Starlink: The global airlines switching to Elon Musk’s Starlink for in-flight WiFi - News and Discussion

the same happened in hotels in first years of wifi, first was always a paid and expensive service.

years later, it become free for almost all.
 
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BHAN85 said:
the same happened in hotels in first years of wifi, first was always a paid and expensive service.

years later, it become free for almost all.
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Yup, inflight wifi is one area totally ripe for disruption, even just having a monopoly on selling the ads on it can pay for the service. Lots of companies out there will fall over themselves if you offer them ads targeting business and first class fliers.
 
Mr X said:
If the Starlink can provide 350mb download speed during the flight, it truly is a game changer.

I have travelled many Airlines, some of them provide internet access and the most I could get was probably 0.01mb per second. Sometime it takes about 10 minutes to load a single page so it will change the lives for many if we can get fast internet.
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How was that even possible to provide internet in flight before starlink?
 
Yasser76 said:
not sure, but think it may have been done through the planes own internal avionics
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Horrible satellite link

ChatGPT ignoring Starlink what is the typical way airlines across the world offered internet at a somewhat reasonable speed


Ignoring Starlink, the typical way airlines around the world offered reasonably fast in-flight internet was through traditional satellite-based systems, especially geostationary (GEO) satellites.


The most common setup globally by the late 2010s and early 2020s was:


  • an antenna mounted on top of the aircraft
  • connected to GEO communication satellites
  • operated by companies like Viasat, Inmarsat, Intelsat, and Panasonic Avionics

This became the dominant worldwide solution because it worked:


  • over oceans
  • across continents
  • on long-haul international routes

Air-to-ground systems like Gogo were mostly a North American domestic-flight solution and could not provide worldwide coverage.


Typical real-world passenger experience before Starlink:


  • messaging/email: usually fine
  • web browsing: acceptable but inconsistent
  • streaming video: often difficult or restricted
  • video calls/gaming: usually poor because of latency

A major limitation was latency. GEO satellites orbit very far away (~36,000 km), so signals took noticeable time to travel. Even when download speeds looked decent on paper, responsiveness could feel sluggish.


Around the late 2010s, newer “high-throughput satellites” (HTS) improved speeds substantially, especially from providers like Viasat, but capacity still became strained when many passengers connected simultaneously.


So the short answer is:


  • Worldwide: GEO satellite internet was the standard solution.
  • U.S. domestic flights specifically: air-to-ground networks were also common.
  • Starlink’s main disruption was bringing lower latency and much higher usable bandwidth through low-Earth-orbit satellites.
 
Yasser76 said:
Yup, inflight wifi is one area totally ripe for disruption, even just having a monopoly on selling the ads on it can pay for the service. Lots of companies out there will fall over themselves if you offer them ads targeting business and first class fliers.
Click to expand...
American Airlines is especially bad with that. The last time I flew with them, they changed the programming options so much it simply wasn't worth it. Fortunately, a 1TB SD card with sufficient movies and music filled that void.
 
AZ_HighCountry said:
American Airlines is especially bad with that. The last time I flew with them, they changed the programming options so much it simply wasn't worth it. Fortunately, a 1TB SD card with sufficient movies and music filled that void.
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Mar 27, 2026
www.heygotrade.com

American Airlines Considers Starlink for In-Flight Wi-Fi

American Airlines discusses Starlink Wi-Fi amid fuel price impacts.
www.heygotrade.com www.heygotrade.com

American Airlines Considers Starlink for In-Flight Wi-Fi​

 
AZ_HighCountry said:
Oh the irony. And to think, I've not flown in over a year and a half now.
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news.aa.com

American Airlines to install Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky

American Airlines today announced a sweeping modernization of its narrowbody inflight customer experience with the installation of Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky, on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in Q1 2027.
news.aa.com news.aa.com

American Airlines to install Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky​

6c3c1580-al-AA-55b57246.jpg


FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines today announced a sweeping modernization of its narrowbody inflight customer experience with the installation of Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky, on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in Q1 2027.

Starlink is widely regarded as the world's most advanced satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet capable of supporting inflight streaming, online gaming, collaborative meeting tools and more. With thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit, Starlink can deliver multigigabit connectivity to aircraft using its Aero Terminal, which can support up to 1 Gbps per antenna.

“As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want,” said American Airlines Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden. “The addition of Starlink solidifies American as a leading airline in keeping passengers connected in flight.”
As part of American’s commitment to an elevated onboard experience, Starlink will enable seamless streaming, browsing and real-time communication capabilities across American’s domestic and short-haul international routes.

“American is committed to elevating every aspect of our customers’ travel journeys, which in the air means keeping them connected and comfortable with the assurance they won’t have to download documents ahead of a flight or worry about lag time,” added Garboden. “Starlink’s high speed and low latency make the Wi-Fi more reliable, which matters when customers are trying to load pages, join real-time collaboration tools or stay connected consistently throughout a flight. We are excited to bring an at-home level of Wi-Fi experience to our narrowbody fleet, enabling our customers to work, game, stream and scroll endlessly.”

“We are proud to bring Starlink on board American Airlines, delivering fast and reliable internet to passengers and crew,” said Vice President of Starlink Enterprise Sales at SpaceX Jason Fritch. “Whether traveling for leisure or business, Starlink enables a fully connected experience gate to gate, making every flight smoother and more enjoyable.”

American plans to update its Wi-Fi offering on its fleet of more than 500 Airbus aircraft, including new A321XLR and A321neo deliveries.
 
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www.aol.com

British Airways launches faster wifi with first Starlink flight - AOL

Starlink – owned by tech billionaire Mr Musk’s SpaceX aerospace company – uses thousands of satellites orbiting Earth
www.aol.com www.aol.com

British Airways launches faster wifi with first Starlink flight​

A BA plane at Gatwick airport (PA)

A BA plane at Gatwick airport (PA)
British Airways has launched its inaugural flight featuring significantly faster Wi-Fi for passengers, marking a notable upgrade in its onboard connectivity. The airline became the first UK carrier to implement Elon Musk's Starlink internet system, with the maiden journey taking place on a Boeing 787-8 from London Heathrow to Houston, USA, on Thursday.
 
www.prnewswire.com

United Accelerates Starlink Wi-Fi Rollout with First Widebody Transatlantic Flight

United flight 14 is set to depart Newark/New York for London this evening aboard a Boeing 777-200, marking a major milestone as the airline's first widebody...
www.prnewswire.com www.prnewswire.com
United Accelerates Starlink Wi-Fi Rollout with First Widebody Transatlantic Flight
Starlink-PR-Image.jpg


CHICAGO, June 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- United is accelerating the rollout of fast, free Starlink Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members as United flight 14 is set to depart Newark/New York for London this evening aboard a Boeing 777-200, marking the airline's first transatlantic widebody customer flight equipped with Starlink and the first of nearly 60 United widebody aircraft expected to have Starlink this year. United expects to have its entire widebody fleet outfitted by next summer as the airline expands Starlink's high-speed, reliable internet across its fleet.



Streaming live World Cup soccer games on airplanes is becoming a reality
Streaming live World Cup soccer games on airplanes is becoming a reality

[Photo: United Airlines]
Soccer fans may soon be able to catch more than just flights while traveling this summer on one of America’s largest airlines.
Just in time for the world’s largest sporting event—the FIFA World Cup—travelers will be able to stream live entertainment on some United Airlines flights with Starlink Wi-Fi, thanks to a collaboration with DirecTV.

The experience, which includes a number of live TV channels, will continue through July 20 on “as many as 150 Starlink-enabled aircraft,” according to a United announcement this week.

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www.aol.com

Southwest Airlines Joins United In Dominating Delta With Major Starlink Wi-Fi Milestone - AOL

The airline plans to retrofit more than 800 more planes with Starlink
www.aol.com www.aol.com

Southwest Airlines Joins United In Dominating Delta With Major Starlink Wi-Fi Milestone​


Southwest Airlines plane at Nashville International Airport (BNA) in Nashville, Tennessee

Ritu Manoj Jethani/Shutterstock

June 22nd was an exciting day for Southwest Airlines as one flight took off from Dallas. It's headed for Albuquerque, and along the way, its passengers have the airline's first official access to Starlink. This lightning-fast Wi-Fi is changing the way people travel, providing high-speed internet access like never before. And now, Southwest is one of the few elite members of the Starlink flight club.
 
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