American Airlines announced it will equip its entire mainline fleet with Starlink satellite Wi-Fi starting next year. The commitment covers more than 1,030 narrowbody and widebody aircraft, more than double the roughly 500 planes cited in May. The service uses Starlink's Performance Aero Terminal and promises speeds up to 1Gbps.
The airline says the upgrade should give its more than 165 million annual customers fast, reliable in-flight internet. The decision marks a shift from last year's agreement with AT&T to provide high-speed Wi-Fi to AAdvantage members.
The expansion strengthens Starlink's position in the in-flight connectivity market. It adds to 724 United Airlines aircraft already using the service, about 41 percent of United's fleet, and brings Starlink's airline partners to 48 globally. Amazon's Leo, which won Delta's business, is not expected to begin its rollout until 2028.