Report · 36 airlines · 7 providers · data checked 6 November 2026
Who gets it free, what it costs, whether you can stream or use a VPN, who supplies it and how fast Starlink is spreading. Every number below comes from the airlines’ and providers’ own pages.
Key takeaways
1 · Free Wi-Fi
24 of 36 airlines give free internet to everyone or to loyalty members. Every one of the 36 offers something free to some passengers, if only messaging. For 17 of them, the catch is a log-in to the loyalty programme, which is free to join.
Free internet for every passenger, at least on equipped aircraft or selected flights.
Free internet once you log in to the airline’s loyalty programme, which is free to join.
Free messaging for many passengers; full browsing only for some cabins or tiers.
Free for premium cabins, elite tiers, a time limit or some routes only.
2 · Prices
21 of 36 airlines list prices on their own pages; 20 of them list a paid plan. Each bar runs from the cheapest per-flight plan, usually messaging, to the dearest, usually streaming. Currencies aren’t converted, so each is its own chart.
Thai Airways
US$0.99 – US$34.99
LATAM Airlines
US$2 – US$12
Emirates
US$2.99 – US$19.99
Korean Air
US$3.95 – US$20.95
Cathay Pacific
US$3.95 – US$24.95
Etihad Airways
US$3.99 – US$29.99
ANA (All Nippon Airways)
US$6.95 – US$21.95
Alaska Airlines
US$8
Southwest Airlines
US$8
China Airlines
US$11.95 – US$21.95
Turkish Airlines
$3 – $25
Virgin Australia
$9.75
American Airlines
$10
Japan Airlines
$14.40 – $18.80plus a free plan
Aer Lingus
€3.49 – €20.49
Icelandair
€6 – €24
Lufthansa
€6 – €25
British Airways
£1.99 – £21.99
Virgin Atlantic
£2.99 – £29.99
Swiss International Air Lines
CHF 6 – CHF 35
These airlines show prices only in the onboard portal, or have nothing to sell.
Monthly subscriptions are left out. A “$” price is shown as the airline writes it, without a currency code.
3 · The rules
22 airlines say streaming works. Calls are where the rules bite: 15 say no, and 15 say nothing. On VPNs, silence is the rule: 25 of 36 publish nothing.
Streaming video
Voice and video calls
VPNs
4 · Providers
The number of airlines whose own pages name each provider for Wi-Fi in service. 23 airlines name more than one, so the bars add up to more than 36. 14 also name a supplier without a page here, or don’t name one.
Counted per airline, not per aircraft: one plane or a whole fleet counts once. American’s and KLM’s Starlink plans aren’t counted until they fly.
5 · How the plane connects
16 airlines now run a low-orbit link, all of it Starlink. 4 of them also name a geostationary provider for other aircraft. 19 name only geostationary providers, where the trip to the satellite and back adds about 500 ms before anything else.
SES and Panasonic Avionics also sell low-orbit capacity, but no airline page here says which aircraft use it, so they count as geostationary. Thai Airways names no provider with a page here.
6 · Starlink
16 fly it with passengers today, and every one of them makes it free, to everyone or to loyalty members. 15 are still fitting it.
7 · Complaints
Public posts about airline Wi-Fi on X, Reddit, Hacker News and forums, over the last 30 days, as of 5 November 2026. A count of complaints, not a rate: big airlines carry more people, and so collect more posts.
Airlines in this report with fewer than 3 public Wi-Fi complaints in 90 days, too few to rank. 12 of the 36 are ranked.
Aer Lingus
Air New ZealandANA (All Nippon Airways)
Breeze AirwaysCathay PacificChina AirlinesEtihad Airways
EVA Air
Hawaiian Airlines
IberiaIcelandairJapan AirlinesKorean AirLATAM Airlines
SAS Scandinavian Airlines
Singapore AirlinesSwiss International Air LinesThai AirwaysTurkish AirlinesVirgin AtlanticVirgin Australia
WestJet
Air France
Qatar AirwaysThe data
Each row links to the airline’s full guide, with its sources. Verdicts as of 6 November 2026.
| Airline | Free for | Lowest price | Streaming | Calls | VPN | Starlink |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus |
Everyone on Starlink | From €3.49 | Yes, on Starlink | Allowed, quietly | No rule published | Rolling out |
 Air Canada |
Aeroplan members | Not published | Streaming quality | Voice calls not supported | No rule published | — |
| Air France |
Flying Blue members on Starlink | Not published | Yes, on Starlink | No rule published | Turn it off to sign in | Rolling out |
| Air New Zealand |
Free on selected flights | Free | No full-screen video | Not allowed | No rule published | — |
| Alaska Airlines |
Atmos Rewards members on Starlink | US$8 per flight | Yes, on Starlink and Standard | No rule published | No rule published | Rolling out |
| American Airlines |
AAdvantage members | From $10 | Yes | No rule published | No rule published | Announced |
| ANA (All Nippon Airways) |
Domestic flights | From USD 6.95 | Depends on the aircraft | Asked not to | No rule published | — |
| Breeze Airways |
Messaging; Wi-Fi in Nicer and Nicest | Not published | Yes | No rule published | No rule published | — |
| British Airways |
British Airways Club on Starlink | From £1.99 | Starlink, or a paid package | Video calls on Starlink | Recommended on Starlink | Rolling out |
| Cathay Pacific |
Premium cabins and top tiers | From USD 3.95 | Short videos | No rule published | Can work | — |
| China Airlines |
Messaging for all, browsing in premium | From USD 11.95 | Advised against | Not available | No rule published | — |
 Delta Air Lines |
SkyMiles members | Not published | Yes | Not allowed | Major VPN apps work | — |
| Emirates |
Everyone on Starlink | From USD 2.99 | Yes, on Starlink | Video calls on Starlink | No rule published | Rolling out |
| Etihad Airways |
First and top Etihad Guest tiers | From USD 3.99 | Paid Streaming package | No rule published | No rule published | — |
| EVA Air |
Business Class and members | Not published | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | — |
| Hawaiian Airlines |
Atmos Rewards members | No paid plan announced | Yes | No rule published | No rule published | In service |
| Iberia |
Everyone on Starlink | Not published | Yes, on Starlink | Not in rest periods | Works on Starlink | Rolling out |
| Icelandair |
Saga Premium and Saga Gold | From €6 | A321LR and 737 MAX | Not allowed | May be intermittent | — |
| Japan Airlines |
One hour, international | 1 hour free, then $14.40 | Domestic flights | No rule published | No rule published | — |
 JetBlue |
Everyone | Nothing to buy | Yes | No rule published | No rule published | — |
 KLM |
Flying Blue members, European flights | Not published | Yes, on European flights | No rule published | No rule published | Announced |
| Korean Air |
Everyone on Starlink | From USD 3.95 | Yes, on Starlink | Restricted | No rule published | Rolling out |
| LATAM Airlines |
LATAM Pass messaging; Elite browsing | From US$2 | With a streaming plan | No rule published | No rule published | — |
| Lufthansa |
Miles & More members on Starlink | From EUR 6 | Starlink, or a paid package | Not allowed | Turn it off to sign in | Rolling out |
 Qantas |
Everyone, on equipped aircraft | Free | Yes | Not permitted | No rule published | — |
| Qatar Airways |
Privilege Club members on Starlink | Not published | Live sports on Starlink | No rule published | No rule published | Rolling out |
| SAS Scandinavian Airlines |
EuroBonus members on Starlink | Not published | Yes, on Starlink | Not allowed | Allowed | Rolling out |
| Singapore Airlines |
KrisFlyer members | Not published | Not supported | Not supported | No rule published | — |
| Southwest Airlines |
Rapid Rewards members | US$8 per device | Yes, some apps may be blocked | Video calls may be blocked | No rule published | Rolling out |
| Swiss International Air Lines |
Miles & More members on Starlink | From CHF 6 | Starlink, or audio on SWISS Connect | Not allowed on Starlink | Works with Wi-Fi Premium | Rolling out |
| Thai Airways |
Premium cabins and members | From USD 0.99 | Paid Streaming package | No rule published | No rule published | — |
| Turkish Airlines |
Messaging for members | From $3, international | No general rule | No rule published | No rule published | — |
 United Airlines |
MileagePlus members on Starlink | Not published | Yes, on Starlink | No rule published | No rule published | Rolling out |
| Virgin Atlantic |
Flying Club members on Starlink | From £2.99 | Yes, on Starlink | Short voice calls only | No rule published | Rolling out |
| Virgin Australia |
Business and Velocity Platinum | From $9.75 | Yes | Not allowed | Generally supported | — |
| WestJet |
WestJet Rewards members | Not published | Yes, on WestJet Wi-Fi | Not allowed | No rule published | Rolling out |
Methodology
Data from official airline and provider pages: Wi-Fi pages, help centres, terms, loyalty pages and newsrooms. 219 sources, checked 1 November 2026 to 6 November 2026. Each airline’s guide lists its own.
Free tiers, streaming, calls and VPNs use each airline’s verdict on its guide. Prices are every amount an airline lists for one flight, in the currency it lists first. Complaints come from the Connectivity hell board, updated 5 November 2026.
Cite this report
Free to quote with a link. The figures update when the airline data does, so give the date.
Kilobat (2026). The state of airline Wi-Fi, 2026. 36 airlines, data checked 1 November 2026 to 6 November 2026. https://kilobat.app/airline-wifi-report
On board with Kilobat
Kilobat is a Mac menu-bar app that gets you past the sign-in page and keeps a slow link for what you meant to do.
brew install seifip/kilobat/kilobatMore in what to do before you board.
Kilobat12 KB/s14 MBWhat is eating your bandwidth? Live traffic for every app, right in your menu bar. Catch the backup choking your call.
Hotspot data gone in an hour? Essentials blocks the apps you haven’t allowed, and updaters wait until you’re off the hotspot. The apps keep working.
Aer Lingus, Air New Zealand, Emirates, Iberia, JetBlue, Korean Air, Qantas give free internet to every passenger, at least on equipped aircraft. 17 more make it free for loyalty members, which is free to join.
20 of the 36 airlines publish a paid price. In US dollars, plans run from US$0.99 to US$34.99, both at Thai Airways. Messaging passes are the cheapest; streaming plans the dearest.
Often, but most airlines don’t say. 25 of 36 publish no VPN rule. 7 say a VPN works, and 3 say it works with conditions, such as turning it off to sign in.
16 of the 36 airlines here fly it with passengers, and American Airlines and KLM have announced it. The Starlink tracker has each airline’s status and fleet.
From each airline’s and provider’s own pages: Wi-Fi pages, help centres, terms, loyalty pages and newsrooms. 219 sources, checked 1 November 2026 to 6 November 2026. Complaint counts come from the Connectivity hell board.
Yes. Cite “Kilobat, The state of airline Wi-Fi, 2026” and link to this page. The citation box has the full line.
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