One way Sling TV keeps its monthly subscription prices low is by excluding most local channels. By not streaming regional broadcasters affiliated with ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, or PBS, Sling TV doesn’t have to pass the carriage costs on to subscribers.
But Sling TV does carry some ABC, FOX, and NBC stations in select areas. It also offers a simple workaround to integrate over-the-air broadcast channels (which are still free, BTW) into its channel lineup anywhere. Read on to find out how to get your local channels with Sling TV.
Watching local channels with Sling TV
If you live in any of the cities listed below, you can stream local ABC, FOX, and NBC channels directly through Sling TV (Sling Blue and Sling Orange + Blue plans only).
Heads up: Anyone with Sling Blue who lives in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, or San Francisco must pay an extra $5 a month.
ABC
- Chicago
- Fresno
- Houston
- Los Angeles
- New York City
- Philadelphia
- Raleigh/Durham
- San Francisco
FOX
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Dallas/Ft. Worth
- Detroit
- Gainesville
- Houston
- Los Angeles
- Minneapolis/St. Paul
- New York
- Orlando/Daytona/Melbourne
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose
- Tampa/St. Petersburg
- Washington D.C.
NBC
- Boston
- Chicago
- Dallas/Ft. Worth
- Hartford/New Haven
- Los Angeles
- Miami/Ft. Lauderdale
- New York
- Philadelphia
- San Diego
- San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose
- Washington D.C.
Watching local channels with Sling TV and AirTV
Sling TV offers different versions of its AirTV device, which acts as an interface between an over-the-air digital antenna and your streaming device (Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, etc.). It places local broadcast channels into Sling TV’s channel grid, and even has DVR capability.
AirTV Mini
The AirTV Mini doesn’t integrate local channels into Sling TV; it’s simply a dongle-sized streaming device similar to Chromecast with Google TV or TiVo Stream. It can stream up to 4K resolution and features built-in Google Chromecast and voice search.
AirTV 2
Paired with an OTA antenna, the AirTV 2 can integrate local broadcast channels into Sling TV’s channel lineup, allowing you to watch local channels on up to two TVs at home or one mobile device outside your home network. Connected to an external hard drive, the AirTV 2 can also record local channels.
AirTV Anywhere
Sling TV’s deluxe AirTV Anywhere device interfaces with an OTA antenna and your streaming device and allows for up to four simultaneous TV streams in home or one on the go. AirTV Anywhere also has a built-in 1TB DVR for recording local channels.
Sling TV offers several discounts and antenna bundles for its AirTV devices. Check out our Sling TV Deals guide for more info.
Sling TV local channels FAQ
Does Sling TV have local channels?
Yes, Sling TV streams ABC, FOX, and NBC affiliate channels in some U.S. cities, like Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City. To get all local broadcast channels in your area, Sling TV offers an AirTV interface device, which pairs with a digital over-the-air antenna to pull free local channels into its channel lineup.
Which Sling TV package has local channels?
Sling TV’s Sling Blue ($40 a month) and Sling Orange + Blue ($55 a month) plans feature local ABC, FOX, and NBC channels in some markets. But depending on your location, you might have to pay an extra $5 a month. The Sling Orange ($40 a month) plan does not carry local channels.
How can I stream local channels for free?
There are few options for streaming local channels for free without a subscription to a live TV streaming service. But, for the one-time cost of a digital OTA antenna, you can receive dozens of area broadcast channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, The CW, and PBS affiliates, for nothing.
