Hawaiian Airlines begins adding fast Starlink Wi-Fi to fleet
If you’re flying Hawaiian Airlines between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland, you may soon have access to fast, free Wi-Fi via Elon Musk’s Starlink technology.
Hawaiian Airlines debuted its new high-speed internet technology service Thursday on an Airbus A321neo flight from Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) to Long Beach Airport (LGB) in California.
It’s a milestone for the carrier, coming nearly two years after it first announced plans to bring the satellite-based, high-speed broadband service to its fleet of transpacific aircraft.
As part of this week’s Starlink debut, Hawaiian became the first major airline, it said, to deploy the technology. However, several other carriers have launched it or have plans to. TPG was able to test the blazing-fast Starlink service aboard semi-private carrier JSX last March, for one.
Now, Hawaiian is preparing to deploy the technology to much more of its fleet.
Hawaiian Airlines expanding Wi-Fi connectivity
Hawaiian is starting small as it rolls out Starlink connectivity to its aircraft. But travelers can expect many more of its jets to be outfitted with the technology in the coming months.
With Federal Aviation Administration approval to add the technology to its fleet of A321neo aircraft, the carrier says all of its 18 A321neos will be Starlink-equipped later this spring.
Then, Hawaiian plans to add the technology to its Airbus A330 jets. The airline says those should be activated by the end of the year.
Once all of its A321neos and A330s are set up, the airline will move on to its incoming fleet of Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with Hawaiian set to operate its first Dreamliner flight on April 15.
Ultimately, the company hopes to deploy the service across its entire transpacific fleet.
Until then, what is the best way to know if your aircraft is equipped? Look for the Starlink decal on the side of the plane as you board. Hawaiian says as the rollout happens, Wi-Fi availability will just be a nice "surprise and delight" you'll find as you board.
Does Hawaiian Airlines charge for Wi-Fi?
Here’s the best part of Hawaiian’s new Starlink Wi-Fi: The airline plans to make it available for free.
In fact, the airline says you’ll be able to connect without navigating any registration or landing pages.
And, the service will be available from the moment you step on — no waiting until the aircraft passes 10,000 feet.
If your aircraft is equipped, search for the “Starlink WiFi on Hawaiian Air” network and connect. You’ll be able to connect as many of your devices as you want.
The service should be sufficient to stream videos, shows and movies, according to the airline. This will be a welcome technological advance for travelers who have dealt with years of spotty connectivity on many airlines.
“Starlink’s self-designed aviation terminal installed on Hawaiian's aircraft allows each plane to receive strong, fast internet signals from the satellites orbiting above Earth,” Will Seidel, director of Starlink engineering at Musk’s SpaceX said in a statement announcing the new service.
“The terminal will seamlessly switch connections from satellite to satellite as planes cross the Pacific, providing an uninterrupted internet experience for passengers,” Seidel explained.
More airlines offer free Wi-Fi...and Starlink
Hawaiian isn’t alone among U.S. carriers in offering free Wi-Fi to customers.
JetBlue has offered its free Wi-Fi service for years. Delta Air Lines did the same last year, rolling the service out to much of its network and requiring only a SkyMiles number for access. (The carrier later touted this move as a catalyst for driving more frequent flyer sign-ups.) The airline plans to roll out service to its fleet of regional jets over the course of this year.
Unlike Delta's approach, it appears you will not need a Hawaiian Miles loyalty account to access the service.
Among the four largest U.S. airlines, though, American Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines still charge customers to fully browse the internet.
Meanwhile, you can also expect to see Starlink on a growing number of flights in the future. Most notably, Qatar announced plans last fall to add the technology to its aircraft, while Air New Zealand said it would do the some on domestic flights.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.