Emirates airline president Tim Clark this week gave Elon Musk's Starlink its strongest endorsement yet.
At the Berlin Air Show on Tuesday, Clark said Emirates had witnessed increased demand since introducing the satellite internet service on board its aircraft last year.
His comments come as airlines around the world race to adopt Starlink, the satellite internet network operated by Musk's SpaceX. The latest is Wizz Air, which announced this week it will begin rolling out the service from 2027, becoming the first ultra-low-cost European airline to do so.
What is Starlink?
Starlink is a satellite internet service operated by SpaceX.
Unlike traditional in-flight internet systems that rely on geostationary satellites orbiting about 36,000km above the Earth, Starlink uses thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites positioned much closer to the planet. This reduces latency and enables significantly faster speeds, making activities such as video streaming, messaging and video calls seamless during flights.
Why are airlines rushing to adopt it?
A 2025 study published in the Journal of Air Transport Management finds that routes offering Wi-Fi attract a higher share of passengers, suggesting onboard connectivity can influence booking decisions.
Clark said Emirates was working to bring Starlink to as much of its fleet as possible. The airline announced last year that it planned to install the service on all 232 aircraft in its in-service fleet by the middle of 2027.
While Emirates has not disclosed how many aircraft have been equipped so far, it said in April that more than 650,000 passengers had already flown on Starlink-enabled flights.
Decius Valmorbida, president of travel at travel technology company Amadeus, said free and fast onboard Wi-Fi would soon become a “game-changer” for the industry.
“It's going to become such a necessity that every airline will rush to have its own version of it. It is becoming a must-have,” Valmorbida told Reuters.
But not all airlines are sold on it.
Michael O'Leary, chief executive of low-cost airline Ryanair, has ruled out installing Starlink across his airline's fleet, saying it could cost as much as $250 million a year, including higher fuel consumption caused by the additional equipment. His comments prompted a public feud with Musk in January, which led to the two executives trading insults.
British low-cost airline easyJet has also highlighted the financial challenges associated with providing satellite internet across a large fleet.
Which airlines already offer Starlink?
Qatar Airways became the first airline in the Middle East to introduce Starlink on board its aircraft when it launched the service in October 2024. Emirates airline followed with an ambitious rollout of its own, creating what it describes as the world's largest Starlink-enabled international wide-body fleet.
Beyond the Gulf, Starlink is available on aircraft operated by United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, airBaltic, Air France and US public charter operator JSX.
Which airlines are launching Starlink?
Bahrain's Gulf Air is the latest Middle East airline to sign an agreement with Starlink to roll out high-speed internet across its fleet, with the first aircraft set to offer the service this year.
Flydubai announced last year it had picked Starlink as its in-flight connectivity partner, with the service expected to roll out this year.
Lufthansa Group – which includes Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines – said in January it's installing Starlink and expects to start offering it in the second half of this year.
Southwest Airlines expects its first Starlink-equipped aircraft to enter service later this month and is targeting more than 300 conversions by the end of the year, while American Airlines said in May it would equip more than 500 narrowbody aircraft with Starlink from early 2027.
Other airlines that have announced Starlink plans include Alaska Airlines, Air New Zealand, Korea Air, Air Busan, and IAG carriers British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling.
Is Starlink's dominance guaranteed?
While Musk's Starlink has emerged as the lead, Jeff Bezos' competing low-Earth-orbit satellite network, Amazon Leo, is also gaining momentum – although it remains at an earlier stage of development. US airlines Delta and JetBlue Airways have signed up with Amazon Leo.
For now, however, Starlink appears to have established the lead. According to aviation consultancy Valour, Starlink now has contracts covering more than 7,000 aircraft worldwide, giving it what analysts describe as an “undeniable” command over rivals, Reuters reported.
