Last week, Hawaiian Airlines announced free Starlink Wi-Fi across its entire Airbus fleet. The complimentary service is available on all flights connecting the islands and the continental U.S., Oceania, and Asia. The move follows Hawaiian’s February debut of Starlink on its Airbus A320neo planes, with the setup now installed on its 24 A330s. Not only is Starlink free, but its fast, streaming-quality connection is available as soon as passengers step onboard.
More on Hawaiian Airlines and Starlink
With Starlink, Hawaiian Airlines found an ideal solution for high-speed, low-latency Wi-Fi across the globe. Starlink uses a low-earth orbit of satellites with a laser-mesh network, allowing performance and reliability wherever Hawaiian flies. In the future, the airline will install Starlink on its flagship Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet, though it won’t do so on its 717 aircraft, used for quick flights between islands.
Evan Nomura, Director of Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity and Onboard Products at Hawaiian Airlines said: “Becoming the first major airline to offer travelers Starlink at no cost is a remarkable achievement for our team, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the overwhelmingly positive response from guests who have been enjoying our industry-leading connectivity onboard.”
The Starlink announcement follows the recent merger of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. In September, the Department of Transportation (DOT) approved the deal, which included provisions protecting rewards points, service to remote Alaskan locations, and flights to the Hawaiian Islands. Tickets booked on either airline enjoy a 1:1 loyalty miles ratio, even better since Alaska’s recent updates to its Mileage Plan program.