Advanced Television

Starlink Wi-Fi aboard Emirates A380s

April 28, 2026

Emirates’ flagship A380 aircraft is set to reach new heights as the first installation of next-generation Starlink Wi-Fi onboard has been completed.

The Emirates A380 was one of the first commercial aircraft in the world to offer internet to its customers, with first generation systems offering a total aircraft bandwidth of less than 1 Mbps.  Emirates’ installation of three Starlink antennas on each A380 will improve the Wi-Fi available onboard a thousand-fold – offering a ‘better than at home’ connectivity experience for customers, while flying at 40,000 feet.

The first Emirates A380 aircraft equipped with Starlink made its return to Dubai this week, after its installation and certification was accomplished in Newquay, Cornwall, UK. With more A380s scheduled for accelerated installation throughout 2026, Emirates customers will soon enjoy a transformative leap in onboard connectivity with the ability to stream, game, browse, and work throughout their journey on personal devices. The service will be complimentary for all customers, across all cabins. Future enhancements will include live TV streaming over Starlink, initially on personal devices and later integrated into seatback screens.

Starlink installations will soon begin at Emirates Engineering facilities in Dubai to accelerate deployment across the fleet. Emirates says it is committed to bringing the best possible connectivity to its entire fleet at the earliest opportunity, with 25 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft already equipped with Starlink and the first A380 now joining service.

So far, more than 650,000 Emirates customers have already flown on Starlink‑equipped flights, experiencing the benefits of next‑generation onboard connectivity firsthand.

Categories: Articles, Broadband, Satellite

Tags: , ,