Boingo Deal Could Bring 30 Minutes Of Free Wi-Fi At New York Metropolitan Airports

If you travel frequently in the New York-metropolitan area, you’ll be happy to hear that the Port Authority is expected to approve a new deal with Boingo Wireless today, which would offer free Wi-Fi for up to 30 minutes.

The NY Daily News is reporting that the deal would affect JFK, LaGuardia, Newark Liberty and Stewart. Currently, it costs $4.95 an hour and $7.95 for 24-hour access. But the deal will end the ability to buy Wi-Fi by the hour. Users will be charged $7.95 after the 30 minutes, but would have the option to pay $9.95 for a monthly fee.

The new 10-year agreement between the Port Authority and Boingo Wireless would require the company to spend about $3.8 million to upgrade internet speeds at the airports.

This seems to be a step in the right direction, though it doesn’t seem that 30 minutes of free Wi-Fi will get you much. A study by the Global Gateway Alliance in January found LaGuardia, Newark and JFK airports to be the only international airports out of 15 surveyed to not provide free Wi-Fi.