Delta Might Bring SpaceX’s Wi-Fi Service to Their Aircraft

By Roxana Ion

Posted on April 21, 2022

In its attempt to improve internet on board of its aircrafts, Delta Air Lines has tested Elon Musk’s satellite Wi-Fi service, the SpaceX’s broadband unit Starlink.

The tests were confirmed by Delta CEO Ed Bastian on Tuesday for the Wall Street Journal but didn’t offer additional details of the partnership. 

Last year, Tesla’s CEO tweeted that Starlink was working on getting certified for Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft to provide satellite Wi-Fi service.

Schedule driver there is regulatory approval. Has to be certified for each aircraft type. Focusing on 737 & A320, as those serve most number of people, with development testing on Gulfstream.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 25, 2021

The service that Delta offers now on 300 planes is Viasat’s satellite internet service and costs passengers $5. The change would take the company a few years to complete, as Delta would have to outfit its planes with Starlink equipment progressively.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has a few rivals in airline Wi-Fi, such as Intelsat and Viasat, and the deal with Delta could be a big opportunity for them.

Delta Might Bring SpaceX’s Wi-Fi Service to Their Aircraft