Flying is getting faster, and it has nothing to do with jet engines. Emirates is bringing speedy Starlink Wi-Fi internet access to its wide-body fleet of aircraft this month, starting with a plane currently on display at the Dubai Airshow. Attendees can board that Boeing 777-300ER to try out the service on the ground before it goes into service after the airshow, which ends Nov. 21.
Just as notable: Emirates is making the Starlink Wi-Fi free to all passengers, without requiring a membership in the airline's Skywards loyalty program.
The company plans to outfit its entire fleet of 232 aircraft with the Starlink technology over the next two years at a pace of about 14 planes per month. That includes its Airbus A380 aircraft, which due to their size will get three Starlink antennas to cover all cabins, compared to two antennas on other wide-body craft like the Boeing 777. The Airbus installations are due to start in February 2026.
The Starlink antennas on most planes are aerodynamic bumps on top of the plane. This photo shows the installation on a United Airlines Boeing 737-800.
As I discovered on a recent test flight aboard United Airlines' first mainline aircraft to put Starlink Wi-Fi into service, the technology feels like you're connected to everyday internet, not the often limited in-flight Wi-Fi found in most planes. It allows video streaming onto your devices, including live television and sports, with plenty of bandwidth to share.
Emirates says that live TV over Starlink will initially be available on personal devices and then on seatback screens starting in late December.