JetBlue to Offer Free In-Flight Wi-Fi via Amazon’s Project Kuiper
▼ Summary
– JetBlue is partnering with Amazon’s Project Kuiper to provide free in-flight internet starting in 2027, diverging from airlines using SpaceX’s Starlink.
– Project Kuiper terminals on JetBlue planes will offer download speeds up to 1Gbps, exceeding Starlink’s current 250 Mbps maximum.
– Amazon plans a network of 3,226 satellites, fewer than SpaceX’s over 8,000, and has removed language about focusing on underserved communities from its website.
– JetBlue will be the first airline to use Kuiper satellites, which Amazon began launching in April and has also integrated with Airbus planes.
– Despite production delays, Amazon aims to meet the FCC’s mid-2026 deadline to launch the first half of its satellite network.
JetBlue Airways is charting a new course for in-flight connectivity by partnering with Amazon’s Project Kuiper to deliver complimentary high-speed internet to passengers. While competitors increasingly rely on SpaceX’s Starlink, JetBlue has chosen Amazon’s emerging satellite network, aiming to roll out the service by 2027. This move positions JetBlue as the first airline to adopt Kuiper technology, offering a notable alternative in the competitive landscape of airborne Wi-Fi.
The system will leverage Amazon’s low-Earth orbit satellites, with onboard terminals supporting download speeds reaching up to 1 gigabit per second. That performance significantly outpaces Starlink’s current maximum of 250 Mbps, though it’s worth noting that SpaceX operates a much larger constellation. Amazon plans to deploy 3,226 satellites, a fraction of the more than 8,000 already launched by SpaceX. Earlier messaging from Amazon emphasized serving “unserved and underserved communities,” though that language has recently disappeared from the company’s official communications.
JetBlue’s adoption marks a major milestone for Project Kuiper, which sent its first prototypes to space in April. Amazon has also secured an agreement with Airbus to integrate its satellite internet technology, signaling a broader push into the aviation sector. These developments represent critical progress for a initiative that has faced its share of production delays. Despite past challenges, Amazon remains confident it can meet the FCC’s mid-2026 deadline for deploying the initial half of its satellite network.
(Source: TechCrunch)
