Which airlines have Starlink Wi-Fi on their flights
Airlines are at very different stages of adding Starlink Wi-Fi, from United's 43 percent of flights to American Airlines' plans for 2027.
The facts
- According to Engadget, Starlink says over 200,000 flights worldwide already use its service, but few airlines have finished their rollouts as of October 2026.
- United says its rollout is 43 percent complete, with Starlink on over 640 planes and about 48 percent of daily flights, and it expects to finish by the end of 2027.
- Qatar Airways has roughly 60 percent of its planes equipped, according to two tracking sites. Delta is skipping Starlink and plans Amazon Leo on 500 planes by 2028.
- Starlink won't work over China, Russia, Afghanistan or US-sanctioned countries, and likely not over places without approval, such as India, Pakistan and South Africa.
Case notes · Danny's take
Why it matters
Airline Wi-Fi is turning into a race between satellite networks, and Delta picking Amazon Leo over Starlink shows it is not a one-horse race. For passengers, a Starlink badge on the booking page does not guarantee Starlink on your seat. Plane swaps, partial fleet installs and blocked airspace all get in the way. The African detail is worth noting: Engadget says Starlink likely won't work over South Africa, so a flight there may not get the same service.
For builders
Rollout trackers are patchy and often out of date, and airlines publish different levels of detail. That gap is an opening for a tool that matches flight, aircraft type and connectivity provider in one place. Airlines and satellite firms are both clearly spending to win the in-flight internet market.
Not financial advice. Do your own investigation.
This story was summarised with AI from Engadget's reporting and checked against our editorial policy. Danny's take reflects his views. Disclaimer.
Danny Walter
Founder of Moon Republic, Volt Terminal and Moon Republic Academy. Author of The Market Is a Crime Scene and After the Applause.