American to Equip Entire Mainline Fleet of More Than 1,000 Jets With Starlink

American Airlines will install SpaceX's Starlink internet across its full mainline fleet of more than 1,000 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with installations beginning in early 2027. The move aims to make American one of the world's largest Starlink-connected fleets.

The expansion builds on connectivity investments the airline has already made, including its announcement last May to install Starlink on more than 500 Airbus aircraft. The new program extends the service across American's entire mainline fleet, covering Airbus narrowbodies, Boeing narrowbodies and Boeing widebodies, to deliver a consistent connectivity experience across the airline's global network.

The rollout will equip more than 1,000 aircraft with Starlink's Performance Aero Terminal, which can deliver speeds of up to 1 Gbps per terminal. American's mainline fleet comprises more than 500 Airbus narrowbodies, more than 400 Boeing narrowbodies and more than 130 Boeing widebodies, for a total of more than 1,030 aircraft. More than 165 million customers fly on a mainline American aircraft each year across four fleet families, a number the airline expects to grow as it takes delivery of more than 300 new mainline aircraft in the coming years.

Heather Garboden, American's Chief Customer Officer, said customers have told the airline that dependable connectivity can make a meaningful difference in how they spend their time in the air. "Whether they are livestreaming a favorite show, gaming, collaborating in real time on an important work deal, scrolling social media or online shopping, Starlink will give our customers countless options to make the most of their time while traveling," she said. "Just as importantly, it provides the foundation for future innovations that will further enhance the customer experience."

Lauren Dreyer, Vice President of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX, said the company was thrilled to bring Starlink across American's mainline fleet. "Customers will have fast, reliable internet from gate to gate, whether they are streaming, working, or staying connected to family and friends throughout their travel," she said.

American describes the program as part of a sweeping modernization of the inflight customer experience, providing fast, reliable Wi-Fi throughout the journey and a seamless online experience in the air. Garboden framed the investment as laying the groundwork for future innovations in how the airline serves passengers.

Installations are scheduled to begin in early 2027, with the program ultimately extending across American's entire mainline fleet.