Does Southwest Have In-Flight Entertainment? Yes, and it’s honestly more generous than most people expect. Southwest offers free live TV on Wi-Fi-connected flights, which is something Delta and United still charge for on plenty of routes. The catch is that none of it comes through a seatback screen, because Southwest doesn’t have any.
No Seatback Screens, Period
Every aircraft in Southwest’s fleet is a Boeing 737, and not one of them has a seatback display. That’s a deliberate choice. Removing screens keeps planes lighter (Southwest says it helps with fuel costs), and it frees up foot space where a screen box would normally sit. If you’ve flown a legacy carrier and planned to flip through a movie menu on the headrest in front of you, that’s not happening here.
Free Streaming on Your Device
What Southwest does offer is free live TV through a Paramount+ integration, available once you connect to the onboard Wi-Fi. Channels vary by flight but usually cover news, sports, and basic cable-style content. You also get free iHeartRadio, no login needed. Both work on phones, tablets, and laptops, so as long as your battery holds up, you’re set. I’ll admit it can stutter on shorter hops where the satellite connection seems thinner, but on cross-country flights it’s been surprisingly solid.
Wi-Fi Cost and Connection
The free TV and music don’t cost anything, but full internet browsing runs $8 per day as of 2024. That’s a flat rate regardless of flight length, so it’s a bad deal on a 45-minute hop and pretty reasonable on a coast-to-coast run. Southwest’s Wi-Fi runs through Anuvu (formerly Global Eagle). Mid-flight, open your device’s Wi-Fi settings, select the Southwest network, and a portal opens where you choose free entertainment or paid browsing.
What to Download Before Boarding
The free streaming covers live content, not an on-demand library, so download specific movies or shows before you leave the gate. Netflix, Disney+, and Max all have offline download features that work fine at 35,000 feet. And because Does Southwest Have In-Flight Entertainment requirements are minimal, all you really need is a charged device with Wi-Fi enabled. Bring your own headphones too, because Southwest doesn’t hand them out.
Bottom Line on Southwest Entertainment
For a no-frills carrier, Southwest’s free live TV setup holds up better than you’d think. Just treat your device as the screen, download anything you can’t get live, and you’ll be fine on most routes.
FAQs
Does Southwest have free Wi-Fi?
Free live TV and iHeartRadio cost nothing. Full internet browsing is $8 per day as of 2024.
Can you watch movies on Southwest flights?
There’s no on-demand library onboard. Download films through Netflix or Disney+ before boarding and watch them offline.
Does Southwest have TV screens on seats?
No. Southwest’s entire 737 fleet has no seatback screens on any route.