Delta skips Starlink, signs with Amazon Leo for satellite in-flight Wi-Fi starting in 2028
The airline will add the technology to 500 domestic aircraft at first
✈️ Delta has partnered with Amazon to use the latter’s Leo satellites for future in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity
🛰️ The airline has infamously lagged behind competitors who partnered with Starlink to deliver similar technology on their flights
🖥️ Delta will also integrate Amazon Web Services and AI to enhance the customer experience on each flight
📅 The first flights with Amazon Leo Wi-Fi will take off in 2028
Delta is finally jumping on the satellite-powered Wi-Fi bandwagon, but not with the company you’d expect. The airline has partnered with Amazon Leo to deliver faster Wi-Fi connections for its flights starting in 2028, curving a trend that’s seen a lot of airlines ink deals with Elon Musk’s Starlink. The news comes as more and more flights take advantage of the faster internet speeds that low-orbit satellites can enable, which means we’re getting closer to saying goodbye to the awful Wi-Fi speeds of yesteryear once and for all.
✈️ Free in-flight satellite Wi-Fi for Delta customers
The new agreement with Amazon Leo will see Delta incorporate connectivity with its satellites on 500 domestic aircraft at first, likely expanding as time progresses. Each aircraft will use a special antenna based on Amazon’s Leo Ultra technology, which can deliver download speeds up to 1 Gbps and upload speeds up to 400 Mbps. That way, you can stream your favorite movies in high definition, FaceTime your friends, and even uploaded videos and posts to social media without much buffering at all.
The best part? It’ll be free. Delta says the new technology can be leveraged by anyone with a SkyMiles account, much like its free in-flight Wi-Fi is offered now.
Delta also says that part of its agreement with Amazon will see the airline integrate deeper with Amazon Web Services to improve the customer experience. “Building on the existing relationship between Delta and Amazon Web Services (AWS),” the company said in a press release, “Delta and Amazon plan to work together to integrate AWS, Amazon Leo, artificial intelligence, and other Amazon technologies to enhance the customer experience across the entire travel journey.”
Where the AI and “other Amazon technologies” will come into play is unclear, but it does sound like some big changes could be on the way for Delta passengers in the future.
❌ Which airlines don’t have satellite Wi-Fi yet?
In North America, United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Air Canada, and WestJet all provide Starlink internet access during flights, while Southwest is planning to roll it out on its aircraft this summer. With Delta now signing a deal with Amazon Leo for the technology, notable exceptions to satellite Wi-Fi availability include American Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit, and Frontier. Poor-quality Wi-Fi during flights isn’t ancient history yet, but at least it’s slowly fading away.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.