Delta Taps Amazon Leo for Free 1 Gbps Wi-Fi to Take on Starlink in 2028

Delta Air Lines and Amazon have reached a major agreement to bring Amazon Leo satellite technology to hundreds of aircraft. The rollout is scheduled to begin in 2028 with an initial installation on 500 planes, marking a significant expansion of the partnership between the two companies.

The companies announced on Tuesday the service will provide high-speed, low-latency Wi-Fi from gate-to-gate. This move is a direct challenge to SpaceX’s Starlink, which has already has huge deals with numerous global airlines. While 2028 feels like a long way off in the tech world, the added competition in the skies is a win for passengers looking for better connectivity.

Amazon Leo uses a constellation of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit, roughly 370 miles above the planet’s surface. This is more than 50 times closer than traditional geostationary systems, which dramatically reduces latency. Each aircraft will be equipped with a purpose-built antenna supporting download speeds up to 1 Gbps and upload speeds up to 400 Mbps.

“Delta’s future is global,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive officer in a statement. “This agreement gives us the best, fastest and most cost-effective technology available to better connect the world today.”

The partnership builds on an existing relationship where Delta uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to power its reservation systems and operational tools. The two companies plan to integrate AWS, Amazon Leo, and artificial intelligence to enhance the travel journey.

“People increasingly want to stay connected wherever they are in the world, and Leo’s speed and reliability is going to have a big impact for businesses, governments, and consumers,” said Andy Jassy, President and CEO of Amazon.

Amazon Leo currently has more than 200 satellites in orbit, with more than 20 full-scale missions planned over the next year. Starlink has over 10,000 satellites in orbit.