El Al announced on Monday that it has signed an agreement with SpaceX’s Starlink to provide high-speed internet across its fleet, making Israel’s flag carrier the latest in a fast-growing list of airlines turning to Elon Musk’s satellite network for in-flight connectivity.

The airline said it would begin installing the service on its aircraft in 2027 and that it would be offered free of charge to passengers. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Starlink relies on a constellation of thousands of low-Earth-orbit satellites rather than the larger, higher-altitude geostationary satellites used by older in-flight systems. According to broadband analytics firm Ookla, that approach delivers speeds several times faster than legacy connectivity. The technology is designed to support streaming, video calls, and other high-bandwidth use across an entire cabin at once.

The El Al agreement adds to a rapid expansion for Starlink in commercial aviation. As of last week, the company had signed up 11 new airline customers in 2026 alone. Major carriers including United, Southwest, Alaska, Singapore Airlines, and Emirates have all selected the service, and last month American Airlines said it would install Starlink on more than 500 of its narrowbody aircraft beginning in early 2027. Starlink now operates roughly two-thirds of all active satellites in orbit and is the primary revenue engine for SpaceX.

Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, the airline has enjoyed unusually light competition and rising profits as many foreign carriers suspended service to Israel. That advantage is expected to narrow if a U.S.-brokered agreement to halt the war with Iran holds, with Delta and United already saying they plan to resume flights to Tel Aviv in September. Upgrading the onboard experience, including connectivity, is one way the carrier can work to hold passengers as rivals return.

El Al did not say how many aircraft would be equipped in the initial phase or how long a full fleet rollout is expected to take. Installations of Starlink hardware typically take place during routine maintenance and involve mounting an antenna along with related cabin equipment.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)