What You'll Pay For In-Flight Wi-Fi

Airlines have been charging fees for seats on the emergency aisle, priority boarding, and anything resembling baggage, so it's no surprise that cheap or free Wi-Fi access isn't a typical frill. But with one in three U.S. planes providing wireless Internet access, we looked at the going rates for going online in the clouds.

30-day pass for $19

Wi-Fi for mobile devices is also available on a 30-day pass for $19.99, but FCC regulations and airlines do not permit voice calls or VoIP in the air-- all of which aren't supported by Gogo. Some airlines also curb the usage of mobile devices and their peripherals.

What's Free: Use Wi-Fi hotspots available for free at many airports--or your tethered cell phone or portable hotspot--and spend the flight reading, playing games, or sleeping.

The only carrier offering anything free

JetBlue is the only carrier offering anything free, although it's not what you typically think of as Wi-Fi. JetBlue's BetaBlue, an Airbus A320 used on some transcontinental flights, provides access to e-mail accounts and allows passengers to shop on Amazon.com, but there's no surfing the Internet. Sure, it's not a lot, but it's free.

Southwest has partnered with Row 44 to offer satellite-delivered broadband Wi-Fi, which isn't available on all planes. Prices range from $2 to $12 per flight, depending on distance and device, and content is filtered. They also don't permit bandwidth hogs, so passengers will likely not be able to download video "to preserve a high quality experience for all users onboard."

Free Wi-Fi onboard flights is limited, but opportunities outside of the plane are numerous. Check all your online data on your tablet, laptop, or smartphone at the airport before boarding, and in many cases you won't pay a cent.

But if you are planning to use in-flight wireless service for Internet access, you might want to visit Gogo Inflight's Website for any potential discounts before you step aboard. The service also broadcasts savings to its Twitter followers and Facebook friends, and third-party coupon sites offer discounts.