Delta’s free Wi-Fi rollout reaches 95% of planes as rivals bet big on Starlink

Delta Air Lines now has Wi-Fi service available throughout nearly every flight — including its longest service to Asia, Australia and the South Pacific.The Atlanta-based carrier on Tuesday announced it had closed its "last coverage gap" over the Pacific Ocean, thanks to a new satellite that just came online in the last week.Delta also said it had equipped more than 95% of its planes with the tech to support free Wi-Fi for every customer — a rollout that's expected to wrap up in the next few months.In a lot of ways, it's a milestone that's years in the making.Back in early 2023, Delta kickstarted an industry trend when it announced plans to make Wi-Fi service free to all members of its loyalty program.Most major U.S. airlines have done the same since then.Yet, despite upgrading Wi-Fi tech across its fleet — and outfitting nearly 1,300 planes with the complimentary service — Delta's on-board internet has drawn plenty of scrutiny, of late.ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUYStarlink snub under microscopeOver the past few weeks, headlines have swirled about Delta's decision not to upgrade its fleet with Starlink service, which today is generally viewed as the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky.All of Delta...