Southwest Joins the Wi-Fi Wars: Free Internet on Every Flight
Southwest Airlines just dropped a big update: free Wi-Fi for every passenger on every flight, starting on October 24, 2025. For Hawaii travelers, that means you can now stay connected on long flights to the mainland without paying extra.
What Was Available Before?Up until now, Wi-Fi on Southwest wasn’t always free. It was only offered at no cost for certain groups:
A-List Preferred members
Southwest business credit card holders
Customers with a Business Select fare
For everyone else, you had to pay to connect, and sometimes the service wasn’t consistent across the fleet.
This move puts Southwest right in the middle of what many are calling the “Wi-Fi wars.” Airlines have been racing to upgrade their inflight internet, from Hawaiian’s rollout of free Wi-Fi on its new Dreamliners to Delta and JetBlue offering free service fleetwide. Now, Southwest is leveling up too, and that’s great news for all of us.
Whether you’re catching up on work, streaming shows, or just keeping the kids entertained on the way to California, Las Vegas, or beyond, free Wi-Fi makes the journey smoother and more connected.
For local flyers, this competition between airlines is a win. The more carriers step up, the better the inflight experience gets across the board.
Scottie’s Take
As someone who’s flown countless hours between Hawaiʻi and the mainland, this is the kind of upgrade that really changes the game. I love seeing the airlines compete to offer better perks, because at the end of the day, it means we win as travelers. Whether you’re loyal to Hawaiian, Southwest, or another carrier, the Wi-Fi wars are pushing everyone to improve, and that’s good news for Hawaiʻi flyers.
