Air Canada launched free Wi-Fi for Aeroplan members today, across flights to Canada, Mexico, the United States, and the Caribbean, and I tested it out already.
While I was on a flight to Mexico I noticed the new service was available and of course I had to try it. Free Wi-Fi has been available from some other airlines around the world, and it’s becoming more common. While there was still a faster service option available for an additional fee, the new free service was definitely impressive.
Air Canada partnered with Bell in 2023 to bring messaging to flights for Aeroplan members, and I have loved and used that service on every flight I could. There’s really no reason to be disconnected from family and friends during flights any more, and now the latest offering from Air Canada takes free connectivity to the next level.
Available on board flights across North America, and to-and-from sun destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean, the service is gate-to-gate, and includes flights on Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, and Air Canada Express flights that are operated with the CRJ900 aircraft.
Air Canada said in the release that the “new service means customers can enjoy streaming video services and gaming,” so how does the service stand up? I was very impressed.
Using Air Canada’s free Wi-Fi service, sponsored by Bell
Connecting was very easy. Once you’re seated you connect to the in-flight Wi-Fi network and follow the instructions. A pop-up window will open and on the page you’ll find the option to start your free Wi-Fi session for Aeroplan members. From my experience the service was available as soon as you get on the plane, and right up to the other gate.
To sign in you just need to enter your seat number and last name, and click connect. The small print is that you also need to agree to the service terms, and that means that you agree to allow Air Canada to use your browsing data for advertising purposes. In particular it states: “Air Canada may use my personal information for targeted ads and collect my browsing data to measure ad success and gain insights…”
Depending on how you feel about privacy, these terms could be a concern. I can’t say how much they are capturing when you browse. Compared to other services the concerns are similar to using Facebook or any Meta service, which already has an extensive amount of personal information that they leverage for advertising.
Signing in only took a few seconds, and then I was connected. It was seamless, the connection was stable throughout my two flights to and from Mexico, and most importantly the speeds were impressive.
On my flight down to Mexico, the download speed was 68.9 Mbps, and 8.41 Mbps up. Those speeds are as good or better than most cafes and airports that I’ve used. Not only was I able to update my downloaded Spotify playlists, I even posted a few Stories on Instagram, and when I mistakenly deleted a Netflix episode, I just went into the episodes and streamed it.
Speeds were pretty consistent during both flights, although it can occasionally slow down now and then, but that’s to be expected. Compared to some airline Wi-Fi services that I’ve paid for in the past, this was far better than most, and it gave me a chance to get some work done, too.
Your streaming experience may be different than mine, and you could have better or worse speeds, depending even on things like weather, and other factors, but for a free service it’s very good, and it’s a nice perk as an Aeroplan member. Whether you’re streaming, listening to music, or working, I think Air Canada’s free Wi-Fi is going to be very welcome.
To use the service you will need to have your Aeroplan number already added when you make the booking, or when you check-in for the flight. If not, you won’t be able to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi.
Upcoming Wi-Fi service expansion
The new service will expand in the coming months, too. Air Canada stated that Wi-Fi installations will start on the Embraer E175 fleet, and the De Havilland Q400s serving Billy Bishop Airport later this year. According to Air Canada these will be the first Q400 aircraft worldwide with Wi-Fi, and the first Wi-Fi flight service from Billy Bishop airport.
Air Canada has also announced that Wi-Fi service will expand to international flights in 2026.
