Not just one gigabit: SpaceX’s Starlink is now touting “multi-gigabit” in-flight Wi-Fi, possibly to take some of the spotlight away from Amazon Leo, which has signed deals with several airlines for its own satellite internet service. 

“Welcome to the era of multi-gigabit in-flight internet! For the first time ever, Starlink is installing systems on commercial aircraft capable of 2Gbps+,” wrote Nick Seitz, global head of Starlink’s aviation business, in a LinkedIn post. 

That said, the over 2Gbps refers to total bandwidth, rather than speeds for individual passengers. SpaceX is offering the capability on Emirates through the airline’s double-decker Airbus A380, which can seat around 500 to 600 passengers.

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On Monday, Emirates announced it had completed the installation of the “next-generation Starlink Wi-Fi” on an A380, which Airbus has called the world’s largest passenger airliner. The installation stands out for using three Starlink antennas, instead of one or two. The aircraft was also outfitted with “additional wireless access points” to provide more satellite internet coverage.

The multi-gigabit support is notable, as Amazon Leo has been touting its own antenna for commercial jets that promises up to 1Gbps downloads and 400Mbps uploads simultaneously. So far, Amazon Leo has signed up Delta and JetBlue. But its satellite internet won’t officially arrive on planes until 2028 and 2027, respectively, following several delays. 

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In contrast, Starlink is already available on a growing number of airlines, including United, Hawaiian, and Emirates, which is preparing to adopt SpaceX’s satellite internet service across its fleet. Tests have shown that Starlink-enabled commercial jets offer the fastest download speeds, at or above 100Mbps. 

Emirates added: “With more A380s scheduled for accelerated installation throughout 2026, Emirates customers will soon enjoy a transformative leap in onboard connectivity with the ability to stream, game, browse, and work throughout their journey on personal devices. The service will be complimentary for all customers, across all cabins, with easy sign-up and access. Future enhancements will include Live TV streaming over Starlink, initially on personal devices and later integrated into seatback screens.”

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

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Experience

I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.

Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

Areas of Expertise

• Networking
• Security
• Graphics Cards
• Processors
• AI
• SpaceX
• Nvidia
• AMD

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