Image: Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines on Wednesday announced plans to roll out SpaceX’s Starlink internet across its entire fleet, with installations beginning in 2026 and full completion expected by 2027. The airline said Starlink will be available at no additional cost to passengers, offering what it calls the fastest, most reliable in-flight Wi-Fi available today.
Alaska will become the first U.S. airline to operate Starlink-equipped long-haul flights out of Seattle, giving travelers gate-to-gate connectivity on regional, narrowbody, and widebody aircraft. The move builds on Hawaiian Airlines’ industry-first adoption of Starlink last year across its Airbus fleet.
“With Starlink already live on Hawaiian Airlines and installations starting this winter across Alaska’s fleet, we’re proud that we’ll offer the fastest, most reliable inflight internet in the skies – with gate-to-gate connectivity on nearly every aircraft across both airlines,” said Ben Minicucci, President and CEO of Alaska Air Group.
“We’re thrilled to provide reliable high-speed internet on Alaska Airlines’ flights. From gate to gate, Alaska’s passengers will now experience the world’s best inflight connectivity,” added Chad Gibbs, Vice President of Starlink Operations at SpaceX.
Other major carriers like United Airlines and Qatar Airways have also committed to Starlink for connectivity in the air. Just last week, reports surfaced that Saudi Arabia’s flagship carrier is also nearing a major in-flight Wi-Fi deal with Starlink.
According to Alaska, passengers will be able to stream, game, message, and collaborate in real time at speeds up to 500 Mbps with latency under 99 ms — around seven times faster than most satellite Wi-Fi systems currently in use by airlines. Starlink’s smaller, electronically steered antennas also reduce drag and weight, saving the airline an estimated 800,000 gallons of fuel annually.
Alaska’s rollout marks another major win for Starlink as it cements its position as the new standard for in-flight connectivity.
