SpaceX’s Starlink, an internet network that provides service via low Earth orbit satellites, left its competitors behind in-flight internet performance in the first quarter of 2025. According to data shared by Ookla, airlines using Starlink have redefined industry standards by reaching speeds exceeding 200 Mbps. The highest connection speed reached 254 Mbps. Starlink also maintained its leadership in terms of median speed with 152 Mbps.

Starlink became the fastest in-flight internet service

The low latency offered by Starlink also drew attention. Serving with an average of 44 milliseconds, Starlink provided a latency that was approximately 15 times lower than the 667 millisecond latency of MTN, which came in second. This difference provides significant advantages, especially in applications such as video calls and simultaneous data transfer.

Among the airlines using the service, Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways stood out in terms of performance. Hawaiian Airlines achieved a maximum speed of 276 Mbps, while the median speed was measured as 161 Mbps.

Qatar Airways ranked second with a maximum connection speed of 236 Mbps and a median speed of 120 Mbps. Both airlines actively use the Starlink system. Spirit Airlines, on the other hand, is in third place, but uses a different provider, Hughes, instead of Starlink. Hughes mostly provides service with medium and geosynchronous orbit satellites and only partially offers low orbit support.

Türk Telekom and Turkish Airlines from Turkey were also on the list. However, it was seen that these two organizations were far behind their competitors using Starlink in terms of performance data. Türk Telekom’s in-flight internet service could reach a maximum speed of 40 Mbps.

The median speed was only 9 Mbps. Turkish Airlines achieved similar results because it used the same infrastructure. It was shared that Türk Telekom cooperates with technology providers such as Panasonic Avionics for its in-flight connection systems.

Starlink’s rapid expansion in the aviation sector has changed the balances in the sector in terms of both performance and technology. While it is stated that United Airlines will also switch to the Starlink system in the near future, it is seen that Starlink is starting to be used not only in aviation but also in the maritime sector. Royal Caribbean has made an agreement with SpaceX to provide Starlink connectivity to its ships.

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