AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
Staying connected has become more and more important, and we demand the ability to stay in touch with friends, family, and work no matter where we are in the world, or what we are doing. Alaska has made it easier to stay in touch with loved ones and friends with free messaging in the air.
Alaska Free Chat
The new service from Alaska is available on all their flights enabled with Gogo Wi-Fi. So far it seems Alaska are planning on making this a permanent feature on their flights, which is great news.
To take advantage of the offer on Alaska flights you need to follow four simple steps:
- Turn on Wi-Fi on your phone
- Choose “gogoinflight” network and connect to it
- Open your typical web browser app
- In the options, select “Free Chat.”
You are now set to go and can stay in touch free of charge. One thing to remember though is that there are some limitations to the service.
Limitations
While this is a great option, bear in mind that there are certain restrictions. You will not be able to surf the web since you still have to pay for that service, but you can use various messaging services to stay connected. Currently, the only messaging services that you can use are:
- iMessage
- Facebook Messenger
The WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger apps work on both Android and iOS operating systems. When using the service, you can only send and receive text messages; you do not have the ability to send or receive photos or videos. Finally, you can only take advantage of this service on Alaska's aircraft that are equipped with Gogo Wi-Fi.
Other Connectivity Options
While this is a significant step forward from Alaska, it is by no means the only alternative available for US travelers to get free messaging on flights. T-Mobile customers have 1 hour free Gogo Wi-Fi pass. T-Mobile ONE Plus offers its clients free Gogo Wi-Fi connectivity for the entire flight.
The FlexPerks® Travel Rewards Visa Signature® Card offers its clients 12 Gogo in-flight passes on Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, and Virgin America.
Overall
Alaska seems to have its eyes on the ball when it comes to giving its customers something they value. This is a step in the right direction, and we can only hope that this move by Alaska prompts more airlines to follow suit and let us stay connected free of charge.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
all airline should do this its a great cheap value add
I think this is a great idea being able to send text messages in flight for free.
How does one find out ahead of time which of their flights are enabled with Gogo Wi-fi
That’s a good idea. I hope in the future they will include other app like wechat
Alaska has customers in mind on all their flights, thats why they are always ranked at the top
AS rocks! Wish I’d discovered the mileage program much earlier…
This just encourages behavior that is inconsiderate to others around you. Put the phone away, appreciate your surroundings, and respect the other people nearby.
I like the idea but I like that I don’t have all that connection while flying. If there’s an immediate need of a message, etc. it’s great. As long as the person next to me keeps everything to themselves I don’t care. Once they start reading their texts or moving their arms while texting, I’m not going to like it. Plus, there will be people who abuse this too. I wonder who will pick this up next, though.
very cool. Will be trying out the free iMessage function.
This is fantastic, but sometimes it’s nice to just be disconnected and have a few hours away from the phone.
That’s awesome pretty much the main reason I’d use wifi anyway
The more airlines offering even part services for free onboard is beneficial as before long others will have to follow, eventually I think we will get free wi fi on all long haul flights.
This is a step forward. Surely it is only a matter of time before all airlines offer free on board wifi.
Anything airlines do to help us stay connected – especially with all the flight delays involved with travel – is definitely a step in the right direction. Now if they’d only make it possible to charge my devices while waiting to board or in-flight….
Even low cost carrier Norwegian in Europe provides free-wifi! Hope more follow Alaska’s lead!
Very handy indeed! Worked great on my last two flights
So with AS you can save your Gogo from Amex Bus Plat and the hour from T-mobile.
This is a wonderful positive for both business and social needs. I hope people remember/are reminded to put their phones on silent otherwise there could be a great deal of beeping going on while others try to read or sleep.
And this is why I love Alaska!
Does not seem to work on Windows Phone
Cool. I’ll check this out. I have an Alaska flight coming up.
Ahhhhh, AS. I love you. Always have, always will.
It would be nice to see this type of connectivity offering expanded to more airlines.
Great news! I hope other airlines do the same
This is a great offering, and will no doubt help introduce people to the idea of being connected while flying, ultimately boosting wifi sales too.