(Credit: Emirates)
Not just one gigabit: SpaceX's Starlink is now touting "multi-gigabit" in-flight Wi-Fi, possibly to take some of the spotlight away from Amazon Leo, which has signed deals with several airlines for its own satellite internet service.
“Welcome to the era of multi-gigabit in-flight internet! For the first time ever, Starlink is installing systems on commercial aircraft capable of 2Gbps+,” wrote Nick Seitz, global head of Starlink’s aviation business, in a LinkedIn post.
That said, the over 2Gbps refers to total bandwidth, rather than speeds for individual passengers. SpaceX is offering the capability on Emirates through the airline’s double-decker Airbus A380, which can seat around 500 to 600 passengers.
(Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images)On Monday, Emirates announced it had completed the installation of the “next-generation Starlink Wi-Fi” on an A380, which Airbus has called the world’s largest passenger airliner. The installation stands out for using three Starlink antennas, instead of one or two. The aircraft was also outfitted with “additional wireless access points” to provide more satellite internet coverage.
The multi-gigabit support is notable, as Amazon Leo has been touting its own antenna for commercial jets that promises up to 1Gbps downloads and 400Mbps uploads simultaneously. So far, Amazon Leo has signed up Delta and JetBlue. But its satellite internet won’t officially arrive on planes until 2028 and 2027, respectively, following several delays.
In contrast, Starlink is already available on a growing number of airlines, including United, Hawaiian, and Emirates, which is preparing to adopt SpaceX’s satellite internet service across its fleet. Tests have shown that Starlink-enabled commercial jets offer the fastest download speeds, at or above 100Mbps.
Emirates added: “With more A380s scheduled for accelerated installation throughout 2026, Emirates customers will soon enjoy a transformative leap in onboard connectivity with the ability to stream, game, browse, and work throughout their journey on personal devices. The service will be complimentary for all customers, across all cabins, with easy sign-up and access. Future enhancements will include Live TV streaming over Starlink, initially on personal devices and later integrated into seatback screens.”