In October 2023, Qatar Airways made an exciting announcement when it comes to inflight Wi-Fi, as the oneworld carrier revealed it would introduce Starlink connectivity. In October 2024, we saw the first jet equipped with this service.
The airline has now revealed the latest details regarding the rollout of this service, as very impressive progress has been made over the past 15 months… including the first Dreamliners now flying with Starlink (which also has positive implications for other airlines)!
In this post:
Qatar Airways offering free high speed Wi-Fi
Qatar Airways is in the process of introducing free Starlink Wi-Fi, making this one of the largest airlines in the world to collaborate with SpaceX on Wi-Fi. Not only does Starlink offer speeds of up to 500 megabits per second for gaming, VPN access, sports streaming, and more, but Qatar Airways is offering this Wi-Fi on a complimentary basis, with one-click access.
Qatar Airways is one of several airlines that’s working with Starlink on inflight connectivity, with other airlines including airBaltic, Air France, Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, Korean Air, SAS, United, Virgin Atlantic, and WestJet.
In October 2024, Qatar Airways’ first aircraft was equipped with the upgraded inflight connectivity, and the press release was even uploaded from 35,000 feet, using the Starlink inflight Wi-Fi. Below is a video call that Qatar Airways’ former CEO made with Elon Musk during this first flight, on October 22, 2024.
For context, Qatar Airways’ fleet is otherwise primarily outfitted with Inmarsat’s GX aviation technology, which the airline refers to as “Super Wi-Fi.” This typically costs $10 for a flight, with no data caps. Some of Qatar Airways’ other aircraft have OnAir Wi-Fi, which is quite slow.
Qatar Airways’ Starlink Wi-Fi rollout schedule
Qatar Airways has provided an updated status report on the rollout of free Starlink Wi-Fi, and it’s great news:
- Qatar Airways has finished installing Starlink Wi-Fi throughout its fleet of Boeing 777s, meaning that 60+ of these jets now have the service; these were the first planes to be reconfigured
- Qatar Airways has finished installing Starlink Wi-Fi throughout its fleet of Airbus A350s, meaning that 60+ of these jets now have the service; this installation program just wrapped up
- Now Qatar Airways is installing Starlink Wi-Fi throughout its fleet of Boeing 787s; so far three planes have been equipped with this service, and you can expect a fast rollout to continue
At this point, Qatar Airways has Starlink Wi-Fi on 60% of its wide body fleet, and progress continues to be made at a fast pace. Currently it’s taking the airline around 10 hours per aircraft to install Starlink, so that’s pretty impressive.
It’s especially great to see that Qatar Airways has started Starlink installation on 787s. The 787’s composite fuselage makes the Starlink installation more complicated than on other airlines, which is why we hadn’t seen any airline install the service on this plane until recently. Hopefully with Qatar Airways doing this, it paves the way for other airlines to do the same.
It remains to be seen if/when the carrier’s other aircraft types, including the A330 and A380, will start to get Starlink. I suspect the focus is now on the 787, and once that’s complete, we’ll find out which aircraft type is next. I wouldn’t be surprised if the A330s don’t get it at all, since they’re supposed to be retired sooner rather than later.
Bottom line
Qatar Airways is making great progress with installing Starlink Wi-Fi. Not only are we starting to see Starlink Wi-Fi available on Qatar Airways on a widespread basis, but it’s also complimentary. This is a very nice competitive advantage for Qatar Airways.
The carrier now has Starlink Wi-Fi on all of its 777s and A350s, covering around 60% of the wide body fleet. Now we’re seeing the airline install Starlink on 787s, with the first three planes already having the service.
What do you make of Qatar Airways introducing free Starlink Wi-Fi?
PS I might add the Qatar 777's are SO noisy, the speaker phone call needs to be made at absolute max volume to be heard....so it's extremely loud and annoying.
I had the CSD on my last Qatar flight apologise for a pax making a loud speaker phone call…he said to always bring it to attention of the crew and they will tell them to turn it down or use earphones. Qatar’s case is not helped by their idiot safety video that starts with some alleged comedian idiot (Kevin someone?) bellowing on a speaker phone call in a Q Suite
"....more complicated than on other aircraft" (not airlines).
Although I'm sure some other airlines do make it more complicated.
I can confirm that Qatar has not updated their 773s from Cathay with Starlink, I was forced to pay $10 for WiFi even with a first class ticket from Hong Kong to Doha, so much for premium.
Serious question for you folks …. how important is a WiFi connection to A. Business and B. Recreational travellers?
Personally, I’m not bothered as I am either, eating, reading, watching a film, emptying or most often than not sleeping.
The tech is there. It's an amenity. If you're a premium airline, (but, also, even if you aren't) you most definitely should provide free, reliable WiFi to all passengers. It's 2026. Not 1956.
Are you trying to say that I’m bleeding old 1990?
….. Ok! Perhaps I am getting on in life …. :-)
No, no.. never.. you've traded time for wisdom!
Bleeding’eck 1990, that sounded a bit like a compliment. Hang on! I’ll just tilt my head about 10° left and rest my ear on the ground …. :)
A big head to go along with my big mouth is sure to wake the trolls up.
Wake-y wake-y... eggs and bake-y!
I do like staying connected with friends and family when I travel, especially with parents getting older. Starlink provides even more options, such as being able to stream live TV (I was able to watch my college football team play on my HA flight SEA-NRT in the fall).
Also, how am I supposed to keep up with Ben's blog if I don't have wifi? =D
Thank you for your response Samar, I do appreciate your opinion.
Excellent news that the 350s are done! Looking forward to my second go with Starlink on my QR flight next month.
Hope you're in J and get to enjoy some Q-Suite!
I am! LAX-DOH so I'll have 15.5 hours of QSuites and Starlink.
Woohoo! This is the way!
Ben, should there be any reason that Qatar’s 777’s currently serving as Virgin Australia’s Schattenflotte would be excluded from the Starlink rollout? We’re flying back with them after Eurovision in May ZRH-DOH-BNE.
"Schattenflotte"... LOL.
I am quite sure they will receive the upgrade as those aircraft are not exclusively flying Australia - Qatar legs, they should have all the amenities as the rest of the fleet.
Tim "Tom" "Tiny D" Dunce, best known as "Tom Deuce", will be VERY upset by this news. Qatar is beating out Delta in terms of wifi availability globally. Hopefully Liddle D-bag doesn't come down with a NASTY CASE of WIDGET DERANGEMENT SYNDROME as he previously has once being Overwhelmed so greatly by IRREFUTABLE (So true!) TRUTH LOGIC AND COMMON SENSE by many great individuals in the Comments. But we'll see what happens!
@Penile, please pick better aliases.
You're wrong on this one. Tim's correct that DL (along with B6) has lead the way in the US with free WiFi. AA is catching up. UA should just make theirs free. All airlines, including ULCCs, and especially those with BYOD-only, should provide free, reliable WiFi to all passengers on all flights. It's 2026.
well, no, Kathy.
Delta has about 700 more aircraft with working high speed WiFi than what Ben says QR WILL have but then DL has 3.5X more MAINLINE aircraft in its fleet than QR.
the only person who has any type of derangement syndrome is you about me.
none of which changes that DL right now has more aircraft flying more of its network with free high speed WiFi than any airline in the...
well, no, Kathy.
Delta has about 700 more aircraft with working high speed WiFi than what Ben says QR WILL have but then DL has 3.5X more MAINLINE aircraft in its fleet than QR.
the only person who has any type of derangement syndrome is you about me.
none of which changes that DL right now has more aircraft flying more of its network with free high speed WiFi than any airline in the world.
Did you really have to bring DL into the conversation? Derangement syndrome indeed you have.
Tim, I like your Yoda-style speak.
Mmm "Derangement syndrome... indeed... you have."
I'll add: "The greatest teacher, failure is".
"Did you really have to bring DL into the conversation? Derangement syndrome indeed you have."
says the guy that brings Delta into every article comment section lol
AA Wifi article: TD -- But delta is still best
Alaska fleet order: TD -- Delta rocks in SEA and Alaska should build Delta a new terminal there
ANYTHING about UA: TD -- Scott Kirby touched me as a child and I HATE HIM SO MUCH. And delta is so much better, free cash flow be damned.
Max, but, Tim can't stop... he has to... KEEP... CLIMBING!!!
and yet Tim didn't bring DL into the conversation.
It never ceases to amaze me the people that bit78 about what and how often I write and then make comments that include me.
Some people are clearly not very smart.
and to the point that "Kathy" raised, DL is and always will be a far larger airline with more aircraft with free high speed WiFi than QR could ever hope to be.
QR has pretty good WiFi for flying over a lot of oceans and random places (as does Delta).
LOL "Kathy"...
With such a large fleet of starlink equipped planes, QR really really need to create a standard protocol on how to deal with awfully rude pax that FaceTime/speakerphone during the flight without headphones. It’s a serious problem and has degraded the quality of their business product but not allowing pax to sleep. Cabin crew are usually too timid to tell business pax to knock it off, and for some reason, QR doesn’t block voip and...
With such a large fleet of starlink equipped planes, QR really really need to create a standard protocol on how to deal with awfully rude pax that FaceTime/speakerphone during the flight without headphones. It’s a serious problem and has degraded the quality of their business product but not allowing pax to sleep. Cabin crew are usually too timid to tell business pax to knock it off, and for some reason, QR doesn’t block voip and video chat services. It’s gotten to the point where if the cabin service director isn’t able to get folks to use headphones, I sadly send in a complaint against them and the crew.
Uh oh! Robert is sending in a "COMPLAINT"!! Quick, everybody take him very seriously!
Now, Mini "MicroR" Robbie "The Dink" Robert, please understand that when yu ou sned in a "COMPLAINT" about this level of nonsense trying to UNDERMINE the Crew's Life and livlihood, that people (particularly those receiving the complaint at QT HQ) Are LAUGHING at you.
Did you know they share the complaint (including the name of the complainant) with the Operating...
Uh oh! Robert is sending in a "COMPLAINT"!! Quick, everybody take him very seriously!
Now, Mini "MicroR" Robbie "The Dink" Robert, please understand that when yu ou sned in a "COMPLAINT" about this level of nonsense trying to UNDERMINE the Crew's Life and livlihood, that people (particularly those receiving the complaint at QT HQ) Are LAUGHING at you.
Did you know they share the complaint (including the name of the complainant) with the Operating Crew and the Base Manager, In-Flight Service operational Excellence??? hmmmmmmmm? They are Laughing!
Also if you don't "LIKE" it then might I suggest you buy yourself your own plane - Perhaps a 1930s Cessna 172 is in your budget? Is this Tim Dunn mockery Accountant to slander Qatar Air ? Thinking so ! We love the widget, strong very powerful widget, but I never said that as Qatar is obviously superiority.
@Penile (using alias Kathy), what are you doing, man? Maybe bring back the 7-8 figures guys.
Are you done hitting that meth pipe? Cause if you are ill reply. So yeah I fully understand that when I send complaints to [email protected] (or whatever the email is), that it does have implications for the crew that’s getting complained about. And I do not send these emails lightly. However, if a CSD and crew is unable to control pax’s behavior leading to a material degradation of the “worlds best business product,” then I’m...
Are you done hitting that meth pipe? Cause if you are ill reply. So yeah I fully understand that when I send complaints to [email protected] (or whatever the email is), that it does have implications for the crew that’s getting complained about. And I do not send these emails lightly. However, if a CSD and crew is unable to control pax’s behavior leading to a material degradation of the “worlds best business product,” then I’m sorry, the CSD and crew don’t have any place working for QR or at the very least need to be retrained. But fwiw I’m pretty sure no one’s laughing (except for the idiot guffawing mid flight while on speakerphone).
Have not experienced this, but, if so, that's not 'great.' They really should block it on the back-end.
according to StarLink, they have obtained an EASA but not FAA STC and only for the 787-8.
That's outdated info. They have obtained FAA STC for all aircraft as of December 17th.
faa.gov/newsroom/dec_2025-notice-of-issuance-starlink-stc
Thanks Daz. Interesting reading. I didn't realize that the stc was issued.
Darryl,
the info I got was right off of Starlink's site.
and the link you posted ends w/ a "page not found"
It was a given that the FAA would eventually approve Starlink but the fuselage construction of the B787 is different than the A350 so it isn't just about the carbon fiber fuselage
Would this include QR’s former Cathay 773? They’ve been using that type for DOH-MLE. Better than the older 2-2-2 business class.
Speaking of MLE, anyone been through since the new terminal there opened? Is QR using the new or old terminal? Thanks!
The ex-Cathay planes don't have it, I had to pay for my internet ex MLE. Old terminal, old lounge and bus to remote parking position.
Peter, how recently were you there? Didn't they open the new terminal last July. That's unbelievable if QR is still all old-terminal/louge/bus by now (2026). Sheesh!!
I traveled through MLE the 25.th November and 7.th December, and Qatar still used the old terminal along with many other larger airlines.
There didn't seem to be as many people in the old terminal anymore though, so maybe the offload of passengers to the new terminal will benefit travelers of Qatar indirectly.
The old cathay pacific 777 is really starting to feel old and shows signs of wear. The seats were lumpy...
I traveled through MLE the 25.th November and 7.th December, and Qatar still used the old terminal along with many other larger airlines.
There didn't seem to be as many people in the old terminal anymore though, so maybe the offload of passengers to the new terminal will benefit travelers of Qatar indirectly.
The old cathay pacific 777 is really starting to feel old and shows signs of wear. The seats were lumpy and neither my nor my wife's seat folded completely flat anymore.
Both ways (to and from DOH), the service in business class also seemed severely lacking and sub-par compared to the usual flights we take in QR business. It felt like the crew were either holding back on service or just didn't care. Even the small cardboard-box amenity kits weren't offered, not even on request.
I still feel grateful for being in business rather than economy, but DOH - MLE didn't feel like QR business this time around. We took the same trip in 2024, and had a completely different experience.
SMS, in December?! ...sonova! That's a farce. QR should be in the new terminal by now. Wonder which carriers have actually begun to enjoy it, if any.
The only benefit of the old Cathay 773 is that it has 1-1-1 First, if you can score that.
QR moved to the new terminal last week.
All, if true, you just made my day. Phew! I now look forward to being on-board and seeing the Dua for Travel... *intimidating black screen* QATAR AIRWAYS... "subhaanal-lathee..."
Interesting there was no mention of the a380s which have the slowest / oldest tech in the fleet I believe. Going from Starlink to OnAir on a mixed fleet itinerary will be quite a rude awakening lol.
I don't bother at all with OnAir on the 380. Connectivity is poor as is the speed and so I just take it as some time to be offline.
Where are they even routing QR’s a380 these days? LHR, CDG, BKK, SYD? Was booked on it for BKK, then they switched to a350 Q-Suite, which I’m cool with, but the double-decker is just a cool experience, I kinda wish they kept it on my itinerary.
Yes, LHR, CDG, SYD and BKK. Their neighbour at Emirates is installing Starlink on their a380s in 2-3 days but no love at all in Qatar which is a shame imo.
I have committed two serious faux pas with QR bookings. The ‘Dragon’ found the A380 F cabin too open for her. As for the A350 J, my rear facing seat selection went down like a lead balloon with her.
Quite a few (if not all by now) of the 380s now have the faster (but not starlink fast) “super WiFi,” and F pax get a free voucher (otherwise it’s 10 usd)
I thought J gets 1 hour free, or something like that.
Looking forward to trying it on my next trip.