Lufthansa is the latest airline to adopt Elon Musk’s Starlink WiFi, joining a growing list of carriers rolling out the high-speed satellite internet service to passengers.
With Lufthansa’s announcement, more than 30 airlines have now confirmed plans to offer Starlink onboard. The list includes major global carriers such as Qatar Airways, United Airlines, Emirates, Air France, British Airways, Alaska Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Air New Zealand, SAS, Swiss International Air Lines, WestJet, Vueling, Iberia, ITA Airways, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, JSX, Zipair, and Aer Lingus, along with several Lufthansa Group airlines like Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Edelweiss Air, and Air Dolomiti.
Lufthansa said installation across its fleet and subsidiaries will begin in the coming years, potentially bringing Starlink to hundreds of aircraft. Other airlines, including Qatar Airways and United, have already started flying planes equipped with the service.
Starlink uses a network of thousands of low-Earth-orbit satellites to deliver fast, low-latency internet, allowing passengers to stream video, make video calls, and browse the web even while flying over oceans. Speeds tested on early flights have rivaled home broadband connections.
While competitors like Viasat and Amazon’s Project Kuiper are also working on next-generation in-flight WiFi, Starlink is quickly becoming the preferred choice for airlines looking to offer free or low-cost high-speed internet through loyalty programs.
As more carriers sign on, Starlink is positioning itself as a major force in the future of in-flight connectivity.