American Airlines Announces Big Change Starting in 2027
On Tuesday, May 26 American Airlines announced a major change is coming to the airline starting in 2027.
The airline plans to outfit more than 500 of its narrow-body aircraft with Starlink after recently evaluating Elon Musk's SpaceX unit and Amazon's Leo as recently as March for the honor.
According to CNBC, an American spokesman said the carrier doesn't have immediate plans to change providers on its Boeing fleet, which uses a mix of Viasat and Panasonic.
"As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want," American Airlines Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden said. "The addition of Starlink solidifies American as a leading airline in keeping passengers connected in flight."
Why American Airlines Selected Starlink
Garboden revealed the move came as the airline is committed to elevating every aspect of a given customer's travel journey, including not needing to download documents, shows or movies ahead of the flight.
"Starlink's high speed and low latency make the Wi-Fi more reliable, which matters when customers are trying to load pages, join real-time collaboration tools or stay connected consistently throughout a flight," she said.
"We are excited to bring an at-home level of Wi-Fi experience to our narrowbody fleet, enabling our customers to work, game, stream and scroll endlessly."
What Is Starlink?
Starlink is the world's most advanced satellite constellation in low-Earth orbit, delivering reliable broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls and more, the company boasts.
"We are proud to bring Starlink on board American Airlines, delivering fast and reliable internet to passengers and crew," Vice President of Starlink Enterprise Sales at SpaceX Jason Fritch said in the announcement. "Whether traveling for leisure or business, Starlink enables a fully connected experience gate to gate, making every flight smoother and more enjoyable."
The company is engineered and operated by SpaceX.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 11:29 AM.