American Offers Free In-Flight Wi-Fi

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

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American is running a sale—on in-flight wireless access. Passengers flying on Wi-Fi-equipped planes can access the Internet for free through August 23. According to Jaunted, you simply need to enter promo code AAWiFi76194A1. American doesn’t appear to have formally announced the offer.

Of course, giving away Wi-Fi may be an attempt at distracting people from the $390 million American lost last quarter amid plummeting revenues and continuing weak demand. Or it could be a way of firing back against AirTran, which finished installing Wi-Fi on its (smaller, but still sizable) fleet earlier this week. Whatever the reason, keep the code handy if you’re flying American between now and August 23. Wi-Fi is available on many of the carrier’s Boeing 737 and MD-80 aircraft.

In other in-flight Wi-Fi news, Virgin America lowered its price for onboard Internet to $5.95 on short-haul (one-and-a-half hours or less) and redeye flights. This price applies to both laptop and handheld-device users.

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