Wifi in credit card

How Does the Wi-Fi Signal Icon Work With Credit Cards?

Some credit cards display a symbol that is familiar to most modern-day users — the Wi-Fi icon turned on its side. The icon consists of a series of nested curved lines that gradually get bigger. While the Wi-Fi icon stacks the curves vertically, your credit card displays them next to one another. The icon doesn’t mean that your credit card can connect to the Internet or download YouTube videos, though. It indicates the card has a radio-frequency identification chip inside.

Traditional Card Technology

Every credit card has a magnetic stripe that contains data such as your card number and the expiration date as well as codes that validate your credit card as genuine. Old-school readers work just like your parent’s cassette tape players and use magnets to read the data. Your credit card also has its number, expiration date and verification code printed on it so that a store clerk can enter it by hand if the magnetic stripe doesn’t work.

Contactless Technology

Contactless cards add a small radio-frequency identification chip and antenna, usually hidden inside the card’s plastic. When you wave the card in front of a reader that is compatible, the reader sends a signal that wakes up the RFID chip in your card. Your credit card then wirelessly gives the reader the information that it needs to process the transaction. You don’t even have to take the card out of your wallet — you just have to wave it within a couple of inches of the reader.

Identifying Contactless Cards

While the curved-line icon is a universal symbol for a contactless card, not every card or reader will have it. Different card issuers use different names and symbols for their particular RFID systems. A card with the curved-line icon or with the words «Blink,» «PayPass» or «payWave» has an RFID chip. You can also look for the symbol or words on credit card terminals at stores and gas stations to see if you can use your contactless card with them.

Near-Field Communication Drawbacks

There are two key drawbacks to this technology. It’s technically possible for someone to read your credit card by getting close to you with a near-field card reader, such as exists in many cell phones. While this is a real risk, the readers can’t get enough data to make fraudulent transactions. The other drawback occurs if you have multiple contactless cards in your wallet; terminals might not be able to tell which one you want to use at any given time. You could end up with an error or with a charge to the wrong card. In these instances, you’ll need to take the card out of your wallet.

Steve Lander has been a writer since 1996, with experience in the fields of financial services, real estate and technology. His work has appeared in trade publications such as the «Minnesota Real Estate Journal» and «Minnesota Multi-Housing Association Advocate.» Lander holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Columbia University.

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Score free and discounted inflight Wi-Fi with these credit cards

Benji Stawski is a former reporter for the site, covering all things points, miles, credit cards, travel and aviation.

This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

Editor’s note: This post has been updated with current credit card information.

Staying connected while traveling is important for many of us. For business travelers, it can be crucial. Without consistent and functional Wi-Fi on a six-hour transcontinental flight or a 12-hour international stretch in the air, information or even whole deals can slip away.

Even if we just want to post on Instagram while airborne, inflight access is valuable and becoming more common. However, it may be years until more airlines offer it for free. Having said that, JetBlue does offer its Fly-Fi for at zero cost, while carriers such as Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines offer free access to messaging apps via inflight Wi-Fi.

Luckily, there are travel rewards cards that offer the opportunity to stay connected at 30,000 feet in the air. The key to free Wi-Fi may already be in your wallet.

Credit cards that offer inflight Wi-Fi passes

There are several cobranded airline cards that provide statement credits and discounts toward Wi-Fi purchases on their respective airlines:

Alaska Airlines cobranded credit cards

For Alaska Airlines flyers, the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card and Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card both offer 20% back on Alaska Airlines inflight purchases, including Wi-Fi.

American Airlines cobranded credit cards

For American Airlines passengers, there’s the $99-a-year AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® that offers up to $25 in statement credits toward Wi-Fi purchases on AA flights and the AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver World Elite Mastercard (not currently open to new applicants) that offers up to $50 in statement credits per year. If you exhaust these options, you can get 25% back in statement credits for Wi-Fi purchases made on the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®.

The information for the AAdvantage Aviator Red, the AAdvantage Aviator Silver and CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Southwest Airlines cobranded credit cards

For internet on Southwest Airlines flights, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card , with a $199 annual fee, includes reimbursement for up to 365 inflight Wi-Fi purchases on Southwest each year. Southwest charges $8 for an all-day Wi-Fi pass, so this card effectively gets you free Wi-Fi on Southwest every day of the year. Just pay for passes with the card and your account will automatically be credited for the cost. Related: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card review However, if you don’t have that particular Southwest card, you can receive 25% back on inflight purchases (including Wi-Fi) with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card , Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card , Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card or Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card .

United Airlines cobranded credit cards

United Airlines offers a similar 25% discount on Wi-Fi (and other onboard purchases) through its MileagePlus credit cards, issued by Chase.

Certain American Express and Bank of America cards

It’s also worth noting that airline fee credits on certain American Express cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and Bank of America cards like the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card will generally not cover inflight Wi-Fi purchases on your selected airline. However, that is changing with some of the newer Wi-Fi systems on planes. Note that you must enroll in advance and choose a preferred airline for American Express cards. With Bank of America, credits only apply to U.S.-based airlines on flights departing from the U.S.

Airlines with free inflight Wi-Fi

• Aeromexico.
• Air France.
• Alaska.
• Delta.
• KLM.
• Nok Air.
• Saudia.
• Southwest.
• TAP Portugal.

Bottom line

You may not want to apply for a credit card for the Wi-Fi benefit alone, but it’s a nice perk to have if you’re a U.S.-based traveler.

To summarize, complimentary internet — or at least free access to messaging apps — is becoming more common, but it’s also possible to get free or discounted Wi-Fi on Southwest, American and United with cobranded credit cards from these airlines.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Get Free Southwest WiFi With This One Credit Card

If you’re routinely paying for WiFi flying Southwest Airlines, you’re in luck. There is a brand new credit card product that offers free Southwest WiFi all day, every day.

Free Southwest WiFi with One Card

One of the perks listed for the new Southwest RapidRewards Performance Business Credit Card is “Inflight WiFi Credits”. There isn’t any further explanation at first glance. However, if you dig into the terms, you’ll read the following:

“You will receive Inflight WiFi Credits in the form of credit card statement credits for purchases of WiFi access made on WiFi-enabled Southwest ® aircraft with your Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Performance Business Card. Inflight WiFi Credits are limited to a total of 365 $8 credits per year for all WiFi transactions on the overall business card account.”

As a WiFi day pass costs $8 for per device, you’re essentially getting free Southwest WiFi every single day of the year! It’s not clear in the terms, but I’d imagine that you could use more than one credit per day if traveling with a family and want to connect multiple devices. The terms don’t state “one credit per day”.

If you fly Southwest and routinely pay for WiFi, you’ll quickly start to put a dent in the large annual fee with the free Southwest WiFi perk the card offers. Assuming you fly Southwest four times per month for work and purchase WiFi each time, you’re spending $384 per year to stay connected. Instead, you could have this (and much more) for a single $199 annual fee per year.

Other benefits of the credit card include an earning rate of 3x points on Southwest flights, a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit, four upgraded boardings per year, and the ability to earn A-list tier credits.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for free Southwest WiFi, the Southwest RapidRewards Performance Business Credit Card is the card for you. Take a look for yourself and see if this new card maybe for you!

If I wasn’t still waiting out 5/24, I’d be all over this card. The current 80,000-point sign-up bonus for the Southwest RapidRewards Performance Business card is incredible (value of ~$1,200). You’ll be most of the way to earning a companion pass as well! I personally love Southwest due to their free cancellation policy for award tickets.

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Wifi in credit card

If you’re routinely paying for WiFi flying Southwest Airlines, you’re in luck. There is a brand new credit card product that offers free Southwest WiFi all day, every day.

Free Southwest WiFi with One Card

One of the perks listed for the new Southwest RapidRewards Performance Business Credit Card is “Inflight WiFi Credits”. There isn’t any further explanation at first glance. However, if you dig into the terms, you’ll read the following:

“You will receive Inflight WiFi Credits in the form of credit card statement credits for purchases of WiFi access made on WiFi-enabled Southwest ® aircraft with your Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Performance Business Card. Inflight WiFi Credits are limited to a total of 365 $8 credits per year for all WiFi transactions on the overall business card account.”

As a WiFi day pass costs $8 for per device, you’re essentially getting free Southwest WiFi every single day of the year! It’s not clear in the terms, but I’d imagine that you could use more than one credit per day if traveling with a family and want to connect multiple devices. The terms don’t state “one credit per day”.

If you fly Southwest and routinely pay for WiFi, you’ll quickly start to put a dent in the large annual fee with the free Southwest WiFi perk the card offers. Assuming you fly Southwest four times per month for work and purchase WiFi each time, you’re spending $384 per year to stay connected. Instead, you could have this (and much more) for a single $199 annual fee per year.

Other benefits of the credit card include an earning rate of 3x points on Southwest flights, a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit, four upgraded boardings per year, and the ability to earn A-list tier credits.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for free Southwest WiFi, the Southwest RapidRewards Performance Business Credit Card is the card for you. Take a look for yourself and see if this new card may be for you!

If I wasn’t still waiting out 5/24, I’d be all over this card. The current 80,000-point sign-up bonus for the Southwest RapidRewards Performance Business card is incredible (value of ~$1,200). You’ll be most of the way to earning a companion pass as well! I personally love Southwest due to their free cancellation policy for award tickets.

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