It’s more than double the number of aircraft the company quoted earlier this year.
American Airlines will equip its entire fleet of mainline aircraft with Starlink Wi-Fi starting next year, promising speeds of up to 1Gbps via the satellite network’s Performance Aero Terminal.
SpaceX had previously signed a contract with American, but back in May the number was 500 aircraft. Today’s announcement more than doubles that, with American’s mainline fleet (including all narrowbody and widebody aircraft) totaling at more than 1,030.
The commitment means that American’s more than 165 million annual customers should be able to expect fast and reliable satellite Wi-Fi during a flight, much more so than previous methods allowed. American appears to have pivoted from a Wi-Fi strategy that last year saw it agree a deal with AT&T to bring high-speed Wi-Fi to its AAdvantage loyalty program members.
Despite losing out to Amazon Leo in the battle for Delta’s signature earlier this year, SpaceX and Starlink appear to be winning the broader in-flight satellite Wi-Fi race right now. The former’s rollout won’t begin until 2028, and Starlink’s deal with American adds to the 724 United Airlines aircraft already running its service. That represents around 41 percent of its fleet. Globally, Starlink has now partnered with 48 airlines.