On the lines of the recently-announced WiFi offerings by Microsoft and Yahoo, Internet search giant Google said on Tuesday that, covering the holiday season till January 15, it will provide free WiFi access at as many as 47 airports.

Earlier, Microsoft said that it was partnering with airport and hotel mobile-ad network, JiWire, to offer free public WiFi access in return for one Bing search; while Yahoo announced the launch of a free hotspot in New York City's Times Square.

The list of airports where Google free WiFi offer will be available includes Baltimore, Boston, Las Vegas, and San Jose, among others. Meanwhile, two airports - in Burbank, California and in Seattle, Washington - would provide airport-wide free WiFi indefinitely

For the free WiFi offer, Google will not entail any new Google Airport technology; and will simply pick up the tab on WiFi service that is already being offered by Boingo, Advanced Wireless Group and other companies.

As a pay-back gesture for the service, Google has urged consumers to make donations to charities like Engineers Without Borders, the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, or the One Economy Corp.

On its part, Google will put in an equivalent for donations up to $250,000. Furthermore, by January 1, the airport network reporting the maximum donation amount per passenger will be liable to receive $15,000, which it can donate to any local nonprofit of its choice.