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Elon Musk Says Starlink Is Coming To American Airlines 'Next Year' In Major Push To Upgrade In-Flight Internet

Benzinga·06/24/2026 04:04:59
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Elon Musk said on Tuesday that SpaceX’s (NASDAQ:SPCX) Starlink satellite internet service will come to American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL) next year, confirming a major in-flight Wi-Fi deal that will put the network on more than 500 of the carrier’s narrowbody aircraft.

Musk Confirms Starlink Deal With American

"Starlink coming to @AmericanAir next year!" Musk wrote on X.

American Airlines announced the agreement in May, saying installations would begin in early 2027. The deal covers more than 500 Airbus SE (OTC:EADSY) narrowbody aircraft and is designed to deliver high-speed, low-latency Wi-Fi for streaming, gaming, browsing and gate-to-gate connectivity.

The carrier’s Boeing aircraft are not currently part of the agreement and will continue using existing legacy Wi-Fi providers.

American Joins Airline Wi-Fi Arms Race

American reportedly evaluated both Starlink and Amazon.com Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AMZN) low-Earth-orbit satellite network Leo, formerly Project Kuiper, before choosing SpaceX. "Your scrolling just got an upgrade," American said in a May 26 post on X, adding that the service was built for "streaming, browsing, gaming, and staying connected in real time, gate to gate."

American has also confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that Starlink Wi-Fi will be offered at no additional charge to members of its AAdvantage loyalty program. The airline already offers free Wi-Fi to AAdvantage members on most flights through a partnership with AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).

The deal deepens American Airlines’ position in a fast-moving airline connectivity race. Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL) said in March that it will use Amazon Leo for Wi-Fi on 500 aircraft beginning in 2028. Rivals United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL), Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) and Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE:ALK) also have Starlink agreements.

Starlink Drives SpaceX Growth Story

Musk’s confirmation of American Airlines’ Starlink commitment comes days after he highlighted Starlink’s growing role in disaster resilience, after a Caribbean telecom provider announced plans to use SpaceX satellites to keep mobile service running during hurricanes and infrastructure failures.

Starlink remains SpaceX’s primary economic engine, generating roughly 61% to 69% of total sales. The unit produced $11.39 billion in revenue last year, making it the company’s largest and most profitable division.

Musk has also said Starlink could one day carry most internet traffic, effectively making it "the Internet" as satellite capacity grows.

Fresh off its blockbuster IPO, SpaceX is expected to report its first earnings as a publicly traded company on August 17, according to Benzinga Pro data. The report will cover the second quarter of 2026 and marks the highly anticipated debut of official financials for the aerospace and tech giant.

Price Action: Shares of SPCX closed 0.98% higher on Tuesday at $156.11, and gained 0.54% in after-hours trading.

Benzinga edge rankings indicate SPCX stock has a negative price trend across short, medium and long term.

Photo Courtesy: Frederic Legrand – COMEO on Shutterstock.com