Emirates to debut Starlink WiFi on November 23
Airbus A380 retrofits will begin in February 2026.
Emirates has announced that it has opted for Starlink’s WiFi services, with the carrier introducing the internet solution on a Boeing 777 on November 23. Airbus A380 retrofits will begin in February 2026.
During the first day of the Dubai Airshow 2025, Emirates said that from November 23, its passengers will get access to Starlink-powered free and fast WiFi, starting with its Boeing 777-300ERs, confirming long-standing reports about the airline’s choice to improve its in-flight entertainment (IFE) offering. In May, Bloomberg reported that Emirates and Starlink were in negotiations.
The first aircraft has already been equipped with the new WiFi solution. The jet, a 777-300ER, registered as A6-EPF, is currently on display at the event, allowing visitors to experience the service before it flies on its first commercial flight.
Emirates said that it will retrofit around 14 aircraft per month with Starlink’s hardware and software, and with the A380s’ retrofits coming online in February 2026, it plans to finish retrofitting its operational fleet of 232 aircraft by 2027.
“The airline is primed to install two antennae on each Boeing 777 aircraft, and an industry-first three antennae on each Airbus A380, ensuring the highest levels of connectivity, capacity and coverage across every cabin class for a better customer experience.”
The airline highlighted that its upgraded WiFi service will be free for all customers, which will not require any special payments or Skywards membership tiers.
Currently, Emirates offers its passengers three WiFi plans: unlimited chat, WiFi for the whole flight, and unlimited data for 30 minutes, with the plans’ pricing ranging from $2.99 to $9.99.
Emirates Skywards members traveling in first or business class, or if they are a Skywards Platinum member, can enjoy free WiFi, while Skywards Blue, Silver, and Gold members get access to the unlimited chat plans if traveling in economy or premium economy class.
However, the carrier’s page about its current WiFi services warned that because of “limited bandwidth and satellite data cost, media streaming and some sync services are restricted,” which should change with the fleet-wide rollout of Starlink-powered WiFi.
This is the second airline – or rather airline group – that has announced a partnership with Starlink this month. In early November, the International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Vueling, announced that beginning in 2026, its airlines’ aircraft will have the company’s WiFi solution.
IAG noted that the rollout will vary by airline, with the group saying that the final Starlink rollout plan will be communicated once it is finalized.
Rytis Beresnevicius
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