(Oct 8): American Airlines Group Inc plans to extend Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service to more than 1,000 mainline aircraft, as US carriers compete to offer faster in-flight WiFi.
The airline plans to equip its entire mainline fleet, including Airbus and Boeing narrowbody jets and widebody aircraft, with the high-speed service beginning in early 2027, according to a Thursday release. The expanded agreement more than doubles American’s initial commitment announced in May to install Starlink on more than 500 Airbus aircraft.
The move comes as Starlink, owned by Musk’s SpaceX, has emerged as a key battleground among the largest US airlines, which are increasingly touting faster connectivity to lure passengers from rivals. American joins United Airlines Holdings Inc and Southwest Airlines Co in embracing the technology, leaving Delta Air Lines Inc as the lone holdout among the four largest US carriers.
The competition has recently spilled into a public spat between Musk and Delta chief executive officer Ed Bastian, whose airline opted for Amazon.com Inc’s Leo satellite service rather than Starlink. Delta plans to begin installing the service on an initial 500 aircraft in 2028.
Musk last week said Bastian “will lose his job over this” after an account on X circulated unverified comments attributed to the Delta CEO about the decision.
American and United have since joined the fray, using their Starlink agreements to court one another’s frequent flyers. United recently launched a status-match promotion targeting Delta SkyMiles and American AAdvantage members, touting its fast, free Starlink WiFi as a reason to switch carriers.
American on Thursday again promoted its status-match programme, saying travellers with elite status at competing airlines could qualify for comparable benefits. Registered corporate travellers can also receive status one tier higher than their existing level, the carrier said.
The expanded Starlink agreement will cover more than 500 Airbus narrowbody aircraft, over 400 Boeing narrowbodies and at least 130 Boeing widebody jets. The airline said Starlink’s Performance Aero Terminal can deliver speeds of as much as one gigabit per second, allowing passengers to stream entertainment, browse the internet and work online during flights.
American already offers free WiFi sponsored by AT&T Inc across its narrowbody fleet to members of its AAdvantage loyalty programme. The Starlink installations represent a further upgrade as airlines increasingly make connectivity a centrepiece of their efforts to attract higher-spending travellers.
Bastian defended Delta’s decision to use Amazon Leo in a May interview with Bloomberg News, saying Amazon offered improved bandwidth at a significantly lower price than Starlink.
Uploaded by Felyx Teoh