American Airlines has announced plans to deploy Wi-Fi on more than 500 aircraft starting in the first quarter of 2027. The deployment will include the airline’s new A321XLR and A321neo planes from Airbus. Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, will be joining Viastat and SES as one of American’s Wi-Fi providers.
This move by American Airlines follows a trend among other carriers, including United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Lufthansa Group, British Airways, Qatar Airways, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines, who have also turned to Starlink for their Wi-Fi needs. Delta Air Lines recently struck a deal with Amazon Leo for Wi-Fi connectivity.
Airlines are increasingly looking to satellite internet providers to improve in-flight connectivity, which has traditionally been lacking. Starlink, with its low-earth orbit satellites, offers lower latency due to the shorter distance the signal has to travel compared to geostationary satellites used by Viasat and SES.
Heather Garboden, Chief Customer Officer of American Airlines, stated, “As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want. The addition of Starlink solidifies American as a leading airline in keeping passengers connected in flight.”
SpaceX’s recent IPO filing revealed that Starlink is a key financial driver for the company, generating approximately $11 billion in annual revenue and being its only consistently profitable division. SpaceX’s filing also highlighted that Starlink’s global network is designed to eliminate “dead zones” and support performance on high-latitude routes that may be challenging for traditional providers.
While in-flight entertainment options like video content and Spotify can help pass the time, the ability to use the internet on personal devices remains a top priority for passengers. American Airlines’ partnership with Starlink aims to meet this demand and enhance the overall in-flight experience for travelers.