Elon Musk and IAG join forces to offer free Wi-Fi on more than 500 aircraft

Elon Musk has once again shaken up the global connectivity landscape. His company SpaceX, through the satellite network Starlink, has sealed an alliance with IAG to offer free, high-speed Wi-Fi on hundreds of commercial aircraft.

The service will begin to be installed at the beginning of 2026 and, according to the airline group, the connection will be "as good as or better" than what any user has at home. The announcement affects five airlines within the holding.

Which airlines will add free Wi-Fi

The Starlink network will reach the aircraft of Iberia, British Airways, Vueling, Aer Lingus, and Level. All will integrate the technology on both short- and long-haul routes, including transatlantic flights.

Passengers will be able to download files in seconds, stream series without interruptions, and even play online games at 32,808 feet (10,000 meters) altitude. Each airline will define its own access method, but the service will be free for everyone.

How the Starlink connection will work onboard

The network is composed of thousands of low-orbit satellites, which allows for a stable signal from boarding to landing. It doesn't depend on ground antennas, so it even covers remote areas and flights over the ocean.

Estimated speeds range from 150 to 450 Mbps for downloads and 20 to 70 Mbps for uploads. Latency is also improved, which is key for video calls and real-time services.

An alliance that will transform more than 500 aircraft

IAG has 601 aircraft and plans to equip more than 500 with Starlink. Testing will begin in 2025 and general deployment will take place during 2026. With this decision, the holding becomes the first European group to fully adopt Musk's technology.

Starlink already works with airlines such as Air France, KLM, SAS, United Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines, but never before with such a large group in Europe.