In recent times, we’ve seen most major global European carriers start to roll out Starlink. It’s happening at IAG carriers, at Lufthansa Group carriers, and at Air France. One notable exception has been KLM — however, that will finally be changing.
KLM plans Starlink introduction in mid-2027
KLM has announced that it plans to start introducing Starlink Wi-Fi on intercontinental flights as of mid-2027. The service will be free for all Flying Blue members in all classes of service, and will be rolled out in phases, though it’s not yet known when rollout will be complete.
Presumably it’s coming to all Boeing 777s, Boeing 787s, and newly delivered Airbus A350s. With Airbus A330s being phased out, I don’t expect that those planes will get Starlink, but time will tell how things play out.
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, and more.
Starlink is becoming increasingly popular with airlines, and we’ve seen dozens of carriers sign up for the service. As a passenger, having Starlink sure makes a big difference. KLM currently has a mix of Intelsat and Panasonic Wi-Fi on most of its wide body planes, so Starlink represents a massive upgrade in terms of bandwidth.
Here’s how KLM CEO Marjan Rintel describes this initiative:
“We are making a long-standing wish of our passengers a reality: fast, free Wi-Fi on intercontinental flights starting in mid-2027. This will allow passengers to stay connected even high above the ocean. The introduction of free Wi-Fi is part of KLM’s continued efforts to provide its passengers with a comfortable, digitally connected travel experience.”
Why Starlink isn’t coming to short haul KLM flights
What’s interesting is that while most other major European carriers are introducing Starlink across their fleets, that’s not the case at KLM. Instead, KLM won’t be offering Starlink on its short and medium haul flights.
Why is that? Well, KLM has just recently been installing Viasat Wi-Fi on its narrow body planes, with free connectivity also available for Flying Blue members. So the airline isn’t ditching Viasat Wi-Fi on those planes, but instead, will keep that service.
The issue is that KLM still isn’t completely consistent on short haul flights. Admittedly it’s because the carrier is modernizing its narrow body fleet, so planes like the 737-700s and 737-900s are being phased out, and don’t yet have connectivity.
Bottom line
KLM plans to roll out Starlink Wi-Fi throughout its wide body fleet, with installation starting as of the middle of 2027. Starlink will be free for all Flying Blue members, and should represent very nice improvements in bandwidth compared to existing services.
I figured an announcement like this was imminent, since KLM was really the outlier by not having previously committed to the service. Don’t expect to find Starlink on short and medium haul flights, though, as KLM will continue to offer Viasat on those planes.
What do you make of KLM’s Starlink plans?
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