Emirates offers free inflight Wi-Fi connectivity to all its passengers

A recent enhancement to Emirates' inflight connectivity means that all of its passengers in all classes of travel can enjoy some form of free connectivity once they sign up for Emirates Skywards. Thanks to this improvement, every week an additional 30,000 Economy Class passengers connect to the free Wi-Fi on board.

Emirates has consistently been at the forefront of inflight Wi-Fi advancements and has invested more than $300 million in inflight connectivity to date. All Emirates Skywards members in all classes of travel can now enjoy some form of free connectivity. Skywards members, whether Blue, Silver, Gold or Platinum tier, traveling in any class, be it Economy, Premium Economy, Business or First Class, will enjoy free in-app messaging. In addition, First Class passengers will have free unlimited internet if they are Skywards members, allowing them to shop or work online during the flight, just like Silver, Gold and Platinum Skywards members traveling in Business.

The increase in free connectivity has been very well received by Emirates passengers following the changes introduced in January 2023, and the airline today has an average of 450,000 users per month. This represents a 30% increase in passenger usage in 2023 compared to the same period last year. Currently, almost 10% of all passengers use the free Wi-Fi connection on board. On routes to/from the Americas, almost 20% of passengers connect to Wi-Fi on board, and on European and African routes usage exceeds 11% of all passengers.

Patrick Brannelly, Senior Vice President of Sales, IFE and Connectivity, said: “Emirates has persistently worked with our service providers to optimize and improve the connectivity experience. In March we delivered 55% more data per customer session compared to early 2022, despite the number of sessions increasing 68% in the same period. We will continue to work to invest in upgrades and improvements, and our A350 aircraft will arrive with the next generation of satellite connectivity already equipped.”

Emirates has also announced that it will offer new high-speed broadband on board 50 new Airbus A350 aircraft, scheduled to enter service in 2024. The new deal will significantly enhance the passenger experience with improved connectivity and greater global coverage, even on flights over the Arctic. The Airbus A350s will be the first Emirates aircraft to take advantage of Inmarsat's Global Xpress (GX) satellite network, which powers the first and only broadband network available worldwide, ensuring passengers can enjoy uninterrupted global connectivity, regardless of their destination, including
the North Pole. 

The advanced high-speed capabilities of broadband will allow Emirates passengers to stay connected with family and friends, surf the Internet and enjoy social networking, all from the comfort of their seat. Emirates also confirmed an investment of more than $350 million to equip a fleet of 50 A350 aircraft arriving by 2024 with enhanced passenger connectivity through Thales and Optiq's AVANT Up system, the industry's first smart display offering two Bluetooth connections
, built-in Wi-Fi so passengers can connect multiple devices together, including phones, tablets, headsets or even game controllers, while supporting up to 60 watts USB-C for fast charging of personal devices.