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American Airlines Confirms Talks With Amazon’s Leo Satellite Network for In‑Flight Wi‑Fi

The carrier is exploring low‑Earth‑orbit connectivity to match rivals moving to faster, lower‑latency service.

Overview

  • CEO Robert Isom told Bloomberg that American has spoken with Amazon about using Amazon Leo, formerly Project Kuiper, for onboard internet and declined to discuss the status of the talks.
  • Amazon says more than 150 satellites are in orbit, a limited enterprise preview is underway, and a broader commercial rollout is targeted for 2026.
  • American currently relies on providers including Viasat and plans to offer free Wi‑Fi to loyalty members through a separate agreement with AT&T.
  • Competitors such as United, Alaska Airlines, and Emirates have signed deals with SpaceX’s Starlink, raising customer expectations for high‑speed, low‑latency connectivity.
  • Industry reporting notes FCC deployment milestones for Amazon Leo and points to JetBlue’s 2027 target for first installs, suggesting airline‑wide use would likely arrive closer to 2028–2029.