T-Mobile Samsung users no longer have free in-flight Wi-Fi on these airlines

T-Mobile previously offered its subscribers, including those with Samsung devices, with a free in-flight Wi-Fi perk on American Airlines and United Airlines.

That perk is now being taken away, largely because the airlines are now taking a different approach to offering free in-flight Wi-Fi to their passengers.

T-Mobile had bundled free in-flight Wi-Fi with its plans, enabling subscribers to enjoy being connected while flying without having to pay extra. All they had to do was confirm their phone number when logging into the in-flight Wi-Fi portal on American and United Airlines.

In-flight Wi-Fi has become a necessity these days, particularly on long haul flights, as it enables passengers to remain in touch with their loved ones, access social media apps, and get some work done while being thousands of feet up in the air.

Airlines have recently begun upgrading to faster satellite-based Wi-Fi. Many are now expanding the free in-flight service through their own loyalty programs, as it gives passengers an incentive to sign up to their programs.

T-Mobile confirmed as much in a statement to Simply Flying, saying that since airlines are now providing sponsored in-flight connectivity directly to their members regardless of the carrier they're on, “provider-specific services are winding down, including at American and United.”

So T-Mobile users in the United States should no longer count on their carrier getting them free in-flight Wi-Fi on these airlines. They should instead sign up to the relevant loyalty programs to ensure that they can remain connected while traveling free of charge.