Delta Air Lines is pushing back against Elon Musk following his claim that the airline intentionally chose a rival Wi-Fi provider to burden passengers with a cumbersome login experience.
Musk alleged on X that Delta deliberately avoided Starlink in favor of a competitor so it could trap customers in a “painful” and “expensive” login portal.
Delta flatly rejected the accusation, telling PCMag that Musk’s assertions are simply “not accurate.” Musk has maintained that SpaceX mandates a “no-portal” experience so in-flight Wi-Fi feels as seamless as home internet, but Delta countered that its own technical requirements would have been fully compatible with SpaceX’s agreement.
“The assertion in question is not accurate,” Delta stated, adding that integrating its Delta Sync loyalty technology with Starlink was never off the table from either a technical or contractual perspective.
Rather than Starlink, Delta struck a deal with Amazon’s Leo satellite network, a choice rooted in the airline’s deep existing relationship with Amazon Web Services, which already powers its reservation and customer management systems. Delta CEO Ed Bastian has pointed to the Amazon deal as the most “cost-effective technology” solution for keeping passengers connected.
The spat arrives as Starlink gains momentum in aviation, with United Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines both signing on.
Delta currently flies with Viasat and Hughesnet but plans to begin deploying the Amazon Leo service on roughly half its fleet by 2028, with its stated priority being broad, fast, and free connectivity for SkyMiles members, whatever provider delivers it.
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