8 per day for Wi-Fi on board. A-list Preferred Members, on the other hand, can use it for free.
Which Airplane Offers In-flight Wi-Fi?
Southwest Airlines’ full fleet of Boeing 737 planes has Wi-Fi for passengers on board.
Will I get a refund for poor Wi-Fi service?
If you had a bad Wi-Fi link on board, go to the “Contact” page to ask for a refund.
