Oct 11, 2023, 11:55 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Wi-Fi ON AIR CANADA, AC EXPRESS, AND AC ROUGE (on equipped aircraft)
Within North America (including Mexico and Caribbean), complimentary Wi-Fi is available from gate-to-gate to Business Class passengers, and Aeroplan members.
Wi-Fi on international flights is available gate-to-gate for a fee using a credit card or Aeroplan members can use points. Free texting is available to Aeroplan members. Complimentary Wi-Fi is planned for 2026.
Once connected to ACwifi, navigate to ACWifi.com, and log in with seat number and last name.
Service is available on a single device at a time, but easily transferred from one device to another.

More information on AC's website.

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AIRCRAFT INSTALLATION STATUS
Information below is kept as current as possible. Please see the technology section for more information on technologies/speed, verifying Wi-Fi availability for your specific flight, or to review the current fleet status.

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Air Canada narrowbodies:
Airbus A220-300 (223): All equipped with 2Ku

Airbus A319 (319): All equipped with ATG4

Airbus A320 (320):

18/24 equipped with 2Ku
ATG4: Fins 235, 401, 402, 405, 415
- On these aircraft, you should expect only free texting, not free WiFi, even if you have selected the Aeroplan Elite WiFi plan as a benefit, and even though the splash screen will tell you you'll get free WiFi

Airbus A321 (321):

28/34 equipped with 2Ku
ATG4: 458, 459 and 461-464

Boeing 737-8 (7M8): All equipped with 2Ku

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Air Canada widebodies
Airbus A330-300 (333): All equipped with 2Ku

Boeing 787-8 (788): All equipped with 2Ku

Boeing 789-9:

29/32 equipped with 2Ku
Wi-Fi not yet installed: FIN 860-862 (newest aircraft)

Boeing 777-200LR (77L): All equipped with 2Ku

Boeing 777-300ER (77W): All equipped with 2Ku

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Air Canada Express
Bombardier CRJ-900 (CR9):

33/35 equipped with Wi-Fi
No Wi-Fi: 725, 727
ATG: Fins 705, 710, 712, 713, 780-784
Balance of fleet equipped with ESA

Embraer 175 (E75): All equipped with ATG4

Bombardier Q400 (DH4): Wi-Fi installation scheduled to begin in 2025

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Air Canada Jetz: All equipped with 2Ku

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Air Canada Rouge: All equipped with 2Ku

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WIFI TECHNOLOGIES

ESA satellite system (<275 Mbps, Electronically Steered Antenna, nearly global coverage - similar to 2Ku below)
2Ku satellite system (<100 Mbps, nearly global coverage - coverage map)
ATG/ATG-4 ground-based system (<15 Mbps per user, restrictive community bandwidth, service over major centres in N.A. only)

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REAL-TIME TRACKING OF INSTALLATION STATUS

Every time you load a flight on the Cowtool Flight Status page (see this thread for more info), it displays the Wi-Fi status of that FIN. Cowtool now stores this information in the giant CSV of Wi-Fi data on a Github page. GitHub provides a simple and free way to track revision history, and it allows users to filter the table using the search box. Results from the Status Checker are scanned hourly, and the CSV will reflect any updates with a timestamp when:

A new FIN is logged (some FINs won't be on the CSV until they are part of a status check)
The FIN's Wi-Fi status or technology has changed

On-Board WiFi (2023 onwards)

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Apr 27, 2025 | 5:53 am

#571

hjohnson

Join Date: Nov 2008

Programs: AC SE, Marriott Titanium

Posts: 1,361

Quote:

Originally Posted by CdnFlier

On the flights with free wifi, they seem to still offer the “Ultimate” wifi pass for a fee. This is presumably a bit faster than the free wifi? Has anyone tried buying it and checking out the difference?

Pretty sure that's for pax that are not part of Aeroplan. That's how it was indicated when I was on my flight today.

Apr 27, 2025 | 10:21 am

#572

awt

Join Date: Apr 2023

Location: YVR

Posts: 217

Currently on AC95(FIN948). Seems to have an updated mobile webpage and there are now two options for wifi instead of the usual free text/wifi/ultimate tiers. Only shows "Free texting" and "Ultimate pass" for $8.00CAD.

Edit: For the ultimate tier, I'm usually able to have a quick video conference without much buffering or lag and the regular wifi won't even load video calls but that may be equipment specific. Not sure if others have similar experiences.

Apr 27, 2025 | 12:23 pm

#573

Seat13F_AC_CRJ

Join Date: May 2005

Location: YOW

Programs: AC-SE100K MM, AF-Plat, BA-S, HH-D, MB-G LT Sil, IHG-Dia, Nexus, Global Entry

Posts: 3,994

Quote:

Originally Posted by awt

Did you listen to the pre-flight briefing? Voice apps are prohibited. They aren't blocked, but it's a courtesy to other passengers not to be yacking on a call. I have listended in on Teams calls using wifi, but I make my meeting contributions via chat.
--
13F

billdokes, Bohemian1 and mlord like this.

Apr 27, 2025 | 1:47 pm

#574

awt

Join Date: Apr 2023

Location: YVR

Posts: 217

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seat13F_AC_CRJ

Ofcourse I understand that, I always mute myself and listen-in with headphones and message via the chat feature. Sorry I didn't clarify.

Seat13F_AC_CRJ and billdokes like this.

Apr 27, 2025 | 1:59 pm

#575

salteen

Join Date: Mar 2023

Location: YDF

Programs: AC SE 0.2MM

Posts: 251

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seat13F_AC_CRJ

I actually thought they were blocked. Every time I try to join a teams call on my laptop it does not connect.

Apr 27, 2025 | 5:00 pm

#576

billdokes

Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: YYZ

Programs: AC SE 100K MM; Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Avis Presidents Club

Posts: 4,035

Onboard AC308 from YVR - YUL a 789 (FIN 833) and it has full free WiFi sponsored by Bell, just put in Last Name and Seat #.

We'll see if it shows up again on my connection to YYZ.

At what point do I cancel my monthly pass?

Also showed up as free on my flight from YUL - YYZ an A220, FIN 122

Last edited by billdokes; Apr 28, 2025 at 5:42 am

Apr 27, 2025 | 5:06 pm

#577

awt

Join Date: Apr 2023

Location: YVR

Posts: 217

Data point: On flight AC33 (YYZ-YVR), it's a different scenario. Once you "sign-in", you get wifi automatically, no option for ultimate flight pass. I guess it's YMMV depending on aircraft and/or flight.

Apr 27, 2025 | 5:20 pm

#578

billdokes

Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: YYZ

Programs: AC SE 100K MM; Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Avis Presidents Club

Posts: 4,035

Quote:

Originally Posted by awt

The only thing consistent with AC is inconsistency!!! I just wish they told us the actual plan for this rollout so we knew what to expect so we could plan accordingly.

It also appears that the 1 device at a time rule is still in effect. As soon as I logged in with my phone my laptop lost connectivity.

Last edited by billdokes; Apr 27, 2025 at 5:30 pm

Apr 27, 2025 | 5:32 pm

#579

Transpacificflyer

Join Date: May 2012

Location: BKK/YYZ/YUL

Programs: DL, AC SE, Bonvoy, Centara, Hyatt

Posts: 3,216

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightflyer787

AC is not able to paint the Dreamliners in house. There is very little availability worldwide to paint them which is why it’s taking so long.

Not able or unwilling to do it in Canada.

Apr 27, 2025 | 5:54 pm

#580

canadiancow

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Sep 2012

Location: SFO

Programs: AC SE MM, SK Gold, Bonvoy Plat LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond

Posts: 47,292

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdokes

The only thing consistent with AC is inconsistency!!! I just wish they told us the actual plan for this rollout so we knew what to expect so we could plan accordingly.

Not only is the plan public, but it's literally the first thing in the wiki.

mlord likes this.

Apr 27, 2025 | 7:39 pm

#581

billdokes

Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: YYZ

Programs: AC SE 100K MM; Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Avis Presidents Club

Posts: 4,035

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadiancow

Not only is the plan public, but it's literally the first thing in the wiki.

Yes, I am aware of what the wiki suggests and I've read the press release https://www.aircanada.com/media/air-...st-free-wi-fi/

I wouldn't count either as a 'plan', but potentially a commitment to do something starting in May...full roll-out completed by when? Well who knows... When will this be rolled out broadly enough so that I can feel comfortable canceling my monthly pass? Well who knows... wiki and PR suggest something starting in May, but wait it's 4-27...why does this seem to be Aircraft specific, why not just stop charging as of a certain date across the non-Int'l nextwork and publish that as phase 1?

Apr 28, 2025 | 5:29 am

#582

Nightflyer787

Join Date: Aug 2023

Location: Canada

Programs: Aeroplan 25k

Posts: 172

Quote:

Originally Posted by Transpacificflyer

Not able or unwilling to do it in Canada.

Not able as in no paint shop.

billdokes likes this.

Apr 28, 2025 | 8:14 am

#583

trek604

Join Date: Mar 2014

Location: YVR

Programs: AC E75K, WJ Gold, NEXUS, Marriott Gold

Posts: 408

Posting from C-GEOJ 737max rn. Full free wifi is active. Interesting stipulation you have to agree to in order to connect though. Fortunately vpn works.

Apr 28, 2025 | 8:30 am

#584

billdokes

Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: YYZ

Programs: AC SE 100K MM; Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Avis Presidents Club

Posts: 4,035

Quote:

Originally Posted by trek604

Posting from C-GEOJ 737max rn. Full free wifi is active. Interesting stipulation you have to agree to in order to connect though. Fortunately vpn works.

Yes, I think that's a bit of a shady practice, but at least they are up-front about it.

Last edited by Adam Smith; May 2, 2025 at 11:50 am Reason: Remove large quoted image

Apr 28, 2025 | 8:37 am

#585

yankees368

Join Date: Feb 2013

Posts: 36

Nabbed a CRJ900 (703) with the new Intelsat ESA kit on Friday. I booked my flight through United using a MileagePlus number and the system wouldn't accept my last name and seat number for access free connectivity. I'm not sure if this is because of my many flight changes or seat swaps at the last minute or if Air Canada has stopped accepting partner loyalty members, but I ended up having to pay the $8 CAD for service. At least it was the best inflight wifi I have used to date.

Last edited by yankees368; Apr 28, 2025 at 8:44 am