A new report from Ookla reveals that SpaceX’s Starlink is rapidly redefining in-flight Wi-Fi performance, helping partner airlines deliver speeds that actually rival home internet for once.
Based on Speedtest data collected during Q1 2025, airlines using Starlink’s satellite internet service are leading the pack in both download speed and latency. “Starlink’s low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation drives performance for leading airline Wi-Fi,” said the network intelligence company.
Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways topped the charts with the best in-flight Wi-Fi performance among global carriers. Not coincidentally, both rely on Starlink, which delivered a median download speed of 152.37 Mbps, upload speeds of 24.16 Mbps, and industry-low median latency of just 44 ms. That’s lightyears ahead of legacy providers like Deutsche Telekom, which delivered a meagre 4.14 Mbps median download speed — barely fit for email, let alone streaming.
Image: Ookla
While Starlink is clearly pulling ahead, the report also highlighted strong showings from Spirit Airlines, Air Canada, Delta, Breeze, American, and Aeromexico, all of which posted 10th percentile download speeds above 10 Mbps — a sign that usable in-flight connectivity is finally becoming more widespread.
Air Canada has partnered with Starlink rival Eutelsat for in-flight Wi-Fi, while Canada’s WestJet is in the process of deploying Starlink across its fleet.
Still, most in-flight Wi-Fi lags far behind ground-based networks, often struggling with high latency and single-digit Mbps speeds — especially on airlines still tied to aging ground-to-air or GEO satellite systems. Lufthansa, for instance, continues to underperform due to heavy reliance on Deutsche Telekom’s LTE-based offering.
The in-flight connectivity race is far from over. United Airlines is betting big on Starlink, with plans to offer complimentary, high-speed Wi-Fi to all MileagePlus members, while other major players, such as American and Delta, are diversifying with providers like Viasat, Intelsat, and Hughes.
With demand for seamless, gate-to-gate connectivity growing, and new LEO entrants like Amazon’s Project Kuiper and AST SpaceMobile on the horizon, one thing’s clear: Starlink has set a new standard — and the rest of the industry is playing catch-up.
