Free Airline Wi-Fi for Loyal Passengers Only

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, July 20. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

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Episode Notes

The travel industry is continuing to make substantial progress in its recovery from the pandemic, but what challenges is it still facing? Skift Research answers that question and more in its newly released State of Travel 2023 report.

The report contains more than 250 data slides documenting the current state of travel and trends shaping the industry’s future. For example, Americans are increasingly looking to vacation abroad as international travel has become easier. Skift Research compiled the data appearing in the report through its own research and information from third-party sources. The first section of the report delves into the travel industry’s performance as well as the wider economic landscape while the second is devoted to trends in the industry.  

Next, more airlines are offering travelers free Wi-Fi in an attempt to increase sign-ups to their loyalty programs, writes Reporter Ajay Awtaney. 

Awtaney cites Singapore Airlines and Delta Air Lines as two carriers that offer complimentary Wi-Fi to members of its loyalty programs. A Delta spokesperson said requiring SkyMiles membership for Wi-Fi access enables it to offer travelers a personalized experience different from what other airlines provide. 

Awtaney adds that some airlines are looking at complimentary Wi-Fi as a reward for being a frequent flier. Emirates earlier this year started offering  all of its Skywards members some form of free connectivity, including free app messaging services during their flights. 

Finally, Mondee has released an updated version of its travel booking platform to include a mobile app and generative artificial intelligence chatbot, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes. 

Dawes reports a chatbot named Abhi can provide users planning trips  information such as links for booking flights, hotels, and more. Mondee’s updated booking platform also includes a shopping cart so users can save different aspects of a trip and then purchase them all together. Dawes adds that people from a group planning a trip can see the cart and book everything simultaneously instead of having to book individually. 

Mondee’s vice chairman Orestes Fintiklis said the update is the culmination of three years of work and a series of acquisitions that took place during the pandemic. The update comes exactly one year after the company went public.