American Airways is upping its inflight Wi-Fi recreation in an enormous method.
Simply months after making its on-board web free for most passengers, the Fort Value-based airline on Tuesday introduced plans to improve its connectivity with satellite tv for pc service from Starlink.
Installations will start early subsequent 12 months.
Round 500 of the airline’s single-aisle planes will get the ultra-fast service. That is removed from American’s total fleet, however it would actually permit the airline to supply an improved looking expertise for passengers on a large portion of its jets.
“The addition of Starlink solidifies American as a number one airline in preserving passengers linked in flight,” American’s chief buyer officer Heather Garboden stated in an announcement asserting the information.
From free Wi-Fi to upgraded tech
American is much from alone in making this pivot.
To date in 2026, we have seen airways throughout the U.S. race to improve their Wi-Fi tech after most made the service free to customers.
Earlier this 12 months, Southwest Airways said it would soon offer Starlink on a whole bunch of its plane after making its inflight web free to loyalty members final fall.
Extra lately, Delta Air Strains signed on to Amazon’s satellite service to improve the Wi-Fi tech on lots of its planes.
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Now, American is getting set to improve its Wi-Fi. The transfer comes simply months after the airlinen ditched its internet fees on most jets and began providing complimentary looking to all AAdvantage loyalty members.
American’s Starlink plans
American stated it plans to outfit its Airbus planes with the Starlink satellites, together with all of its new Airbus A321XLR and A321neo deliveries.
It wasn’t instantly clear how lengthy the rollout would take.
Based mostly on that announcement, it seems the airline’s present Boeing 737 (and 737 MAX) fleet would proceed utilizing the provider’s present service from California-based supplier Viasat.
Starlink, a part of SpaceX, is definitely the quickest on-board Wi-Fi provided by any U.S. provider right this moment. It depends on constellations of satellites orbiting Earth at decrease altitudes to ship an on-board looking expertise that feels quite a bit like browsing the web on the bottom.
United Airways and Alaska Airways are at the moment rolling the know-how out throughout their respective fleets. Hawaiian Airways already provides Starlink on its Airbus jets.
Backside line
American didn’t element any plans on Tuesday to shut the largest remaining hole in its Wi-Fi choices: its massive twin-aisle jets.
Lots of these planes, together with American’s Boeing 777s and older 787 Dreamliners, nonetheless provide legacy Panasonic service that is costly; I’ve repeatedly paid $35 for a transatlantic flight. I’ve additionally discovered the service to be removed from dependable on a handful of latest flights.
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