How to Send and Receive Text Messages on a Flight

Air travel used to mean hours of complete peace from the outside world. No phones ringing, no urgent texts to respond to, no email emergencies to deal with. For better or for worse, it’s now fairly easy to text and use Wi-Fi on airplanes. And these days, many airlines offer the ability to text for free.

Among the airlines that let you text for free are United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines. These carriers allow texting either through free in-flight Wi-Fi or with the use of text messaging services.

Here’s your guide to sending and receiving text messages on a plane, broken down by the biggest airlines flying into American airports.

Standard SMS messaging typically won’t work in the air since you’ll need a cellular network connection. But as long as there’s Wi-Fi available on a flight, you’ll have some way to communicate with people on the ground.

To text while flying, you’ll need to use a messaging app like WhatsApp, Apple iMessage, WeChat or Facebook Messenger. These applications don't require a cellular network connection and instead send messages through the internet. Of course, that means your phone may need to be connected to the internet (which may require you to pay for in-flight Wi-Fi).

On the bright side, many airlines now enable texting on certain apps, even without a paid Wi-Fi connection.

Air Canada

Air Canada offers free Wi-Fi for all Aeroplan members on flights across North America and to Mexico and the Caribbean. Not only does it include messaging, but it also includes streaming services and gaming.

The airline plans to have fast and free Wi-Fi on all flights in 2026.

Delta

Free Wi-Fi is available on most domestic Delta flights and many international flights for members of SkyMiles, the airline's free-to-join loyalty program. While Delta is still rolling out free Wi-Fi to its international flights and some regional flights, it is available on most transatlantic flights. Service to South America is next.

For flights without full free Wi-Fi, free messaging through iMessage, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp is available on all Wi-Fi-enabled Delta flights. While you can send words and emojis, you won’t be able to send photos, videos or SMS messages.

To know if your flight has free Wi-Fi, look for a “Fast, Free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles Members” decal near the plane’s boarding door.

To connect to DeltaWiFi on a domestic flight, type in DeltaWiFi.com while connected to DeltaWiFi. You’ll have to log in to your SkyMiles account and watch a short video before being connected.

Emirates

Some members of Emirates’ Skywards program have access to free messaging and free internet, depending on their status level.

For passengers who are not eligible, unlimited messaging is $2.99–$5.99 depending on the length of the flight and full Wi-Fi costs $9.99–$19.99. A 30-minute pass is $9.99.

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines recently got into the Wi-Fi game when it began offering free Starlink Wi-Fi on all of its Airbus planes. The airline will begin installing Wi-Fi on most longer-haul Boeing planes soon.

JetBlue

For travelers who need to stay connected to all the apps and websites at all times, JetBlue is tops. JetBlue offers free high-speed Wi-Fi at every seat, on every plane. You’re not just limited to messaging apps — you’ve got the entire internet at your fingertips. The airline delightfully calls it "Fly-Fi."

Norwegian Air

Most Norwegian Air flights offer free Wi-Fi, allowing you to browse the web, send email and deliver texts through messaging apps. For an additional fee, you can purchase more robust Wi-Fi, allowing for faster web browsing and the ability to stream shows and music from services like Netflix, YouTube and Spotify.

Qantas

Australia-based Qantas offers free Wi-Fi on most domestic flights, allowing for not just free networking, but also free streaming of TV shows or music. To connect, select the "Qantas free Wi-Fi" network and follow the prompts on the “Welcome onboard” screen.

International connectivity on some flights to Asia is coming soon.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways offers Starlink Wi-Fi on some flights, and it will be free and available on more than 100 aircraft across the airline’s fleet by 2026.

Until then, Wi-Fi is available to purchase on board, and one hour is free for Privilege Club members and messaging is free.

These airlines don't necessarily offer free Wi-Fi access, but you can still text from the sky at no charge.

Air France

Air France has free messaging and Wi-Fi available for a fee. Soon, Wi-Fi will be free to members of Flying Blue.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines offers free messaging through iMessage, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Google messages and WhatsApp on flights that also offer in-flight internet. You can send words and emojis, but sending photos, videos or SMS messages isn't supported.

To send texts for free while flying with Alaska, enable airplane mode, connect to the Alaskawifi.com network, launch your web browser, go to Alaskawifi.com and choose the free texting option.

Alaska also offers two kinds of Wi-Fi, one for streaming and the other for basic connectivity. Wi-Fi starts at $8. The higher-speed option is available on most flights except for routes over the Arctic Circle or on Boeing 737-700s and Embraer E175 planes. Wi-Fi is not available on flights to Hawaii, Mexico or Costa Rica.

Breeze Airways

Breeze Airways has more than 170 nonstop routes between 60 cities in 30 states.

The airline offers free messaging and streaming Wi-Fi for a price, and one purchase includes access to everyone on the same reservation.

For people who have a Breeze Easy® Visa card, Wi-Fi is free.

British Airways

British Airways has a messaging package that is free for British Airways Club members and starts at $2.64 (1.99 pounds) for short-haul flights and $3.97 (2.99 pounds) for long-haul flights. With the messaging package, passengers can use instant messaging apps and send text-based emails without attachments.

Streaming packages are free for first class passengers and start at $6.62 (4.99 pounds) for other passengers.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways has free messaging for Etihad Guest members and full Wi-Fi available for a fee on most planes. It is not available on A320 and A321 planes.

KLM

KLM has free messaging on flights within Europe and on some intercontinental ones, but not all flights have Wi-Fi. You will see a Wi-Fi symbol while booking if the flight has Wi-Fi on board.

If you want to do more than send messages, you can buy a pass for full service.

Lufthansa

Lufthansa has free messaging on all short- and medium-haul flights and will soon begin offering it on long-haul flights for Miles & More customers.

The cost of full internet is based on the length of the flight and begins at $6.79 (6 euros).

Southwest Airlines

Southwest has free in-flight text messaging and allows the use of two messaging apps, iMessage and WhatsApp, free of charge.

To send messages through other apps, you’ll have to purchase Wi-Fi service, which typically costs $8 per flight, per device. It’s free for A-List Preferred members and passengers who buy Business Select tickets.

To connect to Southwest’s internet, select "SouthwestWiFi" from your Wi-Fi network list, upon which you’ll be automatically redirected (though you may need to manually type it in) to www.southwestwifi.com. Simply complete the connection process for either purchased Wi-Fi or complimentary texting.

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines offers free messaging to members of its Miles&Smiles program and some free internet to some higher-level members.

United Airlines

Even if you don’t pay for Wi-Fi, you can still activate free messaging while flying United through apps such as iMessage, WhatsApp and Messages by Google.

For other messages (like email or Slack), you'll need to purchase in-flight internet, which is available on most aircraft starting at $8 for MileagePlus members and $10 for nonmembers on domestic and short-haul international routes.

You can also buy a day pass for a 24-hour period.

If you have T-Mobile, you get free Wi-Fi.

If you fly frequently, consider purchasing a Wi-Fi subscription, which starts at $49 monthly or $539 annually. You can also use miles to pay, so it’s 7,500 a month or 80,000 miles a year. Just keep in mind: You won’t be able to use streaming services with these subscriptions.

If you have a MileagePlus credit card, you will get 25% back on all Wi-Fi subscription purchases.

The good news is you might not have to pay for Wi-Fi on United much longer. The airline is installing Starlink service, which will be free for all MileagePlus customers.

American Airlines

There’s no free texting on American Airlines, though you’ll be able to send messages through Wi-Fi-based texting apps if you purchase in-flight internet. This service is available on most flights and starts at $10, depending on the flight.

If you fly often, American offers its Wi-Fi subscription plan, which costs $49.95 a month for one device or $59.95 for two. You can also buy an annual plan for $599 for one device or $699 for two.

If you have T-Mobile, you can get Wi-Fi for free.

Soon, Wi-Fi will be free to AAdvantage members. The airline announced it will offer free Wi-Fi beginning in January 2026 in partnership with AT&T.

Spirit Airlines

Like most things on Spirit Airlines, Wi-Fi and texting are not free, but they are available. The airline claims to have the fastest Wi-Fi of any airline based in the United States.

Browsing Wi-Fi starts at $5.99 per flight and is $7.99 for a streaming option. It’s free for members of the airline’s Free Spirit Gold program and for people buying Go Big tickets.

To get online, enable airplane mode, choose SpiritWiFi, go to your browser and type in SpiritWiFi.com, and choose a plan.

Allegiant Air

Low-cost carrier Allegiant Air does not have Wi-Fi on its planes.

Frontier Airlines

There’s no way for passengers to send messages while in the air on Frontier Airlines. Hopefully, you brought a book, as there’s no Wi-Fi, TV, movies or other in-flight entertainment while flying with this budget airline. You can’t even charge your devices. Frontier says that not offering those services means lower fares for customers.

So you want to send text messages over Wi-Fi but your airline doesn’t enable free texting. Or, perhaps you are able to text through a messaging app, but you still have to pay for Wi-Fi.

A co-branded credit card might offer a refund of a Wi-Fi fee or a discount.

For example, if you use your Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card to pay for Wi-Fi on your next Southwest flight, you’ll receive a statement credit. You can claim 365 $8 credits (that’s how much Southwest Wi-Fi costs) per year.

Internet access is also free on Southwest for A-List Preferred members, which is the highest level of Southwest elite status.

Other airline credit cards offer discounts on airline purchases, including in-flight purchases, and if the Wi-Fi service is billed by the airline, it should count.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

T-Mobile customers: Free in-flight text messaging and Wi-Fi on some flights

If you have a cellphone plan through T-Mobile and you’re flying on Alaska, American, United and Delta, you’ll most likely have free in-flight texting — and potentially free Wi-Fi, too. It’s called In-Flight Connection.

Here’s what you can expect, depending on your T-Mobile plan.

You will get unlimited in-flight messaging, Wi-Fi and streaming with:

• Experience More. 

• Experience Beyond.

• Experience More for Business.

• Experience Beyond for Business.

• Go5G Next.

• Go5G Plus.

• Go5G Business Next.

• Go5G Business Plus.

• Magenta® MAX.

• Magenta® Plus.

• Magenta® MAX for Business.

• ONE Plus.

• Business Unlimited Ultimate.

• Magenta® Amplified.

• Select enterprise and government plans.

Unlimited messaging and one hour of in-flight Wi-Fi with streaming where available and four full-flight Wi-Fi and streaming sessions a year:

• Go5G.

• Go5G Deaf or Hard of Hearing. 

• Go5G Business.

• Magenta. 

• Magenta® Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

• Business Unlimited Advanced.

• Magenta® for Business.

• Simple Choice.

• Select Choice.

• ONE plans.

• Select government plans.

T-Mobile prepaid plans are also included with the exception of T-Mobile Connect plans.

The service is available on flights to, from and within the U.S. on Alaska, American, United and Delta.

You don’t have to sign up for anything special. To access the free internet on board, put your device in airplane mode and connect to your flight’s Wi-Fi. Once connected, look for the T-Mobile logo and enter your phone number to verify your eligibility.