easyJet to fit Starlink Wi-Fi across its Airbus fleet from 2027

easyJet has announced a partnership with SpaceX to bring Starlink inflight internet to its Airbus A320, A320neo and A321neo aircraft, according to Live and Let's Fly. Installation is due to begin in the first half of 2027 and finish by early 2028. It will be the airline's first inflight internet service, though it is not yet clear what passengers will pay.

What easyJet has announced

Live and Let's Fly reports that the rollout covers the airline's A320, A320neo and A321neo fleet. The airline also sees uses beyond entertainment, including access to journey information and possibly ordering food and drinks from the seat.

Will it be free?

Not necessarily. According to Live and Let's Fly, easyJet has not announced pricing and has not promised complimentary access for everyone. The airline reportedly said Starlink would manage access, that pricing details would follow as equipped aircraft enter service, and that connectivity would be an "optional extra". The outlet says this points towards a paid service, but the price and any free-access categories are unconfirmed. It adds that Seth Miller at PaxEx.Aero reached a similar assessment after speaking to the airline.

That would mark a shift from Starlink's early airline deals, when SpaceX initially insisted on free access. Live and Let's Fly notes that Copa Airlines introduced Starlink with paid access for many passengers, while offering it free to business class travellers and certain other eligible customers. It also says Frontier described a system managed directly by Starlink.

A change of position

The outlet points out that chief executive Kenton Jarvis had reservations in January. Citing Reuters, it quotes him as saying: "The economics aren't quite working for us." Live and Let's Fly speculates that charging passengers may have been the deciding factor, but stresses it has not seen the contract and cannot say what each side conceded.

Pressure on Ryanair?

The article asks whether Ryanair will follow. It says Ryanair's objections have centred on cost, including the fuel impact of external antennas, and doubts that enough passengers would pay on short flights. Per Reuters, as cited by the outlet, Michael O'Leary said in January that Ryanair expected to offer free Wi-Fi within three to five years. Live and Let's Fly adds that Wizz Air is also embracing Starlink, and suggests that Ryanair could instead wait for Amazon Leo, as it says Delta Air Lines has done. That is the outlet's view rather than a stated Ryanair plan. For a wider look at the two carriers, see our Ryanair vs easyJet comparison.

What this means for travellers

• Not immediate: installation starts in the first half of 2027 and should finish by early 2028, so not every aircraft will have Wi-Fi at first.
• Likely to cost money: easyJet calls it an optional extra, so budget for a possible charge. Pricing will follow as equipped aircraft enter service.
• Free access unconfirmed: it is not known whether any passengers will get it free.
• Choosing between budget carriers: where fares and schedules are close, onboard internet may become a differentiator against Ryanair, which has no such service.

Which routes will be equipped first has not been stated in the source material.

Sources: Live and Let's Fly.