SpaceX · LEO Satellite
Starlink Aviation
SpaceX's Starlink Aviation puts a phased-array antenna on top of the plane and connects it to whichever low-orbit satellite is passing overhead. You get the same network powering home Starlink kits, with speeds around 200 Mbps and latency low enough that video calls actually work.
Which airlines have Starlink Aviation?
5 airlines with confirmed installations. Coverage = aircraft with Starlink Aviation ÷ total tracked fleet.
United Airlines
439 of 1,580 tails 28%
have Starlink Aviation
Qatar Airways
102 of 147 tails 69%
have Starlink Aviation
JSX
70 of 70 tails 100%
have Starlink Aviation
Alaska Airlines
47 of 274 tails 17%
have Starlink Aviation
Hawaiian Airlines
31 of 53 tails 58%
have Starlink Aviation
Hawaiian Airlines got there first. By September 2024 every Hawaiian A330 and A321neo had Starlink, the first fleet-wide install in commercial aviation. United finished its E175 regional jets a year later and is working through the mainline now. Qatar Airways completed the A350 and 777 fleets in late 2025 and is now retrofitting the 787s. JSX has had Starlink across its entire ERJ-135/145 fleet since 2023. Over 40 carriers have signed contracts. Three big US holdouts: American, Delta, and JetBlue all chose Viasat Ka-band instead.
Strengths
- Streaming-grade speeds (200+ Mbps)
- Low latency, so Zoom and FaceTime work the same as on the ground
- Global coverage, including oceans and polar routes
- Free on every airline that has installed it
- Doesn't drop on takeoff or landing
Drawbacks
- Newer service, so fewer aircraft equipped than legacy systems
- Retrofits take a few days of downtime per plane
- Most fleets are mid-rollout, so your specific tail may or may not have it
How fast is Starlink Aviation in flight?
Around 200 Mbps download with latency under 50ms in normal conditions. That's home-internet territory. HD Netflix works, Zoom works, and big file uploads finish before you land. Older satellite WiFi (Gogo 2Ku, Panasonic) tops out near 30 Mbps with 600+ms lag, which is why Starlink-equipped flights feel like a different product entirely. Capacity is shared with the rest of the cabin, so packed flights see speeds drop into the 30-50 Mbps range. Still faster than anything else in the air.
Is Starlink Aviation free?
Free on every airline that has rolled it out. Hawaiian, JSX, ZIPAIR, Qatar Airways, Air France, and Emirates give it to everyone. United and WestJet require a free loyalty-program login (MileagePlus, WestJet Rewards). Nobody has announced a paid Starlink tier yet.
Starlink Aviation FAQ
Which airlines have Starlink WiFi?
Hawaiian (every A330 and A321neo), United (300+ regional jets, mainline in progress), Alaska (E175 regional fleet, mainline rolling out), Qatar Airways (all 777s and A350s, 787s in progress), JSX (entire fleet), Air France, WestJet, Air Canada (Dash 8-400 regionals), Emirates, British Airways, and ZIPAIR. Southwest and the Lufthansa Group have signed deals but installations haven't started yet.
Is Starlink WiFi free on planes?
Yes, on every airline that has it. Most give it to everyone with no signup. United and WestJet ask for a free loyalty-program login. No carrier has priced it as a paid product.
How fast is Starlink on a plane?
Around 200 Mbps download, latency under 50ms. Fast enough for HD streaming, video calls, gaming, and file uploads. Peak speeds approach 350 Mbps on empty flights.
Does Starlink work over oceans?
Yes. The satellites are overhead anywhere with a clear sky, including transpacific, transatlantic, and polar routes. Qatar runs it on Middle East-Asia routes. Hawaiian uses it on Honolulu-Sydney. Air-to-ground systems like Gogo ATG-4 don't work past the coast; Starlink does.
How do I know if my specific flight will have Starlink?
WiFi is installed per aircraft, not per flight number. The plane assigned to your booking can change up until departure. To check, find your flight's tail number (United, Hawaiian, and Alaska surface it in their apps) and look it up in our tail search. No tail yet? Check the aircraft type. A 737 MAX, A321neo, A330, A350, or 787 from any airline above has good odds.
When will every airline have Starlink?
SpaceX has over 40 signed contracts, but each install takes a few days of aircraft downtime so fleet-wide rollouts run 12-24 months. United plans to finish mainline by 2027. Lufthansa Group is targeting full fleet by 2029. American and Delta still aren't on the list.
Starlink vs Viasat vs Gogo, which is best?
Starlink wins on speed and latency. It's the only system fast enough for real-time video calls. Viasat Ka-band is the strongest geostationary option and free on JetBlue and Delta domestic. Gogo 2Ku and Panasonic eXConnect are mediocre Ku-band services in the 20-35 Mbps range. Gogo ATG-4 is the slowest at 3-10 Mbps and only works over land.
Why is Starlink so much faster than older airline WiFi?
Two things: closer satellites and more of them. Traditional in-flight WiFi uses geostationary satellites at 35,786 km. Round-trip signal latency alone is around 600ms. Starlink's satellites orbit at 550 km, 65 times closer, dropping latency under 50ms. And there are thousands of them, so capacity scales with the constellation instead of being capped by a handful of GEO beams.
Looking up your flight?
Enter a tail number to see the WiFi installed on a specific aircraft.
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