SpaceX has signed a contract to provide Starlink satellite Wi‑Fi for American Airlines flights. American Airlines will install the technology on more than 500 narrow-body aircraft, with rollout beginning early next year. The company states it has no plans to switch internet providers on its wide-body fleet, which currently use Viasat and Panasonic. Satellite connectivity has improved in-flight web access, enabling faster browsing than earlier slow satellite service. Starlink has expanded across airlines, including agreements with Alaska Air, and usage by United, Southwest, British Airways, and Air France. Delta and JetBlue use Amazon’s Leo service. Starlink operates a large satellite fleet and is a major driver of SpaceX revenue, while SpaceX prepares for a potential IPO.
"SpaceX has signed a contract to provide Starlink satellite Wi-Fi to American Airlines flights, according to a report by CNBC. American Airlines will outfit more than 500 of its narrow-body aircraft with Starlink technology. This integration will start early next year. The company says it has no plans to change internet providers on its fleet of wide-body aircraft, which use Viasat and Panasonic."
"Satellite internet has been a boon for airline carriers. Surfing the web used to be slow as molasses while traversing the sky, but satellite coverage has allowed speeds to increase. This comes just one year after American announced a partnership with AT&T to bring free Wi-Fi to AAdvantage members. We aren't sure why the company is changing course here."
"To that end, SpaceX and its Starlink service has been making major inroads throughout the airline industry. The company made a similar agreement with Alaska Air last year. United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, British Airways and Air France all use the company's satellite internet technology. Delta and JetBlue have signed on with Amazon's Leo service."
"Starlink is the one to beat here, however, with a massive fleet of over 10,000 satellites. SpaceX's connectivity unit, which includes Starlink, posted revenue of $11.4 billion last year, which makes up 61 percent of total sales. SpaceX is preparing to go public, which could happen as early as next month. Starlink's continued success will likely make for a splashy IPO, though SpaceX itself lost nearly $5 billion in 2025."
Read at Engadget
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