Southwest Airlines is preparing to activate high-speed Starlink inflight connectivity.
The first aircraft equipped with free and ultra-fast Wi-Fia Boeing 737-800, will enter service at the end of June, Tony Roach, Southwest’s chief customer and brand officer, said at an industry conference this weekend.
It’s a big step forward for the Dallas-based carrier’s inflight Internet offerings, and the move comes just months after Southwest made its current service free for all members of its Rapid Rewards loyalty program.
How quickly will Southwest passengers see the updated Wi-Fi?
“We have the capacity to reach up to 300 [planes] by the end of the year, but, at this point, it’s more about the pace of Starlink; when we can get the kits, we will put them on the plane,” Roach said, speaking Saturday at the general meeting of the International Air Transport Association in Brazil.
A growing number of US airlines with Wi-Fi
With its debut, Southwest joins Alaska Airlines and its Hawaiian Airlines brand, JSX boutique airline and united airlines offer Starlink connectivity on its aircraft in the US. More recently, American Airlines announced plans to add Wi-Fi on board service to its Airbus aircraft from 2027.
Fast inflight connectivity is an increasingly important service for airlines competing for customers. The number of “dark” flights – or those without Wi-Fi – is rapidly reducing, as consumers now expect connectivity options while in the air.
“The bar now is that customers want very fast Wi-Fi,” said Andrew Watterson, Southwest’s chief operating officer. “Starlink has set the bar for how fast Wi-Fi should be on an airplane, so you have to meet that bar.”
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A wave of change at Southwest
Starlink’s debut comes at a time of significant change for Southwest. The airline abandoned its long-standing open seating policy in favor of assigned seating earlier this year and at the same time introduced its first premium lightweight product: seats with extra legroom. Last year, the airline began charging for checked luggage.
And Southwest CEO Bob Jordan has repeatedly said the airline is considering adding intercontinental routes, a network of airport lounges and a domestic first-class product in the United States for its planes.
While Southwest has confirmed plans to upgrade Starlink on about 300 planes, the airline has not yet announced technology upgrades for the rest of its 800-plane fleet, Roach said. He described the airline’s current approach to high-speed Wi-Fi as “exploratory.”
“We’re exploring different providers that provide that type of experience,” he said.
In a nutshell
Amazon Leo is Starlink’s main competitor and offers high-speed in-flight connectivity. In March, Delta Air Lines presented a agreement to equip 500 aircraft with the Amazon product. JetBlue is also adding Amazon technology to some of its planes.
Southwest’s current inflight connectivity providers are Anuvu and Viasat. Aircraft equipped with the former’s older technology have priority for Starlink facilities.
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