In February 2026, Southwest Airlines announced plans to introduce free Starlink Wi-Fi for Rapid Rewards members, which is of course an incredibly exciting passenger experience development. There’s now a positive update, as the first plane is now flying with the service, and we can expect a pretty quick rollout, with 300+ planes having Starlink by the end of the year.
Southwest rapidly installing Starlink Wi-Fi fleetwide
Southwest Airlines is partnering with SpaceX, to introduce Starlink Wi-Fi throughout its fleet of Boeing 737s. The first Starlink equipped plane is now in service (it has the registration code N8543Z), so passengers are experiencing this on the airline for the first time.
The plan is to roll this out on more than 300 Boeing 737s by the end of 2026, and I’d assume that nearly all planes will have the service by the end of 2027. For what it’s worth, Southwest has a fleet of over 800 737s, with another 500+ on order.
Starlink is known for its high-speed, low-latency broadband internet, and the service is offered gate to gate. Starlink Wi-Fi allows for live streaming, productivity similar to on the ground (with high upload and download speeds), gaming, e-commerce, support for multiple devices, and more. I’ve now had several flights on Starlink equipped planes, and it really is a game changer.
Here’s how Southwest Airlines’ Chief Customer & Brand Officer, Tony Roach, describes this development:
“Starlink delivers a new era of inflight connectivity to Southwest. Starting with this first aircraft, we will be rapidly integrating Starlink into our fleet this year. This ultra-fast WiFi brings an at-home experience to the air and redefines how Customers can stay connected, be productive, and make the most of their time while flying at 35,000 feet.”
This is a very exciting development for Southwest
Southwest sure has come a long way in a short period of time when it comes to inflight connectivity. In October 2025, Southwest introduced free Wi-Fi for all Rapid Rewards members, basically matching the policies of JetBlue, Delta, and now American.
The catch is that other than Starlink, Southwest’s Wi-Fi setup is pretty underwhelming, with many planes having very outdated systems. While the airline has been installing Viasat in recent times, that’s only available on a minority of the fleet.
So to see Southwest moving to Starlink is a fantastic passenger experience improvement, as this will be way faster than what’s otherwise available on the airline.
Obviously a ton has changed about Southwest in recent times, as the airline has completely transformed its business model. From ditching open seating, to adding basic economy fares, to charging for checked bags, to introducing extra legroom economy, the airline is a lot more like the competition nowadays.
This is no doubt a positive passenger experience move, as travelers appreciate inflight connectivity, and it’s tough to beat fast and free connectivity. As I’ve said, I think ultra high speed Wi-Fi is something that air travelers will soon consistently expect, and the airlines that aren’t prioritizing that will be left behind, at least in terms of things like net promoter scores.
If we’re going to rank the overall initiatives we’re seeing at the “big four” US carriers in terms of rollout of next generation Wi-Fi, here’s how I see it:
- United is in first place, as the airline is rolling out Starlink rapidly, and already has it on 400+ planes, with plans to have it on 1,000 planes by the end of 2026
- Southwest is in second place, as the airline is starting to roll out Starlink, and should have 300+ planes with the service by the end of 2026, and the entire fleet with the service by the end of 2027
- American is in third place, as the airline plans to introduce Starlink Wi-Fi as of early 2027, though only on 500 planes
- Delta is in fourth place, as the airline plans to introduce Amazon Leo (a competitor to Starlink), though only as of 2028 best case scenario, and only on 500 planes
Bottom line
Southwest Airlines has started its rollout of free Starlink Wi-Fi, with the first Boeing 737 with the connectivity now in service, and the plan is to have 300+ planes with Starlink by the end of the year. You can’t beat Starlink for inflight connectivity, so this is great for Southwest passengers, especially given the carrier’s lackluster Wi-Fi situation up until now.
What do you make of Southwest Airlines adding free Starlink Wi-Fi?