Emirates announced Monday that it will integrate Starlink satellite internet across its entire active fleet, starting with its Boeing 777s.
The Dubai-based carrier plans to install Starlink antennas on 232 aircraft over the next year and a half. Once the rollout is complete, Emirates will operate the largest Starlink-enabled widebody fleet in the world, company officials said.
The first Emirates aircraft with satellite Wi-Fi, a 777-300ER registered as A6-EPF, debuted at the Dubai Airshow on Monday. A6-EPF will operate the airline’s first Starlink-enabled commercial flight on Nov. 23, after the airshow wraps up.
Emirates said it will integrate its Boeing 777s first, bringing about 14 aircraft into Starlink’s system per month. Installations on the Airbus A380 will start in February 2026.
Emirates expects to be the first carrier in the world to operate a Starlink-equipped A380. In an industry first, the A380s will get three antennas instead of the standard two to bolster connectivity.
In a statement, Emirates President Tim Clark said the addition of Starlink wireless internet will complement a simultaneous cabin refurbishment program. The carrier is in the process of adding new premium economy cabins and enhancing its first class and business class products.
Starlink internet allows passengers to shop, stream, game, make video calls, and work on computers and connected devices with the same high speeds and low latency they would have at home. A number of major airlines, including United, Alaska Airlines, and Qatar Airways, are adding the technology in an effort to improve the customer experience and draw in travelers who increasingly expect full-time connection.
Emirates said it will make live television available through Starlink, first on personal devices and then on seatback screens starting in December.
The airline plans to make Starlink Wi-Fi free to all customers in all cabins.
