British Airways' parent company signs deal with SpaceX to bring Starlink satellite internet to aircraft

International Airlines Group (IAG) , the parent company of British Airways , has signed a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX to provide Starlink internet connectivity on its aircraft.

British Airways to offer free high-speed wifi on all flights with Starlink deal | The Independent
https://www.the-independent.com/tech/british-airways-international-airlines-group-spacex-earth-b2859995.html

British Airways Owner Signs Deal With Musk's Starlink for Wi-Fi - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-06/british-airways-owner-signs-deal-with-musk-s-starlink-for-wi-fi

IAG is a multinational holding company that owns five European airlines, including British Airways and Iberia . IAG has recently signed a contract with SpaceX to provide Starlink internet connectivity on its aircraft.

The deal will see IAG airlines install Starlink on more than 500 Boeing and Airbus aircraft on long- and short-haul routes, with passengers able to enjoy Starlink internet access on board starting in 2026.

British Airways announced that it plans to introduce Starlink on board its aircraft from 2026 as part of a 7 billion pound (approximately 1.4 trillion yen) transformation. Passengers will be able to use Starlink on board regardless of which cabin they are in, without any special login required.

British Airways CEO Sean Doyle said: 'We remain committed to transforming the customer experience. The introduction of Starlink on both our long- and short-haul aircraft is a game changer for us and our customers, enhancing the in-flight experience by providing seamless connectivity from gate to gate. This will be a key differentiator from our competitors, particularly on short-haul routes.'

SpaceX also reported that the number of customers worldwide will exceed 8 million in November 2025, and announced that it will purchase radio frequency licenses worth $2.6 billion (approximately 400 billion yen) from EchoStar , a US company that provides satellite communications and internet services.

EchoStar Agrees to Sell Full Unpaired AWS-3 Spectrum License Portfolio to SpaceX | EchoStar Corporation
https://ir.echostar.com/news-releases/news-release-details/echostar-agrees-sell-full-unpaired-aws-3-spectrum-license

SpaceX's Starlink secures more spectrum and airlines as it passes 8 million customers | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/06/spacexs-starlink-secures-more-spectrum-and-airlines-as-it-passes-8-million-customers/

SpaceX's purchase of radio spectrum licenses expands on a $17 billion license agreement it signed with EchoStar in September. The additional spectrum will be used to expand T-Mobile's ' direct to cell ' satellite constellation, which will enable T-Mobile customers to connect to satellite-based 5G internet.