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Fort Worth-based 
American Airlines has plans to roll out Starlink onboard WiFi connectivity to its mainline fleet, including the Boeing 737, 777, and 787. This is a big move by the Oneworld carrier, which will see the airline expand its onboard offering beyond the Airbus fleet. As reported by View From The Wing, this will fix one of American’s biggest weaknesses, as the airline continues its push to improve the onboard experience.
As suggested by Aviation Insider JonNYC on X, American is planning to install Elon Musk’s Starlink WiFi connectivity on its 
Boeing family of aircraft, making Starlink available across the airline’s mainline fleet. Earlier this year, the airline announced it would be installing the service on the Airbus family of planes, leaving Boeing in the dark. American’s move to add Starlink could edge it ahead of Delta, which has otherwise opted for Amazon Leo, being launched in 2028.
Starlink Connectivity To Be Added To American Airlines Boeing Aircraft
Onboard connectivity is now widely expected when traveling on mainline carriers. For American, the plan to add Starlink to Boeing aircraft will ensure that travelers have the ability to remain connected with friends and family, or for those looking to finish last-minute work emails while traveling.
These changes will see the disbandment of the older domestic satellite run by Panasonic, with Starlink’s satellite service having a strong connection and faster response times. This is done in part due to Starlink satellites being located closer to Earth, meaning less travel for the signal to transmit.
For American, this change is welcome news, as the airline continues to improve the onboard customer experience, despite being the only US legacy carrier to not have seatback entertainment at every seat. Something it’s looking to change.
Starlink WiFi Coming To American Airlines in 2027
Earlier this year, American announced it was planning to add Starlink to its aircraft; this included only the Airbus A320 family of planes. This decision by the airline to add the product to one type left the Boeing variants with the older domestic satellite connectivity. American’s latest move, which would see Starlink added to the remaining Boeing family of planes, suggests the airline is planning to push itself ahead of other major competitor 
Delta Air Lines.
For Atlanta-based Delta, the airline made the decision that it would not be installing Starlink connectivity onboard, instead deciding to partner with Amazon Leo. This is planned to launch in 2028, and Delta has committed to installing it on part of the fleet. American investing in Starlink across its fleet would be the biggest move the airline could make, and from a passenger experience standpoint would give the airline a strong unique selling point for those who need onboard connectivity when traveling. Details on how Starlink connectivity works are in the table below, thanks to Elliot Aviation:
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellites | Starlink satellites are closer to Earth; signal travel time is around 20 milliseconds. |
|---|---|
Aero Terminal / Antenna | Electronic phased-array antenna on the aircraft exterior, which beams to moving satellites without physical moving parts. |
Laser Mesh Backhaul | Starlink uses laser links to pass data between vehicles before routing back to an Earth gateway. |
Cabin Distribution | Inside the plane, it operates like a local WiFi network. |
This news would see American expand the Starlink offering beyond the 500 Airbus A320 family of planes, instead adding to the Boeing 737, 777, and 787, providing a competitive advantage against other major US carriers as the race for connectivity continues.
What Are The Benefits Of Onboard WiFi
Onboard WiFi provides travelers and crew continuous internet connectivity during travel. For passengers, this provides the ability to continuously send emails and access cloud-based documents even when traveling across oceans or remote areas. This allows passengers to stay in contact with friends and family, or colleagues via messaging apps.
Additionally, this allows additional entertainment on demand, such as access to live sports games or the ability to connect to social media, which can help pass time on long-haul international or transcontinental domestic flights. For the crew, this also has additional benefits, allowing crew members and pilots access to real-time weather updates and changes to flight plans.
American’s direct competitor, United Airlines, already has a Starlink fleetwide rollout underway, and this is currently available on a portion of its mainline and regional aircraft. Access is free for MileagePlus members. United is aiming to have Starlink across more than 1,000 aircraft by the end of the year.
