# Southwest Airlines Switches to Starlink Wi-Fi for Fleet

> Southwest Airlines to upgrade all 810 planes with Starlink Wi-Fi by fall 2027.
- Title: Southwest Airlines Switches to Starlink Wi-Fi for Fleet
- Summary: Southwest Airlines to upgrade all 810 planes with Starlink Wi-Fi by fall 2027. Southwest Airlines will install SpaceX's Starlink broadband on all 810 Boeing…
- Keywords: southwest airlines, starlink, space x, boeing 737, in-flight wi-fi, fleet upgrade, spacex, low-earth-orbit, satellite internet, airlines, technology, Southwest
- Source: PCMAG — https://pcmag.com/news/southwest-airlines-will-switch-part-of-its-in-flight-wi-fi-to-starlink
- Author: Rob Pegoraro
- Published: 2026-10-15T23:38:22+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: southwest airlines, starlink, space x, boeing 737, in-flight wi-fi, fleet upgrade, spacex, low-earth-orbit, satellite internet, airlines, technology
## Southwest Airlines Announces Starlink Fleet Upgrade
Southwest Airlines plans to install SpaceX's Starlink broadband on all 810 Boeing 737s by fall 2027.
## Starlink Rollout Timeline
Southwest will outfit 300-plus planes with Starlink by year-end, leaving 500 to upgrade in its 810-aircraft fleet.
## Starlink vs. Traditional Wi-Fi
Starlink offers faster downloads, much faster uploads, and vastly lower latency compared to older satellite systems.
## Alternative Providers
Southwest could also use Amazon's Kuiper satellites or Telesat's Lightspeed service for in-flight connectivity.
## Current Partnerships
Southwest partners with T-Mobile for satellite roaming to smartphone users, but Starlink will replace current Wi-Fi systems.
## Competing Airlines
United Airlines aims to finish Starlink rollout by end of 2027 but will not cover its smallest regional jets.
## Starlink Impact
Southwest's upgrade will make it the fourth largest US airline with Starlink-equipped aircraft, expanding access for US travelers.
## Remaining Challenges
Starlink won't solve in-seat power issues, leaving some passengers offline due to low laptop batteries.
## Key takeaway

Southwest Airlines will install SpaceX's Starlink broadband on all 810 Boeing 737s by fall 2027 to replace current Wi-Fi systems.