Fleet-wide Starlink Wi-Fi takes off at Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic has announced plans to introduce Starlink in-flight connectivity, offered free of charge for its Flying Club members, creating a digitally connected cabin, across its entire fleet.

Carrying its first customers between London and New York on 22 June 1984, Virgin Atlantic said it was founded to shake up the airline industry and that it was born to “be more than just an airline”. Among the first it claims to have introduced on an airline are an onboard bar area for passengers to socialise during a flight, individual seatback screens in all classes, a premium-class cabin and lie-flat beds.

The new service claims to create a “home-away-from-home” Wi-Fi offer, allowing customers to connect seamlessly from the moment they board the aircraft, enjoying the same quality in the air as they do on the ground.

The airline said that it is using the world’s most advanced satellite constellation in low Earth orbit (LEO), noting that Starlink offers high-speed, low-latency internet access worldwide, including the most isolated areas. Virgin stated that this makes for a reliable, fast and secure user experience through “the fastest Wi-Fi in the skies”.

During flights, Starlink will enable passengers to download and stream their favourite TV shows, game with friends on the ground, browse internet shopping, catch up on work, watch live sports games and connect with friends and family. Passengers will be able to utilise multiple devices simultaneously including smartphones, laptops and tablets.

The airline will begin installing streaming-quality Wi-Fi on its Boeing 787s, Airbus A350s and A330neo aircraft from the third quarter of 2026, with the installation expected to be completed by the end of 2027. 

“We never stop innovating for our guests and, today, in a first for any UK airline, we’ll soon have free, streaming-quality, unlimited, fleet-wide Wi-Fi,” said Virgin Atlantic chief experience officer Siobhan Fitzpatrick, commenting on the deployment. “Together with Starlink, we are delighted to provide our guests with the best connectivity in the skies, further elevating our onboard experience.

“The new service allows our guests to create a home-away-from-home experience, allowing customers to connect seamlessly from the moment they board the aircraft, enjoying the same quality in the air as they do on the ground.”

In July 2024, Virgin Atlantic confirmed an order for seven A330-900neos, completing a $17bn fleet transformation. By 2028, the airline will operate a mixed fleet of 45 next-generation aircraft comprising 19 A330-900s, 12 A350-1000s and 14 787-9s.

In May 2024, a  trio of Boeing 777-300 aircraft belonging to Qatar Airways were the first of the airline’s planes to receive Starlink low-latency satellite Wi-Fi connectivity, with the entire fleet being set to be upgraded with technology from the Elon Musk company by 2026.

At the time, Qatar Airways was the largest airline to partner with Starlink, and said the move solidified its commitment to elevating the passenger experience onboard, with plans to progressively extend SpaceX-powered technology.