Frontier to Launch Starlink Wi-Fi in 2027 as 5 Budget Carriers Cover 1,000 Planes
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Jul 14
Frontier to Launch Starlink Wi-Fi in 2027 as 5 Budget Carriers Cover 1,000 Planes
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Jul 14
Summary
Frontier said its first Airbus fitted with SpaceX's Starlink internet will enter service in early 2027, giving one of the last major U.S. holdouts its first in-flight Wi-Fi.
Five Indigo Partners-backed budget airlines — Frontier, Volaris, Wizz, JetSmart and Cebu Pacific — plan to begin rolling out Starlink service early next year across fleets totaling more than 1,000 aircraft.
The move reflects rising passenger demand for at-home-quality connectivity and pressure on discounters to add higher-end amenities as larger rivals drive revenue growth from premium cabins.
Frontier had long resisted Wi-Fi because of equipment weight concerns and has not said whether the service will be free; major Starlink airline partners often offer it free to loyalty members.
Starlink has now signed deals with more than 40 carriers worldwide, including United and American, extending SpaceX's push deeper into commercial aviation connectivity.