Airline Wi-Fi update

A few months back, none of Alaska Airlines' 116 aircraft was wired for wireless Internet access. Now half are. By the end of the year, the airline plans to have its entire fleet wired. After a tentative start, Internet access at 30,000 feet is growing daily.

Like most U.S. airlines, Alaska is being wired by Aircell, which entered the market two years ago by wiring a handful of American Airlines planes; today, it offers wireless Internet service on nearly 1,000 planes on eight airlines.

But will it stick? Aircell charges $4.95 to $12.95 for access during a single flight, depending on length. Industry consultant Michael Planey, an airline-industry consultant, who tracks in-flight passenger technologies, said it will take at least another year to figure out whether the airlines' - and Aircell's - gamble will pay off.

Here is a breakdown of wired domestic carriers.

AIRTRAN Among the earliest adopters, its fleet of 138 went Wi-Fi capable last year.

AMERICAN Has Wi-Fi capability on 167 planes, with plans to grow. Customers can learn whether theirs is among them 24 hours before departure at aa.com/wifiwidget.

CONTINENTAL None of s 337 planes is wired. Adding Wi-Fi is an issues being studied as it merges with United Airlines.

DELTA Has Wi-Fi on almost all of its 500-plus fleet.

FRONTIER Planning to install Wi-Fi on 32 of its planes.

JETBLUE Offers free access to e-mail, instant messaging and Amazon.com on one plane, nicknamed BetaBlue. The company may expand that offering or install Wi-Fi on its 153 planes but has no timetable, a spokeswoman said.

SOUTHWEST One plane is equipped ($5 per flight); the company plans to add Wi-Fi on all of its 541 planes at a rate of about 15 a month.

UNITED Wi-Fi available on flights between JFK and Los Angeles and San Francisco, a total of 13 planes in its massive fleet. It plans to expand the service but has released few details.

US AIRWAYS Recently finished wiring all 51 planes used on domestic long-haul flights.

VIRGIN AMERICA All planes wired.