Free Wi-Fi Now Available for American Airlines AAdvantage® Members, Sponsored By AT&T

Free high-speed Wi-Fi sponsored by AT&T is now rolling out to most American Airlines domestic flights and select international flights — exclusively for AAdvantage® members. Get ready to elevate your journey with high-speed connection from takeoff to landing.

New Lufthansa Group Collaboration With Starlink: High-speed Internet On All Fleets Across All Airlines

The Lufthansa Group continues investing in its premium customer experience and will equip all of the Group's approximately 850 aircraft with high-speed broadband internet access from 2026 onwards. This will occur within the existing fleet, as well as on all new aircraft. Lufthansa Group’s partner for this comprehensive upgrade is Starlink, a leading provider that offers the fastest in-flight internet connection in the industry today. The system is based on satellite technology and enables internet access in the air.

In the near future, higher bandwidth and speed will enable streaming, cloud-based working, and other high-speed applications during flights. The new internet service will be free-of-charge for all status customers and Travel ID users - across all travel classes. This makes Lufthansa Group the largest airline group in Europe to upgrade its fleet with state-of-the-art broadband internet – no other airline will equip more aircraft with Starlink technology.

The cooperation is part of the Lufthansa Group's extensive investments in new aircraft and premium product and service innovations along the entire travel chain.

"In our anniversary year, in which we are celebrating Lufthansa's 100th birthday, we have decided to introduce a new high-speed internet solution from Starlink for all our airlines. The Lufthansa Group is taking the next step and setting an essential milestone for the premium travel experience of our customers. Connectivity on board plays an important role today, and with Starlink, we are not only investing in the best product on the market, but also in the satisfaction of our passengers," said Dieter Vranckx, Chief Commercial Officer of the Lufthansa Group.

The gradual introduction of Starlink on board of Lufthansa Group aircraft will begin as early as the second half of 2026. By 2029, the entire fleet will be equipped with the new connectivity offering. Further details will be announced in the course of the year.

Qatar Airways Adds Starlink To 787s, Rolls It Out On A350

Qatar AirwayS has become the first airline globally to equip the Boeing 787-8 with Starlink, while also completing the world’s first Airbus A350 Starlink installation program, further cementing its position as the industry leader in high-speed in-flight connectivity.

The Doha-based carrier now operates nearly 120 Starlink-equipped widebody aircraft, spanning Airbus A350s, Boeing 777s, and Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The rollout means more than 58% of the airline’s widebody fleet now offers ultra-high-speed connectivity at speeds of up to 500 Mbps, enabling gate-to-gate internet access on long- and ultra-long-haul routes across six continents, subject to local regulations.

First-of-Its-Kind Installations

Following its Boeing 777 linkage program, QR completed the entire A350 Starlink installation within eight months, finishing in December 2025. The airline has now extended the technology to its 787 fleet, with three Boeing 787-8s already flying with Starlink, making QR the first carrier worldwide to secure Starlink certification on the 787-8.

Within 14 months, QR launched and completed Starlink installations on the Boeing 777 and Airbus A350, before expanding the program to the 787, marking what the airline describes as the fastest widebody connectivity rollout in aviation history.

Since the airline launched its Starlink service in October 2024, it says more than 11 million of its passengers have used the complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi onboard. In a global context, Starlink connected approximately 21 million airline passengers in 2025, with Qatar Airways accounting for nearly half of that total, underscoring the scale of its deployment relative to the wider industry.

Passengers on Starlink-equipped aircraft can stream, video call, and work in real time, with performance that the airline says can exceed many home broadband connections. The service is now available on flights to most of QR’s destinations in the Americas and Australia, as well as on key routes across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Beyond the passenger experience, Starlink is also reshaping Qatar Airways’ internal operations. Real-time connectivity enables instant flight and roster updates to crew devices, improves coordination between cabin crew and ground teams during medical or service-related events, and enables engineering teams to monitor in-flight entertainment systems in real time, allowing issues to be addressed before aircraft land.

These capabilities are designed to improve decision-making, reduce delays, and enhance turnaround efficiency, extending the impact of in-flight connectivity well beyond customer-facing services.

Travelore News: United Airlines Shuts Down Starlink WiFi Service On Some Of Its Planes After The Antennae's Caused Problems With Its Jets' Equipment

Air travel in America has been beset with headline-making troubles, from a shortage of air traffic controllers to Boeing planes suffering from catastrophic quality control.

Kevin Dietsch / Getty / Futurism

Now add Starlink equipment — yes, SpaceX's satellite-based internet provider — that's interfering with radio communications on some United Airlines regional jets, according to The Wall Street Journal, leading the airline to shut down the WiFi service aboard its Embraer E175 jets.

Whenever they communicated with air traffic controllers, pilots were getting static interference on their radio transmission, which was then linked to the recent installation of Starlink antennae. The WSJ reports that the airline doesn't think it was a safety issue.

"Starlink is now installed on about two dozen United regional aircraft," read a statement from the airline, published by The Points Guy, which first broke the story. "United and Starlink teams are working together to address a small number of reports of static interference during the operation of the Wi-Fi system, which is fairly common with any new airline Wi-Fi provider. We expect the service to be back up and running on these aircraft soon."

Airplane safety was thrown into high relief earlier this year when a helicopter collided with an airplane in Washington, DC, which killed more than 60 people.

Besides safety, another hidden concern is Musk's increasing entanglement with critical parts of the nation's infrastructure, from DOGE to SpaceX rockets being used to ferry astronauts back and forth between Earth and the International Space Station.

Despite Musk's recent falling out with Trump over federal spending, Musk and his companies remain pillars of transportation and commerce. There appears to be no plans to phase out SpaceX spacecraft, for instance, regardless of grandstanding from Trump.

The inclusion of the Starlink equipment on airplanes is just another piece to Musk's growing empire — and evidence that society relies on him a lot, whether for good or ill.

by Sharon Adarlo

Which Airlines Offer Free WiFi?

We’ve become so used to asking for — and getting — free WiFi that it’s almost become expected every time we travel.

But it doesn’t happen very often when we fly. There are exceptions.

JetBlue has offered free WiFi for a while, and some airlines like Alaska and Delta have begun to offer free in-flight messaging.

But now, Delta is beginning to test the idea of free WiFi system-wide. Delta started a free WiFi test in May on 55 of its domestic flights, and the plan is to introduce it across its entire route network soon.

One caution is that while it’s nice to have free WiFi,  if you don’t have the right bandwidth on the plane, the WiFi — and the flight — can seem painfully slow.

Source: https://petergreenberg.com

JetBlue Announces Fast And Free In-Flight Wi-Fi. Advantages Are Plentiful - But Are There Also Any Risks?

NordVPN explains some security issues with in-flight Wi-Fi, and describes safety measures to protect travelers’ privacy

 JetBlue has announced that it will provide free satellite Wi-Fi, called Fly-Fi, on all of its local flights. According to the company spokesman, it’s 2017 and it’s impossible to ignore the fact that people “expect to be connected everywhere.”

Worldwide, there are currently more than 70 airlines that offer on-board Wi-Fi – but none of them have offered a free Wi-Fi connection up until now.  In-flight Wi-Fi is typically known for being slow and expensive. JetBlue is hoping to change that by launching a hotspot that is free and fast (up to 20 Mbps). This will allow passengers to stream movies, and to use multiple devices at the same time. The connectivity will start at the departure gate and will end upon the arrival gate.

JetBlue’s move towards free and fast Internet is an exciting development. However, it brings attention to another factor: the privacy and security of any public Wi-Fi network.

While the threats of the usual open Wi-Fi are already well known, the security issues of an in-flight Internet connection are still somewhat obscure.

First, there's no password protection on the Wi-Fi connection, so anyone could potentially intercept personal data that’s being transmitted on a wireless network. Airplanes are unique hacking grounds – more dangerous than airports or coffee shops, as they cram passengers in one small space for hours. This gives plenty of time and opportunity for hackers to access all data that’s being transmitted over open networks. Passengers who do online banking, shopping or business emailing are especially vulnerable to identity and data theft.

Certain devices can also be misused for hacking purposes – for example, WiFi Pineapple which is small enough to be stored in someone’s carry on, can be used to pose as a Wi-Fi connection – so when a user connects to Wi-Fi, they may actually be connecting to a device that is used to steal their personal information.

How can airplane passengers protect their data?

1. Designate network as Public. First, a traveler gets to designate the Wi-Fi network as Home, Work or Public. Those who choose Home network show that they trust all the people connected to the same network - which should not be the case on an airplane full of strangers. Work network should be used for a private group at work. So the safest option for airplane passengers is Public network setting - as this option is created to make sure it’s not visible by other computers.

2. Avoid fraudulent networks. Secondly, travelers have to make sure they are connecting to the Wi-Fi network offered on the flight, and not a look-a-like network with a similar-sounding name that might be spoofed.

3. Use a VPN. Besides these local precautions, the best and most effective way for any traveler to protect their data is to use a VPN. A professional VPN service encrypts all the traffic flow between the Internet and a device and helps hide an IP address. If you are a beginner, it’s best to choose a VPN that’s user-friendly. For example, NordVPN only requires the user to log in (the first time only) and press the ON button. The app will then choose the fastest server to connect to, in a country of your choice. That’s all it takes to hide your IP address and to start safe browsing. Beware of free VPN service providers that typically rely on third party advertisers to cover the costs. Often, they are free proxy services, marketed as VPNs, when in fact proxies are not encrypted (they just change your IP address, but do not hide/encrypt it).

4. Use other precautions for safe Internet. Besides using a VPN, travelers should use antivirus, firewall and anti-spyware and automatically update their software. In addition, all Internet users are advised against opening links and attachments emailed by unknown senders, and to stay generally vigilant when going online.

To find out more, visit www.nordvpn.com

Lufthansa Launches Internet Connectivity On Short- And Medium-Haul Flights

Green light from EASA: Supplemental Type Certificate issued for WiFi installation

In October 2016, the first Lufthansa short- and medium-haul aircraft will take off with broadband internet on board. Lufthansa’s entire A320 family fleet is expected to have the innovative technology installed by mid-2018. One key milestone has already been reached: Lufthansa Technik became the first MRO company in Europe to have received the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from EASA. This allows Lufthansa to install a Ka-band antenna on the A320 family, such as the A319, A320, and A321 models. The STC serves to verify that the modifications to the aircraft (hardware or software) conform to the design specifications stipulated by EASA. These specifications ensure aircraft’s continued airworthiness.

The first aircraft was equipped with the technology in June. In the coming weeks, the onboard system will be tested for functionality and stability. Lufthansa passengers will be able to use the new internet service starting in October. Other Lufthansa Group airlines will follow at a later date.

The future service from Lufthansa and its technology partner Inmarsat is based on the latest broadband satellite technology (Ka-band) and offers seamless, reliable coverage on short- and medium-haul flights through Inmarsat’s Global Xpress network. Passengers will be able to access the internet using their own mobile devices with Wi-Fi. In addition to basic surfing and email, passengers will also be able to use the internet for more complex purposes, such as streaming video. At a later date, passengers will be able to use their cell phones for SMS texting and data transfer via their own mobile accounts.

With its many years of experience in the aircraft modification sector, Lufthansa Technik is responsible for installing all systems and components as well as the installation of the works required to comply with aeronautical and statutory regulations. In Europe, this was the first successful installation involving the GX communications network and the Honeywell-designed Ka-band antenna. To install the system, electrical and structural modifications were required both inside and outside the aircraft cabin. All modifications were developed and approved by Lufthansa Technik’s licensed development unit. The installed components were integrated in the cabin infrastructure so that they are virtually invisible to passengers and easy to operate by the cabin crew. The work can be completed in four days or during regular maintenance layovers. 

Lufthansa Systems provides the required IT infrastructure onboard the aircraft. This includes network operations as well as the innovative FlyNet portal for passengers.

Lufthansa Systems and Lufthansa Technik have also established a long-term partnership with global satellite operator Inmarsat in order to offer a modern, multifunctional onboard IT platform with broadband internet access to the market. Both the Lufthansa Group, as well as airlines around the world, will benefit from this strong partnership through a wide range of services.

Lufthansa carried out the world’s first scheduled flight with broadband internet access on January 15, 2003. Despite its growing popularity among passengers, the technically reliable service had to be discontinued in 2006 because the Connexion by Boeing satellites ceased commercial operations. Since December 2010, Lufthansa has once again been the first airline to provide broadband internet access on intercontinental flights. Since June 2015, FlyNet has been available on all 107 long-haul aircraft in the Lufthansa fleet. Lufthansa operates the world’s largest internet-connected long-haul fleet.

About Lufthansa
One of the world's largest and most prestigious airlines, Lufthansa, serving 21 North American gateways, currently flies to 198 destinations in 77 countries. The air carrier offers hubs in Frankfurt and Munich. With the Lufthansa Group acquisition of Austrian Airlines, SWISS and a stake in Brussels Airlines, additional hubs include Vienna, Brussels, and Zurich. The entire Group flew a total of 108 million passengers in 2015 and currently serves 261 destinations in 101 countries worldwide. Lufthansa, along with its Group members and Star Alliance partners, serves over 1,300 destinations worldwide. An industry innovator, Lufthansa has long been committed to environmental care and sustainability, operating one of the most technologically-advanced and fuel-efficient fleets in the world. Its long-haul fleet to and from North America includes the Boeing 747-8 and the Airbus A380—the industries’ two most environmentally-friendly passenger aircraft. Lufthansa is the largest European operator of the A380 and was also the launch customer for the new Boeing 747-8. The Lufthansa Group currently has 259 new aircraft on order worth €35 billion in list prices, to be delivered by 2025. Known for its premium services, Lufthansa continues to build new or upgrade existing lounge facilities across its worldwide network. In 2014, Lufthansa introduced its new Premium Economy Class which offers further comfort and more personal space. Lufthansa’s entire long-haul fleet now features all new onboard products in each class– bringing Lufthansa one step closer to becoming the first five-star airline in the Western Hemisphere. Additionally, the entire Lufthansa long-haul fleet is equipped with its onboard broadband wireless Internet service, FlyNet. For more information or reservations, visit LH.com.

ViaSat Selected For In-flight Wi-Fi Service On American Airlines 737 MAX Fleet

-- New Agreement Enables American to Increase Passenger Engagement and Optimize Customers' 

Onboard Wi-Fi Experiences with a Proven, Scalable Internet Platform

-- ViaSat Already Recognized as the Fastest, Best Performing In-flight Internet System, Delivering

 Highest Quality Streaming Video and Media Experiences to Every Connected Passenger Device on the Plane

 American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL) has selected

 ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global broadband services and technology company, to outfit its

 new Boeing 737 MAX fleet with ViaSat's in-flight internet service. The ViaSat in-flight internet service 

has been recognized with multiple industry awards for delivering the best performing, highest-quality

 and fastest in-flight internet experience. The service encourages higher passenger engagement per

 plane by offering an 'at home' internet experience when in-flight – with the ability to stream movies,

 videos, television and music, as well as surf the web, upload pictures to social media, email large

 files and more.

The new American planes will tap into the power of ViaSat's advanced high capacity Ka-band

 satellite system, which will include ViaSat-1, ViaSat-2 and ViaSat-3 satellite platforms, and has

 more capacity in orbit than any other in-flight Wi-Fi provider. American will leverage ViaSat's first

 two generation satellite platforms, which together provide more capacity than all of the commercial 

satellites over North America combined. When the first ViaSat-3 class satellite platform launches in

 2019, it will more than double the capacity again. With its capacity-rich satellite platforms, ViaSat is

 able to deliver the fastest, highest quality in-flight internet service to each connected device on a plane.

"Our satellite bandwidth enables an 'at home' internet experience that can serve everyone on the

 plane – and empowers innovative business models for airlines and their passengers," said Mark

 Dankberg, ViaSat chairman and CEO. "We are delighted and honored to have the opportunity to

 work with American Airlines and help fulfill their goal of delivering the best in-flight Wi-Fi experience 

throughout their fleet. We believe we are now approaching the end of an era where passengers have

 paid very high prices for very slow connections. Our agreement highlights a significant initial step

 for American to deliver an onboard Wi-Fi experience every passenger will want to use."

As an internet service provider, ViaSat already serves nearly 700,000 residential and business users

 with high-speed, high-quality satellite internet. The ViaSat network is also the key to supporting

 thousands of simultaneously connected aircraft, each with dozens to hundreds of connected devices.

Availability

First Boeing 737 MAX aircraft with the ViaSat in-flight internet system are scheduled to go into 

service in September 2017.

About ViaSat

ViaSat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) keeps the world connected. As a global broadband services and 

technology company, ViaSat ensures consumers, businesses, governments and military personnel

 have communications access - anywhere - whether on the ground or in-flight. The Company's

 innovations in designing highest-capacity satellites and secure ground infrastructure and terminal

 technologies coupled with its international network of managed Wi-Fi hotspots enable ViaSat to 

deliver a best available network that extends the reach and accessibility of broadband internet 

service, globally. For more information visit ViaSat at: www.viasat.com, or follow the Company on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.