Airports In Europe: Are They Wifi-Enabled?

Airports are a hub of travellers from all over the world, and with the rise of digital nomads and remote workers, WiFi has become a necessity for many. While some airports offer free WiFi, others charge for internet usage. In 2017, Denver International Airport, Birmingham Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Keflavik Airport were among those that provided free and unlimited WiFi. However, some airports that offer free WiFi have slow speeds, with Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport being an exception, offering speeds comparable to the mobile WiFi country average in Russia.

Some European airports offer free, unlimited WiFi

On the other hand, some European airports provide free WiFi with restrictions. For instance, Barcelona Airport offers free WiFi with ad support and minimal speeds suitable for browsing. Edinburgh Airport provides free WiFi with a two-hour time limit per device. Similarly, Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris offers free and unlimited WiFi with basic connection suitable for browsing but includes ads.

It is worth noting that some airports that offer free WiFi may require additional steps for access. For example, Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport has the fastest free WiFi in Europe, but you will need a Russian phone number to connect.

Some offer free but restricted WiFi

Some European airports offer free but restricted WiFi. For example, Barcelona Airport in Spain offers a free, ad-supported service with minimal speeds suitable for browsing. However, travellers can opt to purchase a faster, premium, ad-free service for around $5 for 24 hours. Similarly, Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome, Italy, provides 30-minute sessions of ad-supported WiFi. Travellers can pay to upgrade to a premium version for unlimited access.

Gatwick Airport in London, UK, offers a 90-minute free WiFi session before prompting travellers to upgrade to a premium service. Edinburgh Airport in Scotland offers a similar service, providing free WiFi for two hours per day, per device. Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France, provides a basic 24/7 free and unlimited service with advertisements. Travellers can pay for faster or stronger connections.

Some airports provide time-restricted WiFi sessions. For example, Nashville International Airport in Tennessee, USA, offers 30-minute sessions of free, ad-supported WiFi. Montreal Trudeau Airport in Montreal provides 60-minute sessions. Barcelona Airport and Leonardo da Vinci International Airport also offer time-restricted sessions.

Some airports automatically log travellers out after a certain period. Montreal Trudeau Airport will log travellers out after 60 minutes, and they can then log back in for another free session. Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands, provides a free service for four-hour sessions before automatically logging travellers out. Travellers can then log back in for another session or pay to upgrade.

Some airports restrict WiFi by capping speeds. For example, Madrid Barajas Airport in Spain offers a basic free WiFi service with limited download speeds and advertisements. Travellers need to pay for a premium service for streaming, video chatting, or other heavy-duty options.

Some offer paid WiFi

While some airports in Europe offer free WiFi, others offer paid WiFi services. Paid WiFi is often faster than free WiFi, and can be worth the investment if you need to get some work done while travelling.

For example, Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport offers the fastest free WiFi in Europe, but you'll need a Russian phone number to access it. Munich Airport, which has the second-fastest WiFi in Europe, also offers paid WiFi options. The upload speeds at Munich Airport are even faster than the download speeds, so you can easily back up your vacation photos during your layover.

If you're looking for free WiFi, some European airports offer unrestricted access. These include Birmingham Airport in England, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Keflavik Airport in Iceland, and Frankfurt Airport in Germany.

However, many airports in Europe still charge for internet access. Barcelona Airport in Spain, Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome, and Edinburgh Airport in Scotland offer free WiFi for a limited time before prompting you to upgrade to a premium service.

So, if you're travelling through Europe and need reliable internet access, it's worth checking the WiFi options at your departure and arrival airports. You may need to factor the cost of paid WiFi into your travel budget, especially if you plan to get some work done or need to stay connected during your journey.

Some have no WiFi

While many European airports offer free WiFi, some have no WiFi at all. This can be a huge inconvenience for tourists who don't have a local SIM card. In some airports, WiFi is available but only for a limited time, such as 30 minutes, after which you have to pay. In other airports, you need to get to a kiosk and read your passport to get WiFi. This can be frustrating if you are jet-lagged and just want to connect to the internet.

Some airports have WiFi but it is extremely slow. For example, the free WiFi at Heathrow and Gatwick airports in London is very slow. In cases like these, it is better to use cellular service, which is often much faster than WiFi.

If you are travelling to a European country that is part of the EU, it is a good idea to activate international roaming on your SIM card. This way, you can stay connected without having to worry about additional charges or limitations. If you are travelling from outside the EU, you may want to purchase a global/international SIM card, which will allow you to receive free calls and will give you decent rates for calls, data, and text messages.

Some have kiosks where you can pay for WiFi access

While some airports in Europe offer free WiFi, others require payment. Some have kiosks where you can pay for WiFi access. For example, in Antalya, Turkey, kiosks offer 30 minutes of internet access in exchange for scanning your passport. In New Delhi, India, kiosks are not available in all terminals, and a local SIM card is required to access the internet. Some airports also have shops that sell overpriced local SIM cards, which can be used to access the internet.

At Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport, the fastest free WiFi in Europe is offered, but a Russian phone number is required to access it. Munich Airport, the second busiest airport in Germany, offers the second-fastest free WiFi. Both airports provide faster upload speeds than download.

Some airports offer a combination of free and paid WiFi options. For instance, Barcelona Airport in Spain provides a free, ad-supported service with minimal speeds suitable for browsing, but a premium, ad-free service without speed restrictions is available for a fee. Similarly, Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome, Italy, offers free 30-minute sessions with advertisements, but users can upgrade to an unlimited premium version.

In summary, while some European airports provide free WiFi, others require payment through kiosks or the purchase of local SIM cards. Moscow and Munich airports stand out for their fast free WiFi offerings, and some airports provide a mix of free and paid options with varying speeds and features.

Frequently asked questions