Frontier joins airlines betting on Starlink to lure travelers

Frontier Airlines said on Tuesday it will launch in-flight Wi-Fi using SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet and start installing it across its fleet in early 2027.

The Denver-based airline is the first ultra-low-cost U.S. carrier to sign on with Elon Musk's Starlink as the company competes with Amazon's Kuiper for airline customers to provide in-flight Wi-Fi.

Airlines are increasingly turning to premium amenities to differentiate themselves from competitors. Frontier's Starlink rollout follows the airline's introduction of first-class seating and loyalty program changes aimed at winning over higher spenders.

"We're continuing to invest in the products and services that matter most to our customers," Chief Executive Officer Jimmy Dempsey said in a statement.

The carrier did not disclose the terms of the deal. Installing Starlink can require a substantial investment, running into the hundreds of millions of dollars for large fleets.

Frontier is among five Indigo Partners portfolio airlines that expect to install Starlink on more than 1,000 aircraft.

Still, not all low-cost carriers are convinced the economics work. Ryanair and EasyJet have flagged the costs associated with in-flight connectivity, highlighting the debate over whether premium products can generate enough additional revenue to justify the investment for budget carriers.

Starlink uses thousands of low-Earth-orbit satellites, which generally provide faster connections and lower latency than traditional geostationary satellite systems.