SpaceX’s Starlink Gets Major Boost As American Airlines More Than Doubles Rollout – Retail Says Rivals May Have To ‘Match The Experience’

• Starlink installations will begin in early 2027, the airline said.
• The rollout will cover more than 500 Airbus narrowbody jets, over 400 Boeing narrowbody jets and more than 130 Boeing widebody jets.
• United Airlines and Alaska Air Group have already installed Starlink devices on their aircraft.

SpaceX’s (SPCX) Starlink secured a major expansion of its airline business on Thursday with American Airlines (AAL) announcing plans to install the satellite internet service across its entire mainline fleet of more than 1,030 aircraft.

The move more than doubles American Airlines’ previous announcement, which covered around 500 Airbus jets.

At the time of writing, AAL shares were trading 1.5% lower while SPCX stock was down 2.5%, amid a broader market selloff.

AAL More Than Doubles Rollout

American Airlines said Starlink installations will begin in early 2027, covering more than 500 Airbus narrowbody jets, over 400 Boeing narrowbody jets, and more than 130 Boeing widebody jets. Starlink’s new Performance Aero Terminal can deliver speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second, allowing passengers to stream videos, play games and work online during flights.

“Just as importantly, it provides the foundation for future innovations that will further enhance the customer experience,” said Heather Garboden, American Airlines’ Chief Customer Officer.

Starlink’s Growing Airline Business In Focus

The agreement expands Starlink’s presence in the aviation market, creating opportunities for additional equipment sales and recurring connectivity revenue. United Airlines (UAL) already offers Starlink on hundreds of aircraft. In June, the airline said more than 400 planes were equipped, with nearly 1,000 expected by year-end.

Alaska Air Group (ALK), which operates Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, is also expanding the service. Its latest rollout update showed 38% of its combined fleet equipped as of September 25.

Globally, Qatar Airways already offers Starlink Wi-Fi on 150 widebody aircraft, while Air France has also introduced the service, targeting a fleetwide rollout by the end of 2026. Rollout is also currently underway on Emirates flights.

Starlink Faces Hurdles In India

The expansion comes as Starlink faces delays in launching its services in India. Elon Musk recently blamed “certain oligarchs” for allegedly blocking the rollout to protect their “monopolistic chokehold” on the country’s connectivity market.

India’s large population and growing demand for internet connectivity make it an attractive market for Starlink. It has already secured key regulatory approvals, including a satellite communications license, but is still awaiting spectrum allocation and final security clearance.

According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the country had 1.10 billion broadband subscriptions as of August 2026.

Retail Says Starlink Could Become The Standard For In-Flight Connectivity

Retail sentiment on Stocktwits around SPCX remained ‘bullish’ over the past 24 hours, while sentiment trended ‘neutral’ for AAL.

One user said the latest update will put pressure on other airlines to “match the experience” and could make Starlink the standard for in-flight connectivity.

AAL shares have declined nearly 18% so far this year, while SPCX shares have gained around 22% over its IPO price.

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