Emirates is now offering all passengers across all cabin classes free inflight connectivity.
Part of its investment of more than USD $300 million dollars into onboard connectivity, recent enhancements to its inflight connectivity will enable passengers on the airline's flights to enjoy some form of free connectivity using their Emirates Skywards membership. The recent developments have resulted in an additional 30,000 Economy Class connecting to the airline's complementary onboard Wi-Fi every week.
All Emirates Skywards members in every cabin class can now enjoy some form of free connectivity. Blue, Silver, Gold, or Platnum tier Skywards memberse in any cabin class will enjoy free app messaging. First Class passengers with Skywards membership, as well as Silver, Gold, and Platinum Skywards membership traveling in Business Class will have unlimited free internet. Platinum Skywards members in all classes will have complementary internet access.
Following changes in January 2023, Emirates reports a 30% increase of passengers using its inflight Wi-Fi compared to the same period the previous year (2022). The airline reports 450,000 uses some form of free connectivity onboard its flights per month.
“Emirates has persistently worked with our service providers to optimise and improve the connectivity experience. In March we delivered about 55% more data per customer session compared to early 2022 despite the number of sessions increasing by 68% in the same period. We will continue to work to invest in upgrades and enhancements, and our A350 aircraft will arrive with the next generation of satellite connectivity already equipped,” said Patrick Brannelly, SVP Retail & Connectivity, Emirates.
Emirates also announced that it will offer new high-speed, inflight broadband powered by Inmarsat’s GX Aviation, onboard 50 new Airbus A350 aircraft - scheduled to enter service in 2024. The new agreement will significantly improve the passenger experience with enhanced 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 world’s first and only globally available broadband network, ensuring passengers can enjoy uninterrupted global connectivity, no matter their destination, including the North Pole. The advanced high-speed capabilities of the broadband will enable Emirates passengers to stay connected with family and friends, browse the internet, and enjoy social media, all from the comfort of their seat. Emirates also confirmed an investment of over US$ 350 million to equip a 50-strong fleet of A350s coming in 2024 with enhanced passenger connectivity via Thales’ AVANT Up system and Optiq - the first smart display in the industry to offer two Bluetooth connections, built-in Wi-Fi for passengers to pair multiple devices including phones, tablets, headphones or even game controllers, while supporting up to 60 watts USB-C to fast-charge personal devices.
