Lufthansa Group is ready to begin its massive Starlink rollout, with the first aircraft equipped with SpaceX’s high-speed satellite internet scheduled to enter passenger service next week.
The first Starlink-equipped flight will take off on August 19 aboard an Airbus A320neo. The August 19 flight is the first step in a rollout that will eventually include Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Edelweiss, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Lufthansa City Airlines and Eurowings.
SWISS is expected to introduce its first Starlink-equipped aircraft before the end of the year, while Lufthansa, Austrian and Brussels Airlines will also be among the first carriers to receive the new hardware.
Like most other airlines that have adopted Starlink, access will be free for members of the airline’s reward program – Miles & More.
There will also be a few rules for passengers taking advantage of the faster connection. Lufthansa’s new Wi-Fi terms require headphones when watching or listening to content. Although you won’t be able to make voice calls, video calls or stream live onboard.
Lufthansa Group first announced its partnership with Starlink in January, revealing plans to replace and supplement its existing inflight connectivity systems with SpaceX’s low-Earth orbit satellite network. At the time, the company said installations would begin during the second half of 2026, with its entire fleet converted by 2029.
The airline is installing the necessary hardware during scheduled maintenance stops, allowing it to gradually convert aircraft without taking them out of service solely for the Starlink upgrade.
The scale of the project makes Lufthansa Group one of Starlink’s biggest airline customers. Once the rollout is completed in 2029, approximately 850 aircraft across the group’s airlines will offer the service, making Lufthansa Group the largest European airline group to deploy Starlink across its entire fleet.
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