Is in-flight Wi-Fi safe?

In-flight Wi-Fi carries some of the same risks as any public Wi-Fi network. Just like when using Wi-Fi at a cafe, an airport, or a hotel, passengers connecting to Wi-Fi on a plane should take precautions to avoid common attacks.

The risks were highlighted in a recent case. In June 2024, an Australian man was charged with conducting evil twin attacks on a flight and in airports. He allegedly set up fake Wi-Fi networks that led users to a malicious sign-in page asking for email and social media account credentials. Using this method, he was able to collect plenty of sensitive information.

As more planes offer Wi-Fi—either for a fee or for free—flying has become a little less tedious. But it bears keeping in mind the risks and taking measures to ensure your security.

How secure is Wi-Fi on a plane?

Just like any public network on the ground, Wi-Fi on a plane can lack security. For instance, while many airlines use WPA2 encryption for their in-flight Wi-Fi, the effectiveness can vary based on how well it’s implemented. More secure WPA3 encryption might not be adopted in in-flight Wi-Fi systems yet.

The Wi-Fi operator (i.e., the airline) could also log and view what you’re doing online if your activity is unencrypted. Although they won’t be able to see exactly what you’re inputting into forms, for instance, they might be able to see which websites you’re visiting.

Potential attack methods over in-flight Wi-Fi

Evil twin attack. Evil twin attacks aim to trick users into connecting to malicious Wi-Fi hotspot masquerading as legitimate ones. They use a Wi-Fi name (SSID) that sounds real, enticing people to connect to it. Then the user might be prompted to enter sensitive information like social media credentials, purportedly in order to use the Wi-Fi. That’s what the attacker is attempting to steal.

Man-in-the-middle attack. Hackers can more easily attempt a man-in-the-middle attack, in which a hacker views and possibly alters the communication between two parties who believe they are directly communicating with each other. Such an attack requires physical proximity to the target to intercept your online activity. The concentration of people on a plane trying to use the same network gives hackers an advantage.

How to stay safe when using Wi-Fi on a plane

While some experts will advise to simply refrain from using in-flight Wi-Fi, this would be akin to telling people not to use public Wi-Fi of any kind for safety reasons. It’s impractical and unnecessary to avoid all public Wi-Fi.

Following these two tips should ensure a secure experience:

Verify the Wi-Fi network you’re connecting to is the real one. This is important on any public network, but recent incidents with in-flight Wi-Fi make this ever more imperative. Double check the name of the Wi-Fi network before connecting. Get out of it if you’re asked to enter credentials (especially any kind of password) rather than just accept terms and conditions.

Use a VPN. A VPN will secure your connection in the sky just as it would on land. This means your activity is encrypted, keeping your traffic private. A VPN can thwart man-in-the-middle attacks and packet sniffing by only showing the attacker gibberish. 

Will ExpressVPN work on a plane?

ExpressVPN will work like normal on a plane, as long as you have internet access. That said, in-flight Wi-Fi can be more temperamental, causing your VPN to lose connection more frequently. With ExpressVPN’s kill switch turned on, you can be sure that your activity is never unsecured, as a dropped VPN connection also disconnects you from the internet entirely.

Aircove Go provides a convenient way for your whole family to stay safe on public Wi-Fi. It’s a portable VPN router that has ExpressVPN functionality built in. Connect all your devices to Aircove Go, then connect Aircove Go to the public Wi-Fi network—whether in a hotel, at the airport, or on a plane. Now all your devices are online, with ExpressVPN protection. (Note that an ExpressVPN subscription is needed for VPN functionality.)

Why in-flight Wi-Fi can be unreliable

While the advent of in-flight Wi-Fi has given passengers to stay connected, the user experience might still be sub-par, with Wi-Fi cutting out frequently. 

It’s no easy feat to get Wi-Fi in the sky: a plane’s router connects to satellites or land-based cell towers at 35,000 feet in the air while traveling at about 550 miles per hour. 

Loss of Wi-Fi connections can be attributed to flying over the northern polar region; beam switching between satellites or cell towers; poor weather conditions; and not yet being at minimum altitude (10,000 feet) to connect.