Your complete guide to Qatar Airways inflight WiFi

Staying ‘connected above the clouds’ was once a mere pipedream for frequent flyers. Now, we can enjoy high-speed WiFi in almost all corners of the globe, and when flying on Qatar Airways, that’s easier than ever.

Available on long-range aircraft, including Airbus A350s, Boeing 787 Dreamliners and select Boeing 777s, Qatar inflight WiFi delivers a surprisingly smooth browsing experience with both free and paid options available.

Do Qatar Airways flights have WiFi?

Yes, most long-range and some shorter-range Qatar Airways flights have inflight internet. There's a mix of systems used to deliver this WiFi, from the original 'standard' technology to the newer and impressively-fast 'Super WiFi'.

Super WiFi is found on all flights which feature Qatar Airways' Qsuites business class, so you're all set to turn that Qsuite into your personal office suite in the sky.

Qatar Airways flights with Qsuites are also equipped with the much-faster Super WiFi.

Read: Why Qatar Airways' Qsuites is the world's best business class

Take note of what aircraft your next QR flight is on, and browse the table below to see if there is a chance of WiFi.

Which Qatar Airways aircraft are equipped with WiFi?

At this stage, only Qatar Airways' Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s have been upgraded to the new Super WiFi system across all their variants.

Is Qatar Airways WiFi free?

Qatar Airways does currently offer a free allowance on most flights, although these promotions may vary:

• Standard WiFi: First 30 minutes free
• Super WiFi: First hour free

Most Qatar Airways flights will have some sort of free WiFi offering.

You may also pre-purchase Super WiFi at a reduced rate of US$8 when you check-in online through Qatar Airway's website.

How much does Qatar Airways WiFi cost?

The cost of Qatar Airways inflight WiFi depends on the route and whether or not it has Super WiFi:

• Standard WiFi: pricing is usually around US$10 (A$14.75) for 100 MB over 3 hours or US$20 (A$29.50) for 200MB over the flight
• Super WiFi: usually US$10 to US$20 for unlimited WiFi over the whole flight

Occasionally, Qatar Airways may offer free Super WiFi for the whole journey when booking specific flights through its website. Check for any such promotions when booking.

Have a more productive business trip with complimentary Qatar Airways Super WiFi [check the website for the newest offers].

How fast is Qatar Airways WiFi?

Internet speeds depend heavily on the number of users also connected at the same time. Qatar Airways' older Standard WiFi relies on dated OnAir technology. Passengers have generally reported slow speeds that make it difficult to get light tasks done.

The newer Super WiFi uses Inmarsat's GX Aviation Ka-band satellite network, which offers much higher bandwidth for the whole plane, to the point where all passengers can usually get an hour of unlimited WiFi for free without affecting overall speeds too much.

Executive Traveller tested this satellite service on a Boeing 777-300ER jet and was pleased to report a very useable 5-8Mbps on the download side which made for very zippy loading of webpages. Uploads were more variable, ranging from non-existent up to 5 Mbps.

How do I book a flight with Qatar Airways WiFi?

To date, only the boeing 777 and Airbus A350 fleets are guaranteed to have Super WiFi, as they are the only ones that offer it across all their variants.

Booking a Boeing 787 with QSuite is the next best way to ensure you get Super WiFi connectivity, but be mindful that you could be switched to a non-Super WiFi jet at the last moment.

Look out for the 'Qsuite' logo when booking your next trip.

All other Qatar Airways aircraft either have the slower Standard WiFi or nothing at all - you will be able to determine whether your next flight is enabled with Super WiFi by visiting Qatar Airway's onboard connectivity page.

Additionally, on aircrafts equipped with WiFi, the cabin crew will inform passengers about the type of WiFi service available at the start of the flight.

Do I need the Qatar Airways app to use WiFi?

No, you don't need the Qatar Airways app to hop online. Any WiFi-enabled device will do, from the humblest Kindle (so you can browse and buy ebooks online) to the most powerful laptop.

How do I connect to Qatar Airways WiFi?

Here are the steps to connect to Qatar Airways's sky-high WiFi:

• activate flight mode on your devices, then re-enable WiFi
• connect to 'OryxComms' or a similarly-named WiFi network
• choose which plan you'd like (free or paid depending on your journey)
• enter your email and payment details if required, and you'll soon be connected to Qatar Airways's inflight WiFi system

Qatar Airways warns, however, that the WiFi service may be interrupted or unavailable during bad weather conditions, when passing between satellite beams or when flying over a country that has not yet authorised the service. 

How does Qatar Airways WiFi work?

Qatar Airways's onboard internet works through Inmarsat's Global Xpress Ka-band satellites, offering high bandwidth and near-worldwide coverage that Qatar Airways says is up to 10x faster than its Standard OnAir WiFi.

A representation of Inmarsat's Ka-band coverage across the four existing satellites.

As of now, the Global Xpress network encompasses five Ka-band satellites, and its capabilities will be expanded even further with the introduction of seven additional satellites as part of Inmarsat's technology roadmap. 

Brandon Loo

Based in Perth, Brandon enjoys tucking into local delicacies, discovering new cocktails, and making aeroplane food look good on camera.