American is adding more than 530 Boeing jets to its Starlink plan, bringing SpaceX’s satellite Wi-Fi to its entire mainline fleet. Installations are set to begin in early 2027; American has not announced a completion date or passenger pricing.
American Airlines will put SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi on all of its more than 1,030 mainline jets, with installations beginning in early 2027, the airline said Thursday.
The move widens an American Airlines Starlink plan unveiled in May that covered more than 500 Airbus narrow-body jets. The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier is now adding more than 400 Boeing narrow-bodies and more than 130 Boeing wide-bodies, according to its Oct. 8 announcement.
For travelers, that means Starlink is planned for American’s wide-body jets as well as its narrow-bodies. The airline says the service will support streaming, gaming and online work from gate to gate. American reports more than 165 million mainline customers a year.
“Our customers have told us that dependable connectivity can make a meaningful difference in how they spend their time in the air,” said Heather Garboden, American’s chief customer officer.
The plan covers mainline aircraft only. American did not announce Starlink service for regional flights operated under the American Eagle brand.
What American Hasn’t Said About Starlink Yet
The Oct. 8 announcement does not say when the fleetwide installations will be finished. It does not name the first routes or aircraft to get the system, and it does not say what passengers will pay for Starlink access or who will qualify.
Reuters reported Thursday that financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The benefits the airline describes are its own expectations. No independent performance data exists for American’s Starlink system because installations have not started.
How Fast Starlink Wi-Fi Could Be
American says the hardware, Starlink’s Performance Aero Terminal, can deliver up to 1 gigabit per second per terminal. That is a ceiling for each terminal, not a guaranteed speed for each passenger.
Starlink says its aviation speeds are maximums, not guarantees, and may slow when the network is congested. The company does not publish prices for commercial airlines, which contact it for terms.
Wi-Fi on American Flights Today
American already offers free Wi-Fi sponsored by AT&T to members of its AAdvantage loyalty program on eligible flights, according to the airline’s Wi-Fi and connectivity page. Membership is free.
The page lists the free service on all Airbus A319, A320 and A321 and Boeing 737 aircraft, on selected Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 jets, and on most regional aircraft.
To connect, American tells passengers to turn on airplane mode, join the aainflight.com Wi-Fi network, open that address in a browser if they are not redirected, then choose free Wi-Fi with their AAdvantage login. The airline suggests checking online or on the boarding pass whether a flight has Wi-Fi. Those steps apply to the current service.
American’s page also says phone calls are not allowed during flight.
From Airbus to the Full Fleet
When American announced its first Starlink plan on May 26, it said work on more than 500 Airbus aircraft would begin in the first quarter of 2027. That plan included new Airbus A321XLR and A321neo deliveries and was aimed at domestic and short-haul international routes.
The Oct. 8 announcement says only that installations will begin in early 2027, without naming a quarter.
Reuters reported in June that Jefferies analysts estimated equipment and installation for the original program of more than 500 aircraft at $150 million to $250 million. They said annual fees could exceed $60 million. Those are analyst estimates, not contract terms disclosed by American.
Rival Airlines Choose Between Starlink and Amazon Leo
On June 22, United Airlines said more than 400 of its aircraft had Starlink. It also described its first planned transatlantic wide-body passenger flight with the service, on a Boeing 777-200. United offers Starlink free to MileagePlus members and says it tells customers before flights on equipped aircraft.
Delta Air Lines chose a different provider. On March 31, Delta said Amazon Leo installations would begin with 500 aircraft in 2028. The airline said the deal builds on its existing relationship with Amazon Web Services and will expand its Delta Sync Wi-Fi and seatback experiences.
In September 2025, JetBlue said it was the first airline customer for Amazon’s satellite network, then called Project Kuiper and now Amazon Leo. JetBlue said it planned to install the system on part of its fleet in 2027.
Overseas, KLM said Thursday that it will roll out Starlink in phases on intercontinental flights starting in mid-2027. Members of its Flying Blue loyalty program will get free access in all cabins.
Reuters reported in June that Lluc Palerm, research director at Analysys Mason, said airline Wi-Fi “will become a battleground” as Starlink and Amazon Leo compete for airline customers.
Key Takeaways
- American plans Starlink Wi-Fi for its entire mainline fleet of more than 1,030 jets, adding Boeing aircraft to a May plan that covered more than 500 Airbus jets.
- Installations are set to begin in early 2027.
- The announcement gives no completion date, no first routes and no Starlink-specific passenger pricing. Financial terms were not disclosed.
- American already offers free Wi-Fi sponsored by AT&T to AAdvantage members on eligible flights.
- United said in June it had Starlink on more than 400 jets, while Delta and JetBlue have chosen Amazon Leo.