American Airlines picks SpaceX's Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi
CNBC • • general
Key Points:
- American Airlines will equip over 500 narrow-body Airbus aircraft, including the A321neo, with SpaceX's Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi starting early next year.
- The airline had been evaluating both Starlink and Amazon's Leo satellite internet services as recently as March.
- American's Boeing fleet will continue using a mix of Viasat and Panasonic for in-flight Wi-Fi, with no immediate plans to switch providers.
- Other major U.S. carriers like United, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines have also adopted Starlink, while Delta plans to use Amazon Leo starting in 2028.
- Airlines are upgrading in-flight internet to attract higher-spending customers and exploring new revenue opportunities such as personalized advertising.