SpaceX’s telecommunications provider Starlink will supply free in-flight Wi-Fi on over 500 American Airlines planes from the start of 2027. Starlink will begin to be installed on American’s narrowbody aircraft, including its Airbus A321XLR and A321neo fleets. American’s chief customer officer Heather Garboden said that “The addition of Starlink solidifies American as a leading airline in keeping passengers connected in flight.” The announcement follows a similar deal between Delta Airlines and Amazon Leo.
What has been announced?
American Airlines announced on Tuesday, May 26, that Starlink’s Wi-Fi system would be installed on its narrowbody fleet from Q1 of next year. This currently includes 484 Airbus planes, but is set to expand, with 160 A321XLR and A321neo aircraft currently on order from Airbus. These planes will operate exclusively on domestic and short-haul international routes.
Jason Fitch, vice president of Starlink enterprise sales at SpaceX, said that his company was:
“Proud to bring Starlink on board American Airlines, delivering fast and reliable internet to passengers and crew.”
The race for in-flight Wi-Fi
This announcement follows the beginning of a rollout of free in-flight Wi-Fi for AAdvantage, American Airlines’ frequent flyer loyalty scheme, for members across all of American’s narrowbody fleet in January.
The first of American’s competitors to offer free Wi-Fi on its flights was JetBlue Airways Corporation, which released its pioneering Fly-Fi system in 2013. In 2023, Delta Air Lines began offering free Wi-Fi on its domestic flights.
Delta Air Lines announced on March 31, 2026, that it would use the Amazon Leo internet provider on 500 of its aircraft starting in 2028. American Airlines was also considering using Amazon Leo as an alternative to Starlink as recently as mid-March, according to CNBC reports.
By offering free Wi-Fi to fliers for the first time, American hopes to present itself as being at the forefront of improvements to in-flight experience in the company’s centenary year.
There are currently no plans to expand the free Wi-Fi programme to American’s fleet of Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 jets, however. These planes rely on Panasonic Avionics satellite systems, which have been the subject of recent reliability complaints when dealing with high numbers of passengers using the Wi-Fi at once. These longer-haul aircraft do still offer paid Wi-Fi to all fliers, though.
Starlink’s Public Image
SpaceX may hope that the public announcement of the American Airlines deal will provide Starlink, which also supplies Southwest and Alaska Airlines in the USA, as well as British Airways.
Reuters reported that Starlink was in a dispute with the U.S. Department of Defence, known as ‘The Pentagon’, over the use of Starlink technology on LUCAS drones in the ongoing Iran conflict.
The report suggests that Starlink has attempted to raise the price the Pentagon pays for the use of specialised Starlink terminals, believing that the LUCAS drones should be classified as an aviation service rather than a land or mobility service.
There have also been reports of a Pentagon plan to use Starlink to help Iranian citizens bypass government-imposed communications blackouts, which have been delayed by ongoing price negotiations.
Both sides have declined to comment on these suggestions.
Have you benefited from in-flight Wi-Fi? Or do you use any Starlink services in your everyday life? Let us know in the comments!
