American Airlines to install Starlink
May 27, 2026
By Chris Forrester
American Airlines has announced a sweeping modernisation of its narrowbody inflight customer experience with the installation of Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky, on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in Q1 2027.
With thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit, Starlink can deliver multigigabit connectivity to aircraft using its Aero Terminal, which can support up to 1 Gbps per antenna.
“As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want,” commented American Airlines Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden. “The addition of Starlink solidifies American as a leading airline in keeping passengers connected in flight.”
As part of American’s commitment to an elevated onboard experience, Starlink will enable seamless streaming, browsing and real-time communication capabilities across American’s domestic and short-haul international routes.
“American is committed to elevating every aspect of our customers’ travel journeys, which in the air means keeping them connected and comfortable with the assurance they won’t have to download documents ahead of a flight or worry about lag time,” continued Garboden. “Starlink’s high speed and low latency make the Wi-Fi more reliable, which matters when customers are trying to load pages, join real-time collaboration tools or stay connected consistently throughout a flight. We are excited to bring an at-home level of Wi-Fi experience to our narrowbody fleet, enabling our customers to work, game, stream and scroll endlessly.”
“We are proud to bring Starlink on board American Airlines, delivering fast and reliable internet to passengers and crew,” added Vice President of Starlink Enterprise Sales at SpaceX Jason Fritch. “Whether traveling for leisure or business, Starlink enables a fully connected experience gate to gate, making every flight smoother and more enjoyable.”
American plans to update its Wi-Fi offering on its fleet of more than 500 Airbus aircraft, including new A321XLR and A321neo deliveries.
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