Which US airlines have Starlink Wi-Fi? Rollout dates for United, Southwest, American and Delta

In-Flight Wi-Fi · Guide · Published October 19, 2026 · SatellitePlan

Short answerUnited is the runaway leader: Starlink is live on more than 635 of its aircraft and nearly half its daily departures, with the full fleet due by the end of 2027. Southwest is installing now and says every plane will have it by fall 2027. American starts putting Starlink on 500+ jets in early 2027. Delta is the holdout: it picked Amazon Leo, and those installs do not start until 2028. If fast Wi-Fi matters when you book, United is the sure thing today.

How do I check if my United flight has Starlink?

Rollout status by airline. United: 635+ planes today, full fleet by end of 2027. Southwest: installing now, every plane by fall 2027. American: 500+ jets starting early 2027. Delta: Amazon Leo instead, from 2028. — United figures from its October 15 press release; Southwest from Aviation Week; American from its newsroom and Reuters; Delta timing from a Jefferies note via TIKR. Illustration by SatellitePlan.

United says more than 250,000 customers a day now fly on a Starlink-equipped plane across 2,500+ daily flights, and it is installing the system on about 20 aircraft a week. Because the exact plane on your route can change, the airline launched a tracker, StarlinkTracker.United.com, where you can enter your travel dates and flight number within three days of departure to see if your flight has it, and follow the rollout by aircraft type. The airline is clearly treating it as a competitive weapon: its "Switch to Better Wi-Fi" status match campaign, aimed at poaching other airlines' frequent flyers, was extended to October 22 after applications ran 275% above pre-campaign levels.

A Jefferies analyst who met United's technology chief calls the rollout "a significant head start vs. US peers," and SpaceX's own S-1 filing lists United by name among Starlink's enterprise customers.

When do Southwest and American get Starlink?

Southwest announced at its October media day that it expects high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi on every aircraft by fall 2027, including older Boeing 737-700s that are not scheduled for retirement by then, per Aviation Week. American says it will bring Starlink to every mainline jet, starting with more than 500 narrow-body aircraft from early 2027 (Reuters, American Airlines newsroom). Neither airline has live Starlink fleets at United's scale yet.

Why is Delta the odd one out?

Delta signed with Amazon Leo instead, and Jefferies says those installations do not begin until 2028. Elon Musk has needled Delta about it for months; on October 8 he agreed publicly that Starlink will be a "must-have for airlines" and that carriers without it will lose customers. Delta CEO Ed Bastian's answer on CNBC: "I'm a big fan of Starlink," but Delta was "the global pioneer in launching free and fast Wi-Fi as the industry standard." The full backstory is on our Starlink vs Delta page. The practical point for travelers: until 2028, a premium flyer choosing between United and Delta is choosing between Starlink now and a Leo rollout that has not started.

Does airplane Wi-Fi tell you anything about Starlink at home?

A little. The airlines are buying the same constellation you would use at a house: low-orbit satellites, low latency, and enough bandwidth for a full cabin to stream. If it keeps 250,000 airline passengers a day online, the home version is not the weak link. If you are weighing Starlink for your home, check our current plans and prices guide, and if you order through our referral link, you and the site owner get the same reward, paid as cash or service credit after two months of subscription (Starlink's US example is $100; the amount shown in your Starlink account is what counts).

Get the Starlink referral offer

Referral link. If you order through it, the site owner may receive a reward from Starlink. It does not change the price you pay. See the referral terms.

Frequently asked questions

Which airline has the most Starlink planes?

United, with more than 635 Starlink-equipped aircraft as of mid-October 2026, the most of any airline in the world, and nearly half its daily departures covered.

Can I check if my flight has Starlink before I book?

On United, yes: StarlinkTracker.United.com lets you check a flight number within three days of departure, with updates for last-minute aircraft swaps. Other airlines do not offer an equivalent tool yet.

When will my Delta flight have fast satellite Wi-Fi?

Delta's Amazon Leo installations are scheduled to start in 2028, according to a Jefferies note cited by TIKR. Until then Delta relies on its existing Wi-Fi.

Is American Airlines installing Starlink now?

Installations begin in early 2027 on more than 500 narrow-body jets, per Reuters and American's newsroom. The plan is every mainline jet.

Will every Southwest plane get Starlink?

That is the airline's stated target: every aircraft, including older 737-700s, by fall 2027.