CZNC

By William Gavin

More airlines are looking to add the SpaceX-owned satellite internet to their fleets as passengers clamor for fast and reliable wifi

Starlink has become "the biggest competitive advantage" for airlines, according to United CEO Scott Kirby.

Some airlines are chomping at the bit to link up with Elon Musk's SpaceX, as passengers clamor for access to quick and reliable in-flight wifi.

"As we enter the 'Year of Starlink' for U.S. airlines, it's increasingly clear that in-flight internet is going to become more and more of a differentiator across the industry," Citi analyst John Godyn wrote in a note to clients late on Wednesday. Starlink is a satellite-internet provider owned by SpaceX (SPCX).

Fifty-one airlines are currently deploying Starlink on their planes, according to an online tracker. Its biggest "champion" has been United Airlines (UAL), Godyn said, noting that the carrier has been increasingly mentioning Starlink on earnings calls. About 44% of United's fleet has been equipped with SpaceX's technology.

"I think it's the biggest competitive advantage," United CEO Scott Kirby said on the "Cheeky Pint" podcast on Tuesday. He called Starlink the "only option" for fast in-flight wifi.

Giving passengers the opportunity to log on in the air isn't exactly a new idea; Lufthansa (XE:LHA) (DLAKY) offered in-flight wifi as far back as 2004 in partnership with Boeing (BA). However, Starlink often provides better performance than traditional providers, according to its advocates and some experts. Kirby, for one, compared other systems to dial-up internet.

"The experience of using other providers is pretty horrible, honestly," Chris Quilty, head of the satellite- and space-industry research firm Quilty Space, told MarketWatch in August.

Customers would agree, at least according to SpaceX and its partners. In July, Alaska Air Group (ALK) executives said that customer satisfaction was up 20% on flights equipped with Starlink.

Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president, told investors this month that connectivity is "quickly becoming table stakes" for passengers. To meet demand from partners, SpaceX has quadrupled production rates since the start of 2026, she noted on an earnings call. Airlines have contracted with Starlink for about 12,000 planes, Shotwell added.

Still, not everyone is willing to throw their chips in with Musk. Ryanair (IE:RYA) (RYAAY) CEO Michael O'Leary and Musk publicly feuded for weeks earlier this year after O'Leary said the Irish budget airline wouldn't adopt Starlink, citing costs.

Meanwhile, Ryanair rival Wizz Air (UK:WIZZ) (WZZZY) has linked up with SpaceX. Another competitor, EasyJet (UK:EZJ) (ESYJY), said Monday it would also deploy Starlink, with a fleetwide rollout expected in early 2028.

"In an increasingly digital world, staying connected matters more than ever to many of our customers," EasyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis said in a statement.

There's also Delta Air Lines (DAL), which drew Musk's ire after it announced a plan to adopt a rival service from Amazon.com (AMZN) that hasn't yet launched, following JetBlue Airways' (JBLU) lead. Musk said that Delta CEO Ed Bastian would "lose his job" over the move.

United's decision to offer Starlink is the biggest factor helping the airline to take market share from Delta and other airlines in certain regions, Kirby said on "Cheeky Pint."

Still, "Ed is not going to lose his job over it," Kirby said of Bastian, though he admitted he does "feel bad" for the Delta CEO amid the backlash from Musk.

-William Gavin

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

10-29-26 1249ET