Emirates has officially confirmed a major deal with SpaceX. Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Dubai Air Show, the airline announced it will equip its entire in-service fleet with Starlink Wi-Fi, marking one of the largest commitments to low-Earth-orbit satellite internet by any carrier anywhere in the world.
The confirmation comes just a few days after we first reported the two companies were close to reaching a deal, however, it appears work had already begun behind the scenes. On Monday, Emirates said the first aircraft—a Boeing 777-300ER—is already fitted with Starlink hardware and will be on display at the air show, where visitors can experience the high-speed connection firsthand.
That aircraft will return to commercial service after the event, marking the beginning of what will be an aggressive installation campaign.
The rollout will cover Emirates’ entire long-haul network, totaling 232 aircraft. The airline plans to retrofit roughly 14 aircraft per month, completing installations on all its jets by mid-2027. Installations on the Boeing 777 fleet has already begun and will be followed by Airbus A380 retrofits starting in February 2026. Even the carrier’s brand-new Airbus A350s—currently delivered with rival ViaSat GX—will transition to Starlink.
To deliver the bandwidth required for Emirates’ high passenger loads, each Boeing 777 will be fitted with two Starlink antennae, while the A380 will receive a three-antenna configuration, a first in commercial aviation.
Emirates is making the service as simple as possible: Starlink Wi-Fi will be free for every passenger in every cabin, requiring no frequent-flyer login or tier status, unlike virtually every other airlines. Additionally, the network will be accessible on both personal devices and seatback screens simultaneously.
Live TV streaming over Starlink will launch later this year, starting on personal devices and expanding to seatback displays by the end of 2025. Emirates is also promoting support for video calling, streaming, gaming, and bandwidth-intensive productivity apps—activities previously impossible with the airline’s legacy connectivity providers.
The first commercial Starlink-equipped Emirates flight will depart on November 23.
