In recent times, we’ve seen many airlines announce their intent to introduce Starlink Wi-Fi. In early 2026, Lufthansa Group revealed plans to roll out this service. There’s now a positive update, as the first aircraft with Starlink will enter service very shortly. However, expect for it to take years before all Lufthansa Group flights are fitted with the service (which the company somehow describes as an “ambitious project timeline,” perhaps true only in comparison to the Allegris rollout).
Starlink coming to Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, ITA, etc.
Lufthansa Group plans to introduce free Starlink Wi-Fi across all planes on all member airlines. So this includes 850+ planes, including those belonging to Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Eurowings, Air Dolomiti, Edelweiss, etc. Starlink will be free for all passengers who have a Miles & More Travel ID, which is free to register for.
Starlink Wi-Fi rollout will be starting very shortly — the first Lufthansa Airbus A320neo with Starlink will enter service as of August 19, 2026, and I believe it’s the plane with the registration code D-AINM. So it sounds like the initial focus is on the regional Lufthansa fleet, which isn’t too surprising.
The catch is that the rollout of this service across member airlines won’t be completed until some point in 2029, and that’s a best case scenario timeline. Beyond the initial rollout, it’s anyone’s guess the order in which planes will receive the service, so all we can do is speculate.
Starlink is known for its high-speed, low-latency broadband internet, and the service will be offered gate to gate. Starlink Wi-Fi will allow 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 dozens of airlines have now committed to the service. I’ve had several flights with Starlink, and as someone who values inflight connectivity, I find this to be a game changer.
Here’s how Lufthansa Group Chief Commercial Officer Dieter Vranckx describes this development:
“I am excited to announce the launch of the new Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi on board our Group aircraft. With it, we’re making high-speed internet an integral part of the travel experience – across all travel classes and on all Lufthansa Group airlines: That is how we understand premium. By 2029, all of the Group’s approximately 850 aircraft will be equipped with the technology. Our product promise doesn’t end with the seats or the menu – today, connectivity is also an integral part of a truly outstanding onboard experience.”
This is great news, but we’ll have to be patient
Admittedly Lufthansa Group was the last of the “big three” European airline groups to announce plans to roll out Starlink Wi-Fi. However, what makes Lufthansa Group special here is that the company is rolling out Starlink across all airlines and fleets.
That’s different than Air France-KLM (where it’s not planned for KLM or Transavia, as of now) or IAG (where it’s not planned for Vueling, as of now). So it’s nice to see that Lufthansa Group is planning this level of consistency.
Admittedly a lot of patience will be required, as the rollout is expected to take over three years. My hope at least is that Lufthansa Group works through each airline pretty quickly, to create some consistency.
One would think the priority will be the two “flagship” airlines, Lufthansa and SWISS, since that’s where the company is most hoping to compete among premium customers. At the same time, those are also the airlines that currently have the best Wi-Fi systems. Meanwhile carriers like Brussels Airlines don’t offer Wi-Fi at all, so are really most in need of connectivity, but also don’t really have premium positioning.
Bottom line
Lufthansa Group has plans to roll out free Starlink Wi-Fi across airlines, so that includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, ITA, Eurowings, Edelweiss, etc. The service will be introduced on the first plane (a Lufthansa Airbus A320neo) as of August 19, 2026, with rollout expected to be completed by some point in 2029… hopefully.
While Lufthansa Group is the last of the “big three” European carriers to announce Starlink plans, the company is unique for intending to introduce the service across all carriers.
What do you make of Lufthansa Group’s Starlink announcement?
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