It’s a sad statistic, but the US lags behind many countries when it comes to free Wi-Fi access. And in a country where air travel and connecting flights are the norm, finding a good hotspot while waiting for your next flight can be a pain — and if you do find one, it’s going to be pretty pricey. Thankfully, Google is unrolling a nice Christmas gift for air travelers for this year’s holidays — free Wi-Fi.

Of course, Google won’t be offering free Wi-Fi in EVERY airport in the US (although there’s little doubt they’re working on that too), some of the more-traveled holiday destinations will have their airports equipped with free Google Wi-Fi. This will let bored travelers spend a little time sending an e-mail to their relatives and friends, telling them they’ve landed and when their next flight is going to be. (And, of course, Tweet about Google’s free Wi-Fi.)

The US cities on Google’s list include Las Vegas, Boston, Burbank, Indianapolis, Miami, Orlando, Charlotte, San Jose, Baltimore, Houston, Seattle, Ft. Lauderdale, and St. Louis. The free Wi-Fi was unrolled this week, and will continue to serve air travelers until January 15 — except in Burbank and Seattle, where the free Wi-Fi will be there forever, if Google can help it.

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