That’s according to Australia’s most prominent comparison site, Finder.com.au, and its tech expert Angus Kidman says Wi-Fi is quickly becoming the preferred feature ahead of meals and entertainment.

Of the carriers flying in and out of Australia, Etihad, Qatar, Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, Air Asia, Thai Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Garuda and Delta Air Lines are among those offering Wi-Fi. But at this time only 12% offer “free” use – which is still subject to conditions and limited in speed and data allowances.

Kidman says “For travellers looking to be connected, access to Wi-Fi could well be the deciding factor when choosing an airline. It unlocks Internet access for flyers and allows them to do things like stream music from Spotify, stay in the SnapChat or Instagram loop and catch up on emails.”

Only 12% offer free Wi-Fi, and often this is subject to specific caveats such as a minimum of frequent flyer points or sitting in first or business class.

"Competitive pricing and plans will be a driver," adds Kidman. “There’s no question price and value for money will play a big part in the uptake of the service. Qantas’ newly revealed free Wi-Fi plans is a massive win for travellers and will likely put pressure on Virgin to do the same.”

For paid options, Emirates offers the best deal with the first 10MB of data free, and then charges $1.47 for the next 500MB. The next most competitive deal is Mango Airlines offering $8.04 for 60MB and China Airlines with $9.11 for 24 hours and unlimited data.

At the top end you could be paying up to $444 for just 200MB with Aeroflot Russian Airlines while Oman Air charges over $2 per megabyte.

“With many more airlines projected to launch Wi-Fi shortly, travellers should look out for carriers offering free trial periods. If you’re not in luck with a free option, always make sure you read the fine print and choose the package which best suits your needs," says Kidman.

Airlines with “free” Wi-Fi (and conditions)