Frontier Airlines and Cebu Pacific are just two of the latest low-cost airlines to announce their intention to install SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi inflight connectivity across their aircraft fleets.
The two Indigo Partners-backed airlines will be joined by others in the group, which will add Starlink in the coming months, including Mexico’s Volaris and Latin America’s JetSMART.
They all join Wizz Air, which announced it had signed up to Starlink back in June of this year. In all, the group intends to install Starlink on over 1,000 aircraft, improving inflight connectivity for millions of passengers annually.
Starlink, developed and operated by SpaceX, uses a network of low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet. The system has become an increasingly visible passenger experience upgrade, particularly as more carriers move towards free or faster onboard internet.
Frontier Airlines signs up to SpaceX’s Starlink
Announced on 14 July, Denver-based Frontier Airlinessaid it planned to launch its first Starlink-equipped aircraft in early 2027, becoming the first US airline to offer passengers access to Starlink’s high-speed internet through a new system managed directly by Starlink.
In addition to enhancing the passenger experience, Frontier said it would use Starlink to provide gate-to-gate connectivity for its pilots, flight attendants, maintenance teams, and ground operations, which would “enable improved operational performance and more seamless customer service.”
It added that, along with the other Indigo Partner airlines, the deployment of Starlink across more than 1,000 additional aircraft represented one of the largest global commitments to next-generation inflight connectivity.
“We’re continuing to invest in the products and services that matter most to our customers,” said Jimmy Dempsey, Chief Executive Officer, Frontier Airlines. “Alongside the introduction of First Class seating and enhancements to our loyalty program, it’s another example of how we’re evolving the travel experience while staying true to our commitment to offering the lowest fares.”
“Starlink will provide our portfolio airlines with reliable, high-speed connectivity, further enhancing the customer experience of flying on Wizz, Frontier, Volaris, JetSMART and Cebu,” said Bill Franke, Managing Partner of Indigo Partners.
Asa Frontier spokesperson confirmed that all 183 of the carrier’s Airbus A320s and A321s would be equipped with Starlink. The first Starlink-equipped aircraft is scheduled to launch in early 2027, with the airline stating that full details on just how long the full rollout will take will follow
Cebu Pacific becomes Southeast Asia’s first low-cost Starlink customer
Philippines-based Cebu Pacific will become Southeast Asia’s first low-cost airline to introduce Starlink when its first aircraft equipped with the system launches in 2027. In all, the airline’s full fleet of 81 Airbus aircraft will be included in the upgrade, and, like sister carrier Frontier Airlines, the carrier will also use Starlink connectivity for passengers as well as staff and crew.
Xander Lau, President and Chief Commercial Officer of Cebu Pacific, said that the introduction of Starlink represented “another important step in delivering a better travel experience for everyone.”
Operating one of the youngest passenger fleets in the region, Cebu Pacific currently serves 35 domestic and 26 international destinations across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. Since commencing operations in 1996, the airline has carried more than 250 million passengers across its expanding network.
The debate concerning low-cost airlines and Wi-Fi connectivity continues
While early adopters of LEO-based systems such as Starlink and Amazon included legacy and national carriers, low-cost airlines are increasingly joining the race to offer inflight connectivity to their passengers. While some are choosing to charge passengers to use the service, others are offering access to their Starlink services free of charge to all passengers.
Back in June, Aerospace Global News reported that Wizz Air had become Europe’s first low-cost airlineto sign up for the Starlink system, with the first aircraft equipped with the system due to enter service in 2027. The Hungarian carrier said the move would bring high-speed internet to passengers on its low-cost flights, marking a notable shift for a sector that has traditionally been cautious about the cost of onboard Wi-Fi.
Wizz Air has not disclosed the financial terms of its agreement with Starlink or confirmed whether the service will be free, paid, or linked to one of its existing fare or membership products.
Other low-cost airlines, such as Japan’s ZIPAIR and Southwest Airlines in the US, have adopted Starlink. However, Europe’s largest budget carrier, Ryanair, has so far resisted the industry trend of providing online connectivity for passengers, whether this be monetised or not.
At the start of this year, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary argued thatStarlink did not fit his airline’s low-cost model,saying that the cost of installing the equipment onto each of his 700 aircraft would add around $250 million to the company’s annual fuel bill.
With concerns regarding just how many passengers would be willing to pay for access to Wi-Fi for the course of a 1-2 hour flight, O’Leary concluded that the investment was simply not worth the gamble over such short sectors.
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