Amazon Wins In-Flight Internet Contract Over Starlink

Delta Air Lines has chosen Amazon's satellite internet service, Amazon Leo, for its in-flight Wi-Fi needs over Elon Musk's Starlink. The decision was announced in March and will see the airline initially install the technology on 500 aircraft starting in 2028.

The new service is expected to offer download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second and upload speeds of 400 megabits per second, all through a single antenna installed on each plane. This is significantly faster than the current Wi-Fi offering, which Delta says will be free for members of its SkyMiles program.

Delta's decision not to choose Starlink has sparked a public clash with Musk, who took to X to attack Delta CEO Ed Bastian. 'He will lose his job over this,' Musk wrote, referencing alleged remarks from Bastian that the airline did not want to partner with him due to personal reasons.

Bastian had previously defended the decision to choose Amazon in an interview with Bloomberg, saying the company offered 'better bandwidth at a much lower price' than Starlink. He also highlighted the benefits of Amazon's Prime and gaming technologies for Delta passengers.