(Credit: Amazon)
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As SpaceX's Starlink gains traction for in-flight Wi-Fi, JetBlue has selected a rival satellite internet service—Amazon's Project Kuiper—to provide "next-generation" broadband access on the company’s jets.
The announcement is raising eyebrows because Project Kuiper has yet to launch. Amazon needs to send up hundreds more satellites before it can offer robust, continuous coverage.
That might be why JetBlue doesn't expect to offer the Kuiper-based in-flight Wi-Fi until 2027, at which point it will only be available on "a portion" of its fleet. Still, the airline is promoting the partnership as a major upgrade to its existing system, Fly-Fi, which first launched in 2013. Once the jets are fitted with the new equipment, the plan is to offer the Kuiper-powered internet as “complimentary connectivity,” Amazon says.
“JetBlue is the first airline with plans to bring Amazon's satellite internet network to its commercial airline customers,” the company added. “The collaboration will enhance in-flight connectivity, enabling travelers to better stream, scroll, and share while flying JetBlue.”
Although JetBlue's rollout won’t occur anytime soon, Amazon signaled that the initial launch of Project Kuiper isn’t far off. “Our goal is to begin delivering service to our first customers later this year, and to roll out more widely as we add coverage and capacity to the network,” it says.
Starlink is already powering in-flight Wi-Fi on several airlines, including United, Hawaiian Airlines, and Alaska Airlines. In July, SpaceX said Starlink was active on over 1,000 planes.
Starlink has been serving users since 2020, giving it a huge head start. Amazon’s Project Kuiper has started to secure interest, including receiving federal funding to supply broadband in underserved areas. On Wednesday, the head of Project Kuiper also posted a video, showing the satellite internet system powering a 1,280Mbps connection through an enterprise-grade dish.
As for JetBlue, the partnership suggests the airline wants to move on from Viasat, the existing satellite communication provider for Fly-Fi. However, JetBlue tells PCMag that it "continues to work with our existing partners to provide fast, free, and unlimited Wi-Fi. Project Kuiper represents an opportunity to diversify our Wi-Fi product and to explore industry-leading, flexible connectivity with both LEO and GEO satellite networks in the future."
An Ookla survey found that JetBlue’s in-flight Wi-Fi offered a median download rate of 22.9Mbps. In contrast, Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways, which use Starlink, delivered median download rates exceeding 100Mbps.
(Credit: Ookla)Disclosure: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag’s parent company.