US carrier to equip Starlink Wi-Fi on Airbus narrowbodies starting in early 2027.
American Airlines has become the latest North American carrier to select Starlink’s in-flight Wi-Fi service, as the carrier plans to begin installations on its Airbus narrowbody jets in the first quarter of next year.
The Fort Worth-based airline calls the planned upgrades a “sweeping modernisation of its narrowbody in-flight customer experience” that will extend to 500 of its Airbus single-aisle jets, including newly delivered A321neos and A321XLRs.
American’s Boeing aircraft, including single-aisle 737s and widebody 787s and 777s, will not receive Starlink Wi-Fi. The carrier does not respond to FlightGlobal’s request for comment about why the Boeing aircraft will not be equipped with the technology.
Enabling Starlink connections on most of American’s narrowbody fleet will allow passengers to access streaming, browsing and real-time communications.
“With thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit, Starlink can deliver multi-gigabit connectivity to aircraft using its Aero Terminal, which can support up to 1Gbps per antenna,” American says.
Starlink has been working since 2024 to position itself as the dominant provider of in-fight Wi-Fi connectivity — and has been largely successful, with a host of North American carriers falling in line, including United Airlines, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, WestJet and charter carrier JSX.
With American now following, Delta Air Lines stands as a notable exception. In March, the Atlanta-headquartered carrier selected Amazon’s Leo service as its Wi-Fi data provider starting in 2028.
The race to add high-quality connectivity comes amid a fierce competition to attract high-paying air travellers with premium products.
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