The Starlink satellite service, operated by SpaceX, billionaire Elon Musk's company, dominates the market as in-flight Wi-Fi becomes a big plus.
Emirates airline chairman Tim Clark this week gave Elon Musk's Starlink service his strongest endorsement yet, writes The National News.
At the Berlin Air Show on Tuesday, Clark said Emirates had seen an increase in demand since it introduced satellite internet service on board its planes last year.
His comments came as airlines around the world rush to adopt Starlink technology – the satellite internet network operated by SpaceX, Musk's company.
The latest is Wizz Air, which announced this week that it will start rolling out the service from 2027, becoming the first ultra-low-cost airline in Europe to do so.
What is Starlink?
Starlink is a satellite internet service operated by SpaceX.
Unlike traditional in-flight Internet systems, which rely on geostationary satellites orbiting about 36,000 kilometers above Earth, Starlink uses thousands of low-orbit satellites positioned much closer to the planet. This reduces latency and enables significantly faster speeds, making activities such as video streaming, messaging and video calling seamless during flights.
Why airlines are rushing to adopt Starlink
A 2025 study published in the Journal of Air Transport Management shows that routes that offer Wi-Fi attract a higher percentage of passengers, suggesting that such an option as in-flight connectivity can influence booking decisions.
Clark said Emirates is working to introduce Starlink on as many of the company's aircraft as possible. The airline announced last year that it plans to install the service on all 232 aircraft in its active fleet by mid-2027.
Although Emirates has not disclosed how many aircraft have been equipped to date, the company said in April that more than 650,000 passengers had already flown on Starlink-equipped aircraft.
Decius Valmorbida, president of the travel division of travel technology company Amadeus, said free and fast Wi-Fi on board will soon become a “change factor” for the industry.
“It will become such a necessity that every airline will rush to have its own version. It becomes an indispensable element,” Valmorbida told the international news agency Reuters.
But not all airlines are convinced of this.
Michael O'Leary, chief executive of low-cost airline Ryanair, has ruled out installing Starlink across his company's fleet, saying it could cost up to $250 million a year, including the higher fuel consumption caused by the extra equipment. His comments sparked a public spat with Musk in January, leading to an exchange of insults between the two executives.
British low-cost airline easyJet also highlighted the financial challenges associated with providing satellite internet to a large fleet.
Which airlines already offer Starlink service
Qatar Airways has become the first airline in the Middle East to introduce Starlink service on board its aircraft, with its launch in October 2024. Emirates airline was next with an ambitious rollout, creating what it describes as the world's largest international fleet of wide-body aircraft equipped with Starlink technology.
Beyond the Persian Gulf, Starlink is available on aircraft operated by United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, airBaltic, Air France and US public charter operator JSX.
Which operators implement Starlink
Bahrain's Gulf Air is the latest Middle Eastern airline to sign a deal with Starlink to roll out high-speed internet across its fleet, with the first aircraft set to offer the service later this year.
Flydubai announced last year that it had chosen Starlink as its in-flight connectivity partner, with the service set to launch this year.
The Lufthansa group – which includes Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines – announced in January that it was installing Starlink and expects to start offering the service in the second half of this year.
Southwest Airlines expects its first Starlink-equipped aircraft to enter service later this month and aims to complete more than 300 conversions by the end of the year, while American Airlines said in May it would equip more than 500 narrow-body aircraft with Starlink starting in early 2027.
Other airlines that have announced Starlink plans include Alaska Airlines, Air New Zealand, Korea Air, Air Busan, as well as IAG carriers: British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling.
Is Starlink dominance guaranteed?
While Musk's company Starlink leads the way, Jeff Bezos' competing network of low-orbit satellites, Amazon Leo, is also gaining ground — although it's still at an early stage of development. American airlines Delta and JetBlue Airways have signed contracts with Amazon Leo.
For now, though, Starlink seems to have established an advantage. According to aviation consultancy Valour, Starlink now has contracts covering more than 7,000 aircraft worldwide, giving it, according to analysts, an “indisputable” advantage over rivals, Reuters also wrote.
