Korean Air will begin offering free in-flight Wi-Fi powered by SpaceX's low-Earth-orbit satellite internet service Starlink starting in early September. This marks the first time a South Korean carrier has adopted satellite-based in-flight Wi-Fi, and it will be available to all passengers regardless of seating class.
According to industry sources on August 27, Korean Air is conducting final checks on its Starlink-based Wi-Fi system and plans to confirm a September 1 launch date. The airline currently charges $20.95 (approximately 29,000 won) for Wi-Fi on long-haul routes based on total flight time. That fee will be eliminated once Starlink is introduced.
Starlink utilizes more than 8,000 satellites positioned in low Earth orbit at an altitude of roughly 550 kilometers. Each aircraft can transmit and receive data at speeds up to 500 Mbps—up to 20 times faster than conventional geostationary satellite-based Wi-Fi. The company says the service is comparable to typical South Korean home internet, enabling seamless real-time video calls, online gaming, and YouTube or Netflix streaming.
Free Wi-Fi will initially be available on Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Both types are widely deployed on key long-haul routes to the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East, meaning a significant number of long-haul passengers will experience the service from the outset. Korean Air plans to expand free Wi-Fi to all aircraft in its fleet and to sequentially roll out the system to Asiana Airlines and affiliate low-cost carriers including Jin Air, Air Busan, and Air Seoul.
The service uses a "gate-to-gate" model, providing continuous connectivity from the moment an aircraft begins departure preparations at its origin to arrival at the destination gate. Passengers can connect using standard Wi-Fi procedures without installing a dedicated app.
The move toward free in-flight internet is accelerating globally. Delta Air Lines announced it will introduce Amazon's satellite internet service Leo on 500 of its aircraft starting in 2028. American Airlines has been offering free internet on more than 2 million flights annually since January through a partnership with AT&T. JetBlue became the first carrier to adopt Amazon's service in September last year.
Source: https://finance.biggo.com/news/2dc0e961-1e3b-4f09-bc5c-7c8c0bc9e848
