Tips for Using Wi-Fi at the Airport

•

August 30, 2018

•

As a frequent traveler, you spend a lot of time at the airport. It’s important to be able to stay connected while you’re there without racking up a huge cell phone bill. We’ve compiled a list of the airports that have complimentary Wi-Fi and some tips to protect yourself while using public internet.

What to know when using free airport Wi-Fi

Even though airports may not charge money for free Wi-Fi, you might be paying for it in other ways. Many airports will partner with local businesses to have them sponsor the Wi-Fi connection. These sponsors might be paying for the opportunity to have you watch an ad or add your email address to a mailing list.

When your data is flowing through someone else's network, they have the potential to watch certain aspects of your activity, such as the websites you visit, the gates you’re at, for how long you stay on sites, or what other internet connected apps you were using. This is valuable data in the information economy.

Airports with complimentary Wi-Fi*

Here is a comprehensive list of the airports that offer free Wi-Fi. Many of the airports listed below only offer basic Wi-Fi speeds for free. If you'd like higher speeds to download apps, movies, connect with loved ones via video, or download large email attachments, you may need to pay for an upgrade to their premium internet service.

United States airports:

Anchorage, AK (ANC)
Austin, TX (AUS) - 30 minutes free
Baltimore, MD (BWI) - 45 minutes free
Boston, MA (BOS)
Charlotte, NC (CLT)
Cincinnati, OH (CVG)
Cleveland, OH (CLE)
Columbus, OH (CMH)
Dallas, TX (DFW)
Denver, CO (DEN)
Ft Lauderdale, FL (FLL)
Ft Myers, FL (RSW)
Hartford, CT (BDL)
Indianapolis, IN (IND)
Kansas City, MO (MCI)
Las Vegas, NV (LAS) - after watching a brief advertisement
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Minneapolis, MN (MSP) - in 45-minute intervals after watching an advertisement or completing a short survey
Nashville, TN (BNA) - 20 minutes free
New Orleans, LA (MSY)
Oakland, CA (OAK) - 45 minutes free
Ontario, CA (ONT)
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Philadelphia, PA (PHL)
Phoenix, AZ (PHX)
Pittsburgh, PA (PIT)
Portland, OR (PDX)
Raleigh-Durham, NC (RDU)
Sacramento, CA (SMF)
Salt Lake City, UT (SLC)
San Antonio, TX (SAT)
San Diego, CA (SAN)
San Francisco, CA (SFO)
San Jose, CA (SJC)
Santa Ana, CA (SNA)
Seattle, WA (SEA)
Tampa, FL (TPA)
Washington, DC Dulles (IAD)
Washington, DC Ronald Reagan (DCA)

International airports:

Amsterdam, The Netherlands (AMS) - free for 1 hour (in 30-minute intervals)
Barcelona, Spain (BCN) - 15 minutes free
Beijing, China (PEK) - scan passport for an access code or register phone number to receive an access code via text message
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)
Dublin, Ireland (DUB)
Frankfurt, Germany (FRA) - 30 minutes free
Hong Kong, China (HKG)
Istanbul, Turkey (IST) - free at Arrivals, Departures, and General Aviation Terminals
London (Heathrow), United Kingdom (LHR) - 45 minutes free
London (Gatwick), United Kingdom (LGW) - 15 minutes free
Madrid, Spain (MAD) - 15 minutes free
Moscow, Russia (DME)
Munich, Germany (MUC) - 30 minutes free after registering your phone number to receive an access code via text message
New Delhi, India - 20 minutes free after registering your phone number to receive an access code via text message
Paris, France (CDG) - 15 minutes free
Rome, Italy (FCO) - 30 minutes free
Singapore, Singapore (SIN)
Stockholm, Sweden (ARN)
Sydney, Australia (SYD)
Tokyo (Haneda), Japan (HND) - register with name and email address to obtain internet access
Tokyo (Narita), Japan (NRT)
Toronto, Canada (YYZ)
Vantaa, Finland (HEL)
Vienna, Austria (VIE)
Wellington, New Zealand (WLG) - view a brief advertisement to access
Zurich, Switzerland (ZRH) - 1 hour free

*Multiple sources were consulted to make sure this list is as accurate as possible. Last updated in August 2018. Sources below:

Ways to access Wi-Fi when it’s not free

If the airport you're traveling to isn't listed above, don't worry, there are other ways to get Wi-Fi without being charged an arm and a leg for a few minutes of internet access.

Reset Your Browser

For the airports that limit your access to a specific time limit, you can try to delete your cookies and reset your browser to gain access for an additional amount of time to access the internet.

Boingo Wireless

A subscription to Boingo Wireless will provide an unlimited amount of access to all of the Wi-Fi hotspot locations within the Boingo network. There are more than 150,000 Wi-Fi locations, including thousands of Time Warner Cable hotspots.

Cable or cell phone providers

Some cable and cell phone providers also offer Wi-Fi connectivity to their customers. For example, T-Mobile will provide one hour of free Wi-Fi access while flying on a Gogo Internet-enabled domestic flight and XFinity offers hotspots throughout the US.

Airport Lounges

Airport lounges offer complimentary food, beverages, and Wi-fi to guests. Most domestic airport lounges offer an unlimited amount of time, but some international airport lounges do limit your access.

You can access your favorite airline lounges when flying with a premium-class ticket, if you're an elite member of their loyalty program, or if you have purchased a membership.

Many of the popular business credit cards provide a Priority Pass membership, which provides access to thousands of airport lounges around the world. If you don't have a membership, consider applying for a new credit card before your next trip, purchasing a Priority Pass membership, or factoring in the cost of a day pass into your travel budget.

Need help finding a lounge? TripIt users have instant access to information on more than 2,500 airport lounges and the ability to instantly book a pass at 380+ airport lounges worldwide—all right from the TripIt app. TripIt Pro members will also receive a $25 credit to use toward booking a lounge pass on LoungeBuddy.

Social media apps

If you check-in to the airport or airport lounge using social media, some apps allow users to comment on check-ins or to leave reviews. Read through the comments to see if anyone shared the Wi-Fi password so you can access it for free.

Travel router

A travel router is a great way to boost Wi-Fi through your cellular service. It keeps your information more secure and you can even share your service with others. They are compact, budget-friendly, and usually have strong battery power, making them easy to travel with. You can use your phone to amp up your tethering or you can purchase a travel router with a built-in cellular modem.

How to protect yourself on public Wi-Fi

When connecting to public Wi-Fi, you need to protect yourself from people snooping on your internet activity. This includes your passwords! As a general rule, you want to avoid logging into accounts that hold sensitive personal information, like bank accounts, investments, credit cards, etc.

I recommend purchasing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) software that scrambles your data so it is hidden from hackers and others. Because some websites do not allow foreign access to their sites, you can also use VPN to pretend like you are in the US while you may be traveling internationally (which might be helpful for things like watching your favorite Netflix shows). VPNs are a valuable tool while you are traveling.

Note: TripIt Pro’s LoungeBuddy perk will end on April 15, 2019. If you have redeemed your $25 credit, you will need to use it through the LoungeBuddy app. For information about when the credit expires and how to use it, please contact LoungeBuddy customer support.

Written By:

Johnny Jet

For the past 20 years, Johnny Jet averaged 150,000 miles and 20 countries a year. He has been featured in many major publications and appeared on ABC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, NBC and PBS.