These Are the U.S. Airlines and Airports With the Best (and Worst) Wi-Fi

Travelers flying on Alaska Airlines have access to the best Wi-Fi in the skies in the United States, according to a new study.

When it comes to connecting at 30,000 feet, Alaska Airlines took the top spot amongst U.S. airlines, but the Seattle-based carrier in fact only scored a 2.41 out of 5, according to a study from website Electronics Hub. (In 2022, the airline introduced a flat rate for its Internet, which costs $8 for the whole flight.)

That was followed by JetBlue and Delta Air Lines, which came in at No. 2 and No. 3 on the list, with each offering free inflight Wi-Fi on their flights. Southwest Airlines, which now charges per flight instead of per day for the service, came in fourth.

“Air travel is a great means of escape — and not just to your destination… But thankfully, for those who need or crave it, airport and airline Wi-Fi has improved lately,” Electronics Hub wrote in the study.

Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines ranked last on the list for U.S. airlines, only scoring 1.11 out of 5 with customers complaining about the cost — browsing starts at $3.99, according to Spirit — as well as griping at a lack of connectivity at all. Spirit said Wi-Fi is available on most of the company’s aircraft, but some Airbus A319 aircraft and planes that have just joined the carrier’s fleet are not equipped with Internet.

On the ground, the Indianapolis International Airport ranked the best among North American airports, scoring a 4 out of 5 for connectivity. That was followed by both Portland and Vancouver in Canada. 

But the fastest in the country is actually Fort Lauderdale’s Hollywood International Airport’s Terminal 3, according to the study, which boasts a speed of 157.6Mbps.

On the other end of the spectrum is Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, which ranked the worst in the U.S. with a score of only 1.94 out of 5.

Worldwide, the airline with the best Wi-Fi is Garuda Indonesia, which scored a 4.12 out of 5.