JetBlue Airways has signed an agreement with Amazon’s Project Kuiper to provide satellite-powered Wi-Fi on its aircraft, making it the first airline to adopt the service in aviation.
The carrier said installations will begin in 2027, with full deployment across its fleet targeted for 2028. JetBlue currently uses Viasat for onboard internet, but the new partnership is expected to improve both speed and reliability.
“With Kuiper, JetBlue flyers can hope for download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second,” the company said in its announcement. The service will continue to be offered free of charge to passengers.
Amazon has already placed more than 100 satellites into orbit for Project Kuiper, which operates in low-Earth orbit at altitudes between 340 and 1,200 miles. The network, which will eventually include over 3,200 satellites, is designed to provide global high-speed internet access.
The deal builds on Amazon’s efforts to expand Kuiper into commercial aviation. The company previously signed an agreement with Airbus to integrate its connectivity solution into aircraft during production. Project Kuiper will compete with SpaceX’s Starlink, which has already deployed more than 8,000 satellites.
Source: JetBlue