Southwest Airlines officially entered the satellite internet race yesterday when its first aircraft equipped with SpaceX Starlink Wi-Fi completed a flight from Dallas to Albuquerque.
The milestone marks the beginning of a major fleet upgrade for the carrier, which plans to install the high-speed internet system on more than 300 aircraft by the end of this year. Passengers on the Boeing 737-800 were able to access the new service for free from gate to gate, provided they were enrolled in the airline’s loyalty program. The airline is focusing its initial installations on planes that currently use its oldest onboard connectivity systems to give passengers the biggest immediate upgrade.
The move is part of a broader shift at Southwest, which is changing several long-standing policies to attract more flyers. Earlier this year, the carrier dropped its famous open-seating model in favour of assigned seats and introduced premium options with extra legroom. Air travel providers are finding that fast internet is no longer just a luxury, but an essential tool to keep modern travellers happy.
This launch places Southwest among a rapidly expanding group of global carriers turning to space to fix bad inflight internet. More than 40 airlines across 20 countries have now launched, installed, or committed to using Starlink.
In the United States, United Airlines leads the global rollout with roughly 400 Starlink-equipped planes already flying and plans to reach nearly 1,000 by the end of the year. Hawaiian Airlines has already upgraded its entire fleet, while JSX was the very first to adopt the technology. American Airlines also recently announced a massive deal to install Starlink on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft starting in early 2027. The trend is stretching well beyond American borders.
In Canada, WestJet is currently installing the service across its fleet to offer it free to rewards members. Internationally, Qatar Airways has been adding the tech to its long-haul Boeing 777 aircraft, while Air France and Latvia’s airBaltic are leading the charge across Europe.
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