American Airlines is bringing SpaceX’s Starlink internet service to its fleet, giving the satellite provider another major foothold in the commercial aviation industry as airlines race to improve in-flight connectivity for passengers.
The airline announced on Tuesday that it will begin installing Starlink on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft starting in the first quarter of 2027. The move is significant not only because American Airlines is the world’s largest airline by passenger traffic, carrying roughly 225 million passengers annually, but also because it further strengthens Starlink’s dominance in the commercial aviation connectivity market.
American Airlines says the decision was driven by increasing customer expectations for faster and more reliable in-flight connectivity, something Starlink has quickly become known for since entering the aviation market.
“As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want,” said American Airlines Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden.
With the addition of American Airlines, SpaceX has now secured deals with three of the four largest U.S. airlines — American, United, and Southwest. Combined, those agreements represent more than 2,300 aircraft set to receive Starlink internet service.
Delta Air Lines is now the only remaining top-tier U.S. carrier yet to announce a Starlink partnership.
The rapid adoption of Starlink across the airline industry is becoming one of SpaceX’s biggest commercial successes outside of rocket launches. Michael Nicolls, Vice President of Starlink Engineering at SpaceX, celebrated the announcement by thanking the company’s growing list of airline partners, which now includes carriers such as United Airlines, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, WestJet, among many others.
Before officially selecting Starlink, reports indicated American had been evaluating both SpaceX and Amazon as part of a broader plan to overhaul connectivity and entertainment options across its massive narrowbody fleet. According to the report, the airline had been exploring partnerships that would not only improve in-flight Wi-Fi speeds, but potentially reintroduce seat-back entertainment screens for economy passengers for the first time in nearly a decade.
Always get the latest - make Drive Tesla your preferred source on Google
Are you buying a Tesla? If you enjoy our content and we helped in your decision, use our referral link to get three months of Full Self-Driving (FSD).Drive Tesla uses affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
