Southwest aims to be first U.S. major with Starlink fleet-wide

Southwest Airlines has opted to bring SpaceX’s Starlink Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite-powered inflight connectivity to its entire fleet, and says it expects to become the “first major U.S. airline” to complete fleet-wide equipage, by fall 2027.

The Dallas-based carrier is uniquely positioned to make good on its plan, given that it operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet and Starlink’s phased array-based hardware has already received FAA supplemental type certification on the variants currently flown by Southwest: the 737-700, 737 -800 and MAX 8.

Also in the midst of rolling out Starlink across its fleet, United said today that it now offers Starlink on nearly half its daily flights. American will start equipping its mainline fleet with Starlink next year.

Southwest’s decision to pivot fully to Starlink is a blow to Viasat. When the airline first announced an initial deal with Starlink in February, it told RGN that Viasat’s Ka-band geostationary satellite-based kit would remain in play on fitted aircraft. Anuvu’s Ku-band GEO hardware was instead in line to be removed.

Now the airline says it’s “bringing the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky, powered by Starlink, to its entire fleet.”

Supporting free, high-speed Internet for Southwest loyalty members, Starlink will be available “from takeoff to landing,” adds Southwest. Gate-to-gate connectivity is a worthy boast. Starlink is indeed available across the carrier’s route network, covering domestic U.S., Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. The same cannot be said for certain other Starlink customers.

More widely, Southwest is pressing forward with its premium push, using a media briefing in Dallas to announce changes to its Rapid Rewards program, including new Milestone Rewards that no longer require members to wait until reaching a new tier to receive rewards.

The airline will also provide a faster path to tier status for Rapid Rewards credit cardmembers, including Plus cardmembers, starting in January 2027.

It’s also making good on its commitment to add dedicated premium lounges to the Southwest passenger experience.

Dubbed the Southwest Icon Lounge network, and rolling out in late 2027 in partnership with Chase, the new lounges in Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu and Nashville “will combine premium amenities, thoughtful and local design, and the warmth of Southwest’s culture to create distinctive spaces where Customers can relax, get work done, or simply enjoy the lounge before they travel,” it assures.

Access to the Southwest Icon Lounge network will be available through a new Southwest Rapid Reward Credit Card, which will be issued by Chase and launch next year.