Surfing the internet while flying was impossible decades ago. But look what technological advancement has brought into our lives! With every airline introducing internet facilities onboard, Southwest could not stay behind in launching its inflight Wi-Fi facility and upgrading the onboard entertainment. While the type of server may vary from airline to airline, the goal remains the same: KEEP YOU CONNECTED!
Southwest Airlines inflight wifi is actually considered the fastest and most reliable internet connection. With some recent improvements, it has become the pillar of keeping passengers entertained and productive throughout long-hour flights. Find out more about the Southwest wifi cost, connectivity, and available streaming options.
Does Southwest Have Wifi? On All Flights?
Yes. Southwest Airlines provides internet facilities on all its planes; the speed and connectivity may differ according to the aircraft and the chosen destination. The reason is very clear: the airline wants to stay competitive with its peers and keep offering what major airlines are providing but in an affordable way!
Since it is an all-economy airline, you will get access to Southwest wifi, but there are no seatback entertainment screens. That means you will have to connect your device to an inflight internet connection to access the Southwest inflight entertainment options.
Accessing Southwest Inflight Entertainment
With Southwest Airlines inflight entertainment portal, passengers can have access to an entertainment portal that comes with many free features. There’s something for everyone, from newly released movies to all-time customer favorites. You can choose from a selection of movies right from your device without the need to go through downloading procedures or unnecessary registrations.
Southwest Onboard Entertainment Free Features
Say no to boring long-haul flights, go online, and access the free inflight entertainment features to enhance your overall flight journey!
LiveTV
Passengers can now stay connected to current events, watch live sports, and enjoy some television time while on a flight. Southwest offers 12 live TV channels that are as follows:
| ABC | ESPN | NBC |
| CBS | FOX | NFL Network |
| CNBC | Fox News | TBS |
| CNN | HGTV | USA |
Messaging
Keep those texts delivering to your loved ones on the ground while you are in the air. No distance can separate you from your friends and family; send quick updates with iMessage and WhatsApp on devices.
Movies
From the latest to all-time favorites, passengers can select from a collection of movies, TV shows, and Kids Klub on their phone or tablet for free. You do not have to worry about the download and sign-ups; the entertainment is viewable right on your devices.
Music
And those music lovers can listen to their favorite songs on a loop to enhance the passenger experience. Blur the unnecessary noise and focus on enjoying your inflight journey to the final destination.
On-demand TV
You can also watch selected TV shows during your flight. The channels might change from time to time, but some popular shows, like “Parks and Recreation” and “The Office,” stay on the list.
Important Note: Free LiveTV may not be available on international flights due to licensing restrictions.
Connecting to Southwest Airlines Inflight WiFi
Before accessing anything, you first have to connect your device to the Southwest WiFi connection. For this, you need to adhere to the following steps carefully:
- Open your phone’s settings and turn on airplane mode.
- Now is the time to turn on your WiFi so that it starts searching for available server options. Connect to the SouthwestWiFi from the network list.
- After a successful connection, the Southwest Airlines Hotspot portal will open on your browser. If it doesn’t, type southwestwifi.com in the URL section.
- On the page, click on the Access portal.
Once you are connected to the Southwest inflight entertainment, you gain access to the flight tracker, free LiveTV SW, free movies and music, and an internet connection for a price.
Is WiFi on Southwest Free?
The onboard entertainment portal gives you access to Southwest Airlines free movies, music, LiveTV, and messaging. But is WiFi on Southwest free, too? Long story short: NO! Passengers can go online, check their emails, scroll through social media, or grab a meal from the Southwest inflight menu for just $8 per device, available from flight takeoff to final landing. However, the internet facility is free to Southwest A-List Preferred Members and Business Select Customers.
Important Note: The airline may prohibit access to selected high-bandwidth applications (Netflix, HBO Max), websites, and video conferencing services to ensure a better streaming experience. Also, potentially offensive online content is also restricted in consideration of the public onboard.
Ways to Get FREE WiFi on Southwest Flights
While the internet facility is already a good deal, there are still some ways to reduce the costs further and get Southwest Airlines inflight wifi for free.
Flying on Business Select
Southwest Airlines provides free inflight internet to passengers flying on its premium cabin: Business Select. Along with this, passengers also get priority boarding, complimentary drinks, and a remarkable Rapid Rewards earn rate.
Passengers With Elite Status
Passengers flying on Southwest can have two elite statuses: A-List and A-List Preferred. Travelers coming under the latter category are entitled to free Southwest Wi-Fi, even on international flights. To get this status, you must have taken at least 40 qualifying one-way flights with the airline and earned 70,000 tier qualifying points in a single year.
Questions You Might Have:
Yes. Southwest Airlines offers internet facilities on almost every flight to keep up with the peer competition.
Southwest inflight entertainment includes free LiveTV, messaging, movies, music, TV shows, and a paid internet service.
No. Southwest Airlines has restricted video conferencing services like FaceTime, as full web access is not available.
Yes. Passengers get access to Southwest Airlines free movies during the flight. The collection includes new releases and some all-time favorites.
The airline does not serve full meals or sell additional snacks, but passengers get snacks and non-alcoholic beverages for free. They can use the Southwest inflight entertainment portal to reserve a dinner.
As of this month, Southwest Airlines movie collection includes new releases like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Despicable Me 4, The Bikeriders, etc. You can check the complete list on the airline blog page.
Passengers can stay connected to ongoing events and current news through 12 12 live TV channels: ABC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, ESPN, FOX, Fox News, HGTV, NBC, NFL Network, TBS, & USA.
No. Southwest inflight wifi is not free; passengers have to pay $8 per device. However, selected travelers with Business Select boarding passes and A-list preferred status can get it for free.
If your Southwest app isn’t showing the flight details, it could be because of a wrongly entered reservation number, the departure is too far in the future, or you haven’t logged into your account correctly.
You can access inflight entertainment on Southwest by connecting your device’s wifi to the SouthwestWifi and the portal will load automatically on your browser. If it doesn’t, type www.southwestwifi.com into the address bar.
No. Southwest has restricted high-bandwidth applications, such as Netflix and HBO Max, for a better and seamless internet experience.
Being a budget-friendly airline, Southwest does not provide seatback screens in its cabin. However, passengers can watch movies and TV shows on their devices without the hassle of downloading.
To access Southwest WiFi, turn on airplane mode, connect your phone’s wifi to the ‘SoutwestWifi’ network, and tap on ‘access the portal’ or open SouthwestWiFi.com in your browser directly.
Yes. The Southwest Inflight Entertainment portal provides you access to newly released movies, TV shows, and famous animated movies for your little ones.
