Delta Will Introduce Amazon Leo Wi-Fi In 2028, Giving United The Upper Hand

Delta's lack of TPAC wifi coverage is so bad.

10 to 16 hour flights without any connection.

It actually can’t be overstated how far behind Starlink this product is. 2028 itself is an optimistic timeline. I wouldn’t be surprised if this decision is reversed to save face in a year.

Nothing on JBLU raising checked bag fees to almost $50 per bag?!

@ Art Vandy -- It's in the queue. 🙂 There's a LOT of news this morning!

Is the Amazon LEO satellite installation even approved for any aircraft yet? I understand they have two years to meet this timeline but Starlink has had far longer and is still working on 787 installation approval for some 787s

The Amazon installation would make a lot more sense for AA to do than DL. AA already has high speed wifi across their fleet and it works globally, even the widebodies with panasonic can stream -- horrible latency but I've streamed netflix on those easily before.

Don't get me wrong, I think the AA wifi should be upgraded in the coming years with the better tech but waiting two years seems less pressing for AA since AA already has high speed wifi across the fleet that works globally.

Delta has yet to complete high speed wifi on even their mainline fleet (I walked by about 4 DL 717 at a DL hub the other day -- none had a satellite receiver and they were the only 4 717 I saw) and their customers still lack wifi across the Pacific. You would've thought Delta would choose the faster installation option.

Then again, United has never had high speed wifi and their starlink installation has been news for a couple years now with little mainline aircraft installation though that's changing rapidly in the coming year.

Qantas is even worse. No WiFi on their A380 fleet at all, and only a couple of their 787's have it. For an airline that has a lot of extremely long flights, they have to be the absolute worst at connectivity.

First the A330 engine issue, now this. Bad 24 hours for Delta!

Ben's commentary mirrors the insanity of the paid UA employee fan base.
But Ben clearly needed a DL vs UA pi789ng match thread so here we go.

Once again, UA's own execs say that they do not expect to have Starlink installed on all of its aircraft before 2027 which will mark years after after DL started installing WiFi on aircraft.

Let's keep in mind that DL has 900 mainline and several hundred RJs with high speed WiFi now.
AA has about 700 mainline and hundreds of RJs with high speed WiFi.
B6' entire fleet of about 275 have it.

UA has TWELVE mainline aircraft with Starlink in service now. They will pass B6 in number of SEATS with Wifi later this year but will still not dethrone AA or DL until well into 2027.

There is no planet - other than on Wacko Drive in Chicago - on which the promise of free high speed WiFi on UA is more valuable than airlines that actually have it.

It was ALWAYS a given that someone else would come along and top Starlink and Amazon is the company to do it.
DL is very likely getting far better pricing than Starlink users and a stronger portfolio of Amazon services than Musk can offer any airline.

and the real issue for the next two years is not going to be WiFi speed or availability but fuel price.
DL will be saving billions in fuel costs compared to AA and UA because of the DL refinery.

Trump's word that the US may walk away from the Iran war w/o securing passage of the Strait of Hormuz should absolutely send terror up the spine of airline and transportation co. execs other than those at DL.
2026 and beyond will be the great purge of global airline capacity.

UA's fuel inefficient widebody strategy will bite very hard even as they pay the US' highest prices for jet fuel - on top of labor cost increases.

I'm waiting for some fool (Tim) to tell us for the 100th time how Delta is #1 at everything and explain why this is amazing!

very solid post. The 717s are getting WiFi installation unless DL decides to ground them as part of capacity pulldowns.

Nearly all of DL's 350s do have either Viasat or Hughes on it - just for pay over the Pacific.

Tell us again what US airlines offer free high speed WiFI over the Pacific. It sure doesn't include AA or UA.

and to your point below, the FAA has still not approved Starlink on the 787-9 which is a major part of AA and UA's longhaul fleet

At least AA and UA have internet (high speed ish on AA) across the Pacific. 😉 That's more than Delta has ever had.

And AA does have free high speed wifi on some of their new 789P that fly TPAC on some routes.

Try not to lose your mind, like usual, today on this article. You have a chance to NOT look like an idiot early in the day. Try to save yourself from... yourself.

the bad day is for the UA fans that have been crowing incessantly about the superiority of UA's Starlink WiFi which doesn't even exist on 10% of UA's mainline fleet.

and you also realize that UA just had a 777 that had a similar engine failure and ground fire not just at IAD but also at PEK?

You UA fan nut jobs would be a whole lot more bearable if you weren't so selective in the garbage you spew about other airlines while ignoring what happens at UA.

"The 717s are getting WiFi installation unless DL decides to ground them as part of capacity pulldowns."

So there's a "plan" for the 717s to get wifi, but just like the "plan" a few years ago that fell apart, it's tepid, at best, and not firm. Got it.

nope. But DL has led the global industry in WiFi aircraft installations and is upgrading to a new platform.

How any sane person could come to the conclusion that a 3 year headstart on high speed WiFi is erased by a 2 month completion date for UA Starlink before DL switches to Amazon Leo is beyond comprehension

and you do realize that UA tried - but failed - to acquire a refinery? It will be DL's refinery - not WiFi or anything else - that will set the trajectory of the next 5 years plus in the industry.
DL is likely saving 50 cents or more per gallon in jet fuel costs and those costs continue to go up.

UA will have no choice but to get rid of a lot of aircraft and grow their share a whole lot less given that they have the least fuel efficient widebody and RJ fleet in the US

@ Tim Dunn -- Goodness gracious, take a deep breath. No one is saying that United's current Wi-Fi situation is better than Delta's current Wi-Fi situation.

All I'm saying -- and please tell me if you disagree -- is that *if* United more or less completes its Starlink installation by late 2027, and *if* Delta only starts installing Amazon Leo as of 2028, and only on less than half of the fleet, *then* United will have a big advantage to Delta on this front for quite some time.

Agree or disagree? Can I get a straightforward answer? Please? 🙂

UNITED rising

In fairness, fitting only half the fleet maybe makes sense. Seeing as the other half would be beyond retirement age by the time they got around to them.

you are the one that needs to be able to see the world in true perspective.

UA is simply not going to have an advantage for more than a couple months - while ignoring the three year headstart that DL already has. UA is dead last in high speed WiFi installation among the US airlines that have it. It will be 5 years after DL began high speed WiFI installation before UA completes Starlink.

Yes, LEO is better technology but the notion that anyone - including AA and B6 are or will be at a disadvantage because UA finally pulls itself out of last place - is just not credible.

to answer you question, I disagree w/ your assertion, Ben.

Amazon is a far more significant consumer company and DL execs already said that DL is getting far lower pricing from Amazon - not surprising given that DL appears to be the largest major global airline customer for Leo.
what seriously is Starlink going to do as part of a cobrand relationship with UA or any other Starlink customer?

Don't try so hard to stir up a controversy, Ben.

you clearly mean their baggage mishandling rate and fuel expenses

you also realize that Viasat has said that it is launching a hybrid LEO/HEO solution?

Apparently you and Ben don't realize that DL is using multiple suppliers and their decision not to give all of their business to Amazon is because other suppliers might be able to also provide a high speed solution.

and, yes, DL is retiring aircraft including the 767s. UA, OTOH, has dozens of airplanes - 319s, 320s, and 777s parked because they can't get parts for them.

I'm sure Starlink does wonders for the customer service on those parked aircraft.

TD out here commenting on early morning posts before his Haldol kicks in...

DL flyers don't need wi-fi. You have plenty of time to get caught up on email while you're standing in line to get in to the Sky Club.

I've had a couple cups of coffee and have been awake for hours.

You clearly don't want to hear the reality that trying to pit this as UA gains an advantage is a fool's errand.

UA has talked endlessly about its high speed WiFi for years and yet still has far less than 5% of its mainline fleet w/ it.
This isn't just about DL. It is about how far UA is behind DL, AA and B6. AS/HA and WN could have as many or higher percentages of aircraft with hi speed WiFi as UA.
the advantage that makes for fast rollout for Starlink works for other customers too.
Leo is undoubtedly using the same or better technology.

There simply is no more than a couple month advantage. To somehow think that any airline that had a multi-year headstart will be at a disadvantage is just plain silly.

and the biggest issue for the next 2 years and beyond will be fuel costs, not WiFi and not AVOD.

DL has a distinct fuel cost advantage that will put even more distance between itself and other carriers, esp. UA which pays the most per gallon for jet fuel of the big 4.

You were the one that made comments about fleet age while failing to realize that it is UA that has held onto old aircraft so it could grow and now not only are old, fuel inefficient aircraft a liability but capacity will have to be cut to support higher costs.
UA's post covid strategy doesn't and won't work - but some people will focus on a couple months worth of a supposed advantage while ignoring billions of dollars of real differences.

@ Tim Dunn -- Can you expand on how there won't be an advantage for more than a couple of months? Off what assumption does that go?

If Leo works reliably, then no one really cares what brand/service provider it is. Whether we're helping Jeff or Elon become a trillionaire doesn't make it better or worse either.

Delta (and jetBlue) have been ahead of American, Alaska, United, etc. in that DL and B6 have provided free WiFi on most aircraft for years, while the others are still catching-up. Facts.

OOF!

Well played, Jerry, well played indeed.

Congrats to UA for taking the title of "industry leader" from DL. Been a great week for Kirby & co.

I do believe that your “Haldol” jibe has been used before Scudder. Are you simply parroting yourself or is it one of your own antipsychotic drugs?
Would luv to know darlink …. 😉

One does so enjoy DL articles Ben, many thanks.

the day that you cover a story on WiFi and ACCURATELY note how far UA is behind not just DL but also AA and B6 will be the day that we will believe you to be independent and credible and not just like another paid mouthpiece for UA.

Please let us know how this supposed advantage for UA will play out when you clearly don't know how WiFi is rapidly evolving and other carriers including DL are upping their game just as UA is.

and while you are at it, quantity the disadvantage that UA has not just to DL but also AA and B6 and soon WN and AS/HA.

and since you love to cherrypick some point in the future and project what will happen with one company but not be capable of doing the same thing for other companies - including AA, B6 and WN - let us know how fuel prices will impact each airline - and then tell us why the difference in HEO vs LEO internet for PERHAPS a couple months (again, other airlines have multiple WiFi providers that are also working on high speed solutions) matters more than high fuel prices.

Thank you for your attention to his matter, Ben.

so totally true.

and the notion that LEO WiFi that doesn't exist on 90% of an airline's fleet but MAY someday compared to 90% of HEO WiFi that DOES EXIST on other airlines - and will be improved - is beyond laughable.

What a tremendous own goal by Delta. I can't see this ending well for them.

Wow, I can’t believe that something that is objectively an advantage for UA over DL in the not too distant future leads to such an emotional discussion. DL, AA, UA, etc. are ultimately just brand names - as customers or investors, you go with the one that provides the best value for money.

While DL still has an edge in many areas, as aviation geeks it’s pretty impressive how United has not only closed the gap but in some areas even surpassed DL from a customer perspective in a relative short amount of time.

In terms of financial results, DL still leads, but over time a superior product tends to translate into superior financial performance - which, between the three, makes UA a very interesting investment.

Wow, this has got to be one of your top 5 mental mentdowns here on OMAAT. I trust that you haven’t seeked treatment yet. Please do. You will live a much happier life.

It's incredibly impressive; and a refreshing change.

except UA has no advantage.

It is fourth out of all US airlines in CURRENT free high speed WiFI and you cling to the notion that UA will jump to first place - in 21 months.

Multiple airlines including AA, AS and WN have announced substantial additions to their WiFi offerings even as DL continues to roll out its FIRST GENERATION of high speed WiFi and plans for its SECOND GENERATION of high speed WIFI.

The day you and others talk about the DISADVANTAGE that UA has now will be the day we take you seriously when you talk about an advantage that MIGHT happen for a few months at some point in the future.

oh, and tell us the leadership that is involved in UA having the absolute last baggage handling among all US airlines for 2025

the only mental breakdowns are from those that thought UA ever would have an advantage.

UA at BEST was going to catch up to DL, AA, B6 and even AA/AS.

WN is going to have high speed WiFi on half or more of its fleet within a year.

It is beyond delusional for anyone to see UA as anything other than catching up w/ an amenity that other airlines are much further along deploying than UA

Is there a reason you you needed to personally attack Ben and say all this in such an aggressive tone? Like, just practically, if your goal is actually to convince people of your perspective, this is definitely not how to do it.

@Ben, maybe a trigger warning for TD’s sake would have been good. Poor guy is spiralling so early in the day LOL!

@Tim, no more coffee for you today gurl! Maybe some meditation, a spa day, a good book, medication?

Hi Tim. I think it's time for a time out. See you later.

Tim, with respect, comparing HEO (GEO, really) to LEO is comparing apples to oranges. The low latency advantage gained by LEO is huge and can't be understated. Available bandwidth is also significantly increased. Any airline not putting in an LEO solution today is being left behind. I don't have a horse in this race but United and any other airline pushing a LEO strategy right now is leapfrogging their competition. Airlines continuing to put in GEO solutions today are putting in "old" tech.

Well, my morning has been made. I was hoping to see some unhinged DL fanboy posts and boy did they deliver! Here's the real truth bomb about this decision by Delta:

First, they have to wait until 2028 because that's the point at which Amazon is projecting LEO to actually provide global coverage. They're nowhere near the capacity, breadth, and coverage that Starlink has spent a decade building. and Oh by the way, Starlink already has a better product than what LEO is bringing to market, so giving them another 18 months to iterate and innovate on it just means that whatever LEO ends up being in gen-1, will still be behind Starlink. Second, Amazon LEO likely approached DL with a sweetheart deal along with a specific set of marketing and publicity requirements, to which DL agreed. Third, every DL aircraft type will now need an Amazon LEO STC, and since no other large scale US airline is doing that (potentially lengthy) work, this will add even more time to the 2028 date. Fourth (conjecture on my part), DL didn't want to give business to an Elon Musk related entity due to the perceived political connection to President Trump.

All of that to say, DL is in a difficult position here, but I feel no empathy. ViaSat was the leader for sure, and when it comes to HEO, essentially still is, even with the issues they suffered with ViaSat-3 F1. They deliver a relatively good product on aged technology and approach. However, there are absolutely shortcomings including the distinct lack of sufficient Pacific Ocean coverage. Delta could either have ponied up to Starlink and had an aggressive rollout timeline for this new kit. However, it seems they took into account an up 12-18 months of useful lifespan on its current ViaSat kit that it may not have made sense to do so. Conversely, they could gamble that Amazon will actually deliver on their timline, capacity, and coverage, while eventually falling to the 3rd spot among US carriers when it comes to Wifi, sometime in mid-2027. They've chosen the latter, and so here we are.

“ nope. But DL has led the global industry in WiFi aircraft installations”

No. They haven’t. AA has, by a very wide margin. AA has had it installed for years now. Delta still does not. United has a plan for full high speed starlink likely before delta even gets high speed WiFi globally and on just their mainline fleet.

all of that keyboard banging and you can't accept that years of HEO internet on 900 aircraft is and always will be superior to the promise of Starlink - which actually exists on about 10 mainline aircraft in UA's fleet right now

Tell us the advantage that UA will have when it FINALLY gets Starlink on its fleet in 21 months at the same time you talk about the disadvantage they have not just to DL but also AA and B6 right now and AS/HA and WN within months.

The only people that are unhinged are those that can't stand to admit that it is UA that is at a disadvantage and MIGHT get to parity with the rest of the industry in a couple years.

So, UA has more Starlink than Delta has transpac wifi. Seems like United is winning to me.

Besides, Delta is arrogant and neve truly been premium. If they could remove their nose from the air for a second, they may notice United blowing past them.

I'm saying it. A transpacific flight with no wifi in 2026 is pathetic. United has free wifi that works great on transpacs, while Delta has NOTHING.

It is freaking bizarre and amazing that you and others, continue to sing the praises of and use the services of that fascist and continuing to enrich him. Some of you are so strange.

Good on DL for not using star link.

Tim: consumers don’t value “years of install history,” they value what they experience when they sit down today and tomorrow.

The reality is simple:
UA is behind today, but they’ve chosen the platform that is scaling faster, has more global capacity, and will be fleetwide sooner than DL’s next-gen solution even starts. When Starlink is broadly deployed, the experience gap flips — and it won’t be theoretical, it’ll be something passengers notice immediately.

That’s the difference: you’re arguing installed base; I’m talking about end-state product and timeline convergence, which is what actually drives preference.

And if we’re being honest, calling Starlink “a promise” in 2026 while defending Gogo/ViaSat as a long-term advantage is… a pretty bold hill to plant a flag on.

Tim, in the not-so-distant future, UA will acquire B6, and DL will be further behind UA than it already is in NYC.

Apparently Delta is betting on D win next time, so Starlink and everything connected to Musk gets slaughtered.

UA simply doesn't even compete with AS/HA in number of mainline aircraft installed w/ free high speed WiFi.

whether UA succeeds or not has nothing to do with whether AF and QR add Starlink or not. The fact that you even think that UA will live or die based on AF and QR is laughable.

Amazon is a proven technology company. They have satellites in orbit now. DL is giving them the financial boost to keep going.
Amazon is simply a far better and diverse consumer company than Starlink.
DL isn't staking its future on Leo alone. They have other WiFi on their aircraft NOW.
Leo will be DL's SECOND GENERATION of high speed WiFi while other airlines are still working to get their first generation installed and working.

The entire industry will be at the same place at end state. you and Ben just happen to cherrypick a date that you think represents end state while ignoring the years of history that multiple airlines - including DL - have with free high speed WiFi.

Just tell us, Matt, what the advantages is that UA will have for the 2 months while also telling us that UA was not at a disadvantage for the past three years as well as the next year for not having fleet wide high speed WiFI.

It is all an invention of your head. WiFi is an important amenity but you and no one else can quantify the value for NOT having it - which would be a far greater liabiity to UA NOW and for the past few years - than any potential gain for having faster WiFi for a couple months - if even that.

@ Tim -- What do you mean "pay for it over the Pacific." Delta has ZERO COVERAGE over the Pacific, so exactly how will paying help you connect to nonexistent wifi?

According to LinkedIn before retiring Tim Dunn was an Information Technologies Analyst at Delta Air Lines for more than 30 years.

according to real facts, you have no clue

All I know is that when I sit my rear down in a 717 I have to pay for crap-ass internet and that ain’t changing soon. What I also know is that those 717s aren’t being retired for a while, despite DL’s prior statements to the contrary.

What exactly isn't correct?

DL has installed Hughes WiFi on at least one 717 and it is operating.

The question is if DL waited to complete the installations because this news was coming or if they intend to retire the fleet given high fuel prices.

If AA and UA get to 100% free high speed WiFi and DL hasn't figured out a solution to the 717s, then you can come back and crow.

Otherwise, you are just highlighting one deficiency in DL's WiFi program while ignoring 16 items in other airlines' fleets.

whether you even have the right person

newsflash. I have had multiple identities "assigned" to me as part of internet conversations and not one has been right

Tim you've publicly stated that the "according to the real facts, you have no clue" in response to my post that you worked for Delta for over 30 years.

So let me put the question to you more simply. Either at one time you worked for Delta or you have never done so. Which is it?

Fair enough. So at some point in your life you worked for Delta or you didn't, which is it?

i mean look, i have been rooting for DL for a long time, but i think anyone honest will have to acknowledge that 2026 is clearly just not their year - might be good for them in the long term, though, if they take it seriously and make leadership changes

Cause Timmy D is a cunt

really?
2026 has just started

and the refinery and DL's ability to control fuel costs will matter far more than any other factor.

DL's fuel bill will very likely be $1 billion less because of the refinery.

The C Suites at airlines are not preoccupied with who gets to free LEO WiFi this year but how to pay the enormous fuel bills which weren't on their radar 2 months ago.

the facts are either right or they are not.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to be able to sort thru the BS that is spewed on social media.

Some people simply can't stand that I cut through that crap and get to the real issue - which is that there cannot be an advantage for UA for a couple months when they MIGHT get to an all LEO WiFi fleet unless they are at a much larger disadvantage now.

So which is it, Steve? Is UA at a massive disadvantage now or will they gain a very small advantage for a very short period of time in the future?

Delta boasts 163M SkyMiles members have used free wifi since inception. Another one of Joseph and the Cuck Boy's lies coming from the SkyMiles department. There are less than 25M active members. Keep Lying, Joe!

my apologies Tim, i of course didn't mean to bother you with that analysis - like i said, we're both on the same team rooting for them and trying to analyze things as clear-eyed as possible, so hopefully they just take the lesson from this and make the painful but necessary decisions about leadership that they've been putting off until now

Oh, please.....silly comment

Delta still has WiFi. Your article is misleading and overly negative.

My goodness, Tim Dunn really needs to pop a Xanax at this point. Unhinged. It seems like he’s defending his family member almost.

Given the security and privacy issues with Starlink, I'm happy to wait for Amazon's Leo.

99% of United's entire express fleet, with the exception of the 145s and CRJ200's (they've never had WiFi as they operate mostly very short routes) has Starlink. All the 175s and CRJ550s, which is the overwhelming majority of the UA Express fleet. That's quite an advantage for UA's regional ops over DL Connection, I'd say.

I got a lot of reading done to and from Sydney. Not ideal, but at least I knew and could plan. Meanwhile, Condor's wifi was unusable, screwing with an entire day of planned work.