Japan’s low-cost carrier ZIPAIR Tokyo has announced the start of the region’s first commercial passenger flights equipped with Starlink. The first was flight ZG045, which departed Tokyo (Narita) for Incheon, South Korea on February 25, 2026, becoming the first flight in Asia powered by SpaceX’s low Earth orbit satellite network.
ZIPAIR first revealed plans to adopt Starlink back in January 2023, becoming the first airline in the Asia-Pacific region to sign on for Starlink Aviation. At the time, the airline said the service would “revolutionize the flying experience” by delivering internet speeds comparable to those at home.
After completing technical evaluations, regulatory approvals, and engineering reviews, installations began earlier this month. The airline says the entire Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet will be equipped by spring 2026, making ZIPAIR the first airline in Asia to operate a fully Starlink-enabled fleet across its entire route network.
ZIPAIR offers the Starlink-powered in-flight Wi-Fi to all passengers for free. The carrier currently serves destinations including Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Honolulu, Los Angeles, and San Jose.
“ZIPAIR is proud to deliver on our commitment to raising the standard of the inflight experience,” said Shingo Nishida, President of ZIPAIR. “By integrating Starlink across our entire fleet by this spring, we are making free, high-speed connectivity a basic expectation of travel for every ZIPAIR passenger.”
For ZIPAIR, Starlink isn’t just about faster Netflix streams for passengers. The system also powers the airline’s inflight service platform, connecting internet access, passenger services, ecommerce, and real-time payment authorization through a unified onboard network.
「機内Wi-Fiは、遅い」
— ZIPAIRTokyo (@ZIPAIRTokyo) February 26, 2026
その常識、本日終了。
ZIPAIR Starlink導入！
飛行機の中でSNSも動画も仕事もサクサク。
これが新しいフライトの標準。@Starlink pic.twitter.com/PXkZ5t4uR2
