American Airlines Chooses Starlink for In-Flight WiFi

American Airlines plans to install Starlink, the satellite-based broadband WiFi on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in Q1 2027. The airline says Starlink’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network is the “fastest” available in-flight WiFi.

Starlink’s Aero Terminal, a phased array antenna, can provide multigigabit connectivity and up to 1 Gbps per antenna, according to American. “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,” says the airline. 

“Starlink’s high speed and low latency make the WiFi more reliable, which matters when customers are trying to load pages, join real-time collaboration tools or stay connected consistently throughout a flight,” says American Airlines Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden. She adds that Starlink WiFi will enable customers “to work, game, stream and scroll endlessly.”

The American Airlines agreement with Starlink builds on an in-flight WiFi deal with AT&T signed last year, Inside Towers reported. The airline currently provides Viasat high-speed satellite Internet on a large portion of its mainline and regional fleet, according to Data Center Dynamics. Starlink has signed similar deals with several airlines in the past couple of years, including Southwest, United, Air France and British Airways.

By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief