SpaceX will become the internet provider for Frontier flights. Why this matters

Starlink internet will be available on Frontier Airlines’ in-flight networks starting in 2027, the airline announced. Bloomberg notes that SpaceX’s customer list is growing rapidly and already includes giants such as Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.

Frontier is one of the companies in the portfolio of the private equity firm Indigo Partners. Other low-cost carriers in which it invests will also switch to Starlink. These include Europe’s Wizz Air, Mexico’s Controladora Vuela Compañía de Aviación (known as Volaris), Chile’s JetSmart Airlines, and the Philippines’ Cebu Air. According to Reuters, together they plan to install Starlink on more than 1,000 aircraft.

In May, American Airlines announced plans to connect more than 500 aircraft to Elon Musk's satellite network early next year. Alaska Air and Emirates had also previously pledged to install Starlink.

The customer list for Amazon's competitor, Leo, is much shorter. JetBlue Airways became the first airline to adopt the service last September. Delta Air Lines followed suit.

During trading on Tuesday, July 14, SpaceX shares rose 1.6% to $141.3. As a result, they are now trading slightly above their IPO price of $135. On Monday, the aerospace company’s shares closed at $139.14, their lowest level since going public.

Amazon's stock price fell 0.7% on July 14.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor