American Airlines will bring Starlink Wi-Fi to more than 500 aircraft starting in 2027

One of the world's largest carriers has just announced a satellite internet deal with Starlink to bring true high-speed streaming mid-flight.

American Airlines, the world’s largest airline, which operates more than 6,000 daily flights, today announced that it will install SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft, including the new Airbus A321XLR and A321neo, with the rollout set to begin in Q1 2027. The upgraded Wi-Fi service will be available across domestic and short-haul international routes.

As we already know, Starlink uses low-Earth orbit satellites instead of traditional geostationary satellites to offer fast satellite connectivity. SpaceX claims that Starlink offers lower latency and higher speeds compared to existing in-flight Wi-Fi technologies. In fact, Starlink’s Aero Terminal can support up to 1Gbps per antenna. This will enable American Airlines customers to enjoy seamless video streaming, online gaming, and other high-bandwidth activities during flights.

Jason Fritch, Vice President of Starlink Enterprise Sales at SpaceX, said the following regarding this new deal:

“We are proud to bring Starlink on board American Airlines, delivering fast and reliable internet to passengers and crew. Whether traveling for leisure or business, Starlink enables a fully connected experience gate to gate, making every flight smoother and more enjoyable.”

American Airlines is not the only U.S. airline betting on Starlink. United, Southwest, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines have also announced or deployed Starlink-powered in-flight internet. Southwest Airlines recently announced its plans to bring Starlink to more than 300 aircraft by the end of 2026. Alaska Airlines said that Starlink will roll out across its fleet beginning in 2026, with all aircraft expected to be connected by 2027. Delta Air Lines has taken a different path compared to other major players by partnering with Amazon’s Project Kuiper for future low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity.

Starlink is also gaining momentum in Europe. British Airways has already launched Starlink on its first aircraft, while parent company IAG plans to bring the service to British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Vueling, and LEVEL. Lufthansa Group has also announced plans to roll out Starlink across its airlines from the second half of 2026. AirBaltic, Air France, SAS, and Virgin Atlantic have also announced Starlink adoption in the past.