Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet division, has pulled far ahead of Amazon’s competing Leo service in the battle to become the default provider of in-flight connectivity for the world’s airlines.

Starlink now holds commitments covering an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 commercial aircraft globally. Amazon’s Leo, by comparison, has secured deals covering roughly 1,300 planes at most, with implementation timelines that trail Starlink’s by a year or more.

The contract scoreboard

Starlink signed 8 new airline customers in 2024. Then 22 in 2025. And 11 more so far in 2026. The roster reads like a who’s who of commercial aviation: United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Lufthansa, and Emirates have all committed to the SpaceX service.

The most recent headline deal came on May 26, 2026, when American Airlines announced that Starlink would provide connectivity on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft starting in the first quarter of 2027.

Amazon’s Leo has landed two notable contracts. Delta selected the service for 500 aircraft on March 31, 2026, with implementation beginning in 2028. JetBlue is the other customer, with a commitment covering roughly 300 planes.

Why Starlink has the edge

Starlink operates around two-thirds of all active satellites currently in orbit. That constellation gives Starlink something Amazon simply cannot match right now: proven, large-scale coverage. Airlines aren’t just buying a promise of future connectivity. They’re buying into a network that already works at scale for millions of ground-based users and is now extending that capability to aircraft cruising at 35,000 feet.

Amazon’s Project Kuiper is still in the earlier stages of building out its satellite constellation. The 2028 start date for Delta’s implementation reflects where Amazon is in its deployment timeline versus where Starlink already stands.

The shifting economics of in-flight Wi-Fi

In-flight Wi-Fi has undergone a fundamental transformation in how airlines and passengers think about it. What used to be a premium upsell is rapidly becoming a baseline expectation. Airlines are increasingly offering free or affordable high-speed internet as a competitive differentiator, and passengers now expect seamless connectivity from gate to gate.

What this means for investors

SpaceX remains private, so you can’t buy Starlink stock directly. For Amazon, Delta’s 500-aircraft deal won’t begin generating revenue until 2028, by which point Starlink could have thousands more planes already connected and operational.

The risk for Amazon isn’t that Leo fails entirely. It’s that by the time the service is fully operational and competitive, Starlink will have already signed most of the major airlines to multi-year contracts. The gap between 7,000-plus aircraft commitments and roughly 1,300 is the kind of lead that takes years and billions of dollars to close.