Southwest Airlines WiFi: Free for Rapid Rewards Members
Southwest Airlines made a major change in October 2025: free WiFi for all Rapid Rewards members, powered by T-Mobile. Non-members pay $8 per flight per device. Starlink starts rolling out summer 2026 for streaming-grade speeds.
Provider Summary
Southwest Airlines's in-flight WiFi is powered primarily by Anuvu (current fleet) — Starlink rolling out from summer 2026, with typical speeds around 10 Mbps and peaks up to 25 Mbps. Most mainline aircraft are equipped — check the data hub for aircraft-specific status. [source]
Current and Future Connectivity
Southwest Airlines currently operates with a mix of in-flight WiFi providers, primarily Anuvu and Viasat on some newer aircraft. However, the airline is undergoing a significant upgrade by partnering with Starlink to deploy high-speed satellite WiFi across its fleet. The first Starlink-equipped aircraft entered commercial service on June 22, 2026. Southwest plans to equip over 300 aircraft with Starlink technology by the end of 2026, with an eventual goal to upgrade its entire fleet of over 800 aircraft.
Speed Expectations
The existing Anuvu service offers limited bandwidth, typically providing speeds around 10 Mbps and peaking up to 25 Mbps, which is generally suitable for basic browsing and messaging. In contrast, Starlink's low Earth orbit satellite network promises dramatically improved internet speeds, aiming to deliver an "at-home experience" in the air. Projected download speeds for Starlink range between 100 Mbps to 200 Mbps per plane, with some reports indicating speeds between 135 Mbps and 310 Mbps, alongside significantly lower latency. This upgrade will support activities like 4K streaming, live gaming, and video calls.
Cabin Availability and Entertainment
WiFi service is available throughout Southwest's single-class cabin on equipped aircraft. On flights featuring Starlink WiFi, the traditional onboard entertainment portal may not be available. Passengers can instead use the free WiFi to stream from their own preferred services, browse, and stay connected across multiple devices.
Southwest Airlines WiFi Rollout — Aircraft by Aircraft
Southwest Airlines Fleet Tracker
SeatWiFi tracks 745 Southwest Airlines aircraft by individual tail number, cross-referenced against the FAA registry and live passenger reports.
Active or in-progress WiFi installs cover 1 aircraft type: Boeing 737.
See every tracked WN tail number →Frequently Asked Questions
Does Southwest Airlines have WiFi on all flights?
All seats (single-class cabin) See the live data hub at /airlines/wn for aircraft-by-aircraft status.
What WiFi provider does Southwest Airlines use?
Southwest Airlines WiFi is powered primarily by Anuvu (current fleet) — Starlink rolling out from summer 2026. <a href="https://upgradedpoints.com/news/southwest-airlines-starlink-wifi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="text-[#00a8ff] hover:underline">[source]</a> For free vs paid, see /southwest-airlines-free-wifi.
How fast is Southwest Airlines WiFi?
Southwest Airlines WiFi runs on Anuvu (current fleet) — Starlink rolling out from summer 2026, with typical speeds around 10 Mbps and peaks up to 25 Mbps. <a href="https://upgradedpoints.com/news/southwest-airlines-starlink-wifi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="text-[#00a8ff] hover:underline">[source]</a> For pricing tiers tied to speed, see /southwest-airlines-wifi-cost.
Does Southwest Airlines WiFi work on international flights?
Southwest Airlines's long-haul fleet generally has WiFi on international routes, though brief drops over polar regions can occur depending on the satellite system. See the live data hub at /airlines/wn for aircraft-by-aircraft status.
How do I connect to Southwest Airlines WiFi?
Switch on airplane mode after takeoff, enable WiFi, select the Southwest Airlines network, and follow the on-board portal to either log in (free passes) or buy a plan. For free-WiFi conditions, see /southwest-airlines-free-wifi.
- https://thepointsguy.com/news/southwest-airlines-announces-free-wifi/
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel/learn/southwest-wifi-guide
- https://upgradedpoints.com/news/southwest-airlines-starlink-wifi/
- https://www.southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1917/southwest-airlines-brings-starlink-ultra-fast-wifi-onboard
- https://simpleflying.com/southwest-rapid-rewards-members-free-wifi-new-tmobile-partnership/