Delta Airlines has announced that customers will be able to use iMessage, WhatsApp & Facebook for free on Gogo-equipped flights starting October 1st, 2017. The only restriction is that only text messages will be allowed to be sent and received, meaning you can’t send/receive any pictures, videos, GIFs, audio messages etc. Standard SMS text messages will also not work. T-Mobile customers already have access to free in flight messaging and one hour of internet access every flight.
American Express Business Platinum cardholders also get 10 gogo passes annually. Discover it Miles comes with a $30 annual credit for in flight WiFi Charges and the U.S. Bank FlexPerks Visa card also comes with 12 Gogo passes annually.
Since it was mentioned that Discover It Miles has $30 credit towards WiFi, there are other cards with general airline incidental credits including the BofA Premium Rewards which I am assuming would cover paid WiFi service like other inflight services.
Considering iMessage & WhatsApp are encrypted end to end, I’d love to know how they plan on differentiating between text messages and picture messages… (size maybe? seems like a flakey solution.)
I hope it were free in-flight massage
Delta is my favorite flight by far.
Youre a person not a number.
Just to clarify, it looks like you can use Facebook Messenger for free, not Facebook itself. Still a good deal for free, but might want to add that word “Messenger” to the headline.
“This new, complimentary capability will enable customers to stay fully connected with those on the ground and exchange real time messages in flight with friends, families, colleagues, and clients via iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.”
Thought it was clear with the whole free flight messaging already in the title but added this in.
This has always (unofficially) worked on any flight that uses gogo thanks to the way they allow certain free sites to be accessed.
I always use Google Hangouts free of charge on domestic flights.
Huh, I know I was able to do this a couple years ago, but feel like it didn’t work when I’ve tried recently. Any tricks, or just connect?
Just used it on a UA flight last week. Just click over to one of the free webpages, and then open Hangouts. It even supports the dialer — but please don’t call on the plane.