American Airlines to Put Starlink on Its Entire Mainline Fleet of 1,030+ Jets

Every American Airlines mainline flight, including the widebodies on its long-haul routes, is set to get Starlink, with installations starting in early 2027. On Oct. 8 American widened its May pilot plan, which covered only its Airbus narrowbodies, to take in the whole mainline fleet of more than 1,030 jets.

Full fleet. Full speed. Full connection. ✈️

We're bringing Starlink to our entire mainline fleet, and will be one of the world's largest Starlink-connected airlines. With more than 1,000 aircraft planned for installation beginning in 2027, we're taking connectivity to new… pic.twitter.com/oRoYyCI1Q2

— americanair (@AmericanAir) October 8, 2026

Which Jets Are Covered

The fleet breaks down into more than 500 Airbus narrowbodies, more than 400 Boeing narrowbodies and more than 130 Boeing widebodies. The original May 26 plan named only the Airbus aircraft, including new A321XLR and A321neo deliveries, and was aimed at domestic and short-haul international routes.

Adding the Boeing jets more than doubles the number of aircraft slated for Starlink. It also brings in the 777s and 787s that fly American’s longest international routes, where a weak connection costs a passenger the most hours in productivity or time away.

The plan covers mainline aircraft only, so American Eagle regional jets are not included at this time.

What You Get On Board

The hardware is Starlink’s Performance Aero Terminal, and American says it can deliver up to 1 Gbps per terminal. Lauren Dreyer, Vice President of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX, said customers will have “fast, reliable internet from gate to gate,” so the connection is meant to work on the ground as well as at cruise.

Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden said customers have told the airline that “dependable connectivity can make a meaningful difference in how they spend their time in the air,” whether they are streaming, gaming or working in real time. At American’s scale, that covers more than 165 million customers a year on mainline flights.