Frontier Airlines has long been one of the last major U.S. airlines where passengers couldn’t count on getting online in the air. That’s about to change.
The Denver-based ultra-low-cost carrier announced on July 14 that it will begin outfitting its fleet with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet, bringing high-speed Wi-Fi to its aircraft for the first time. The first Starlink-equipped plane is expected to enter service in early 2027, with installations rolling out across the fleet thereafter.
Previously, the lack of Wi-Fi was part of the airline’s business model. Frontier deliberately skipped onboard Wi-Fi as a way to keep aircraft lighter, simplify operations, and avoid passing another cost on to travelers. But as high-speed internet has gone from a luxury to an expectation, even ultra-low-cost carriers are beginning to rethink the tradeoff.
“We’re continuing to invest in the products and services that matter most to our customers,” Frontier CEO Jimmy Dempsey said in a statement.
For travelers, the upgrade means Frontier flights will no longer be a forced digital detox. Starlink’s low-Earth-orbit satellite network can deliver internet speeds fast enough to stream movies, browse social media, respond to emails, or catch up on work, much like you would at home.
Frontier is joining a growing club
Frontier is the latest airline to embrace Starlink as competition over the onboard passenger experience intensifies. By choosing Starlink rather than a traditional satellite provider, it’s also skipping straight to what’s quickly becoming one of the industry’s preferred technologies.
Unlike older in-flight internet systems, which rely on satellites positioned much farther from Earth, Starlink’s constellation of low-Earth-orbit satellites offers faster speeds and dramatically lower latency. The result is a connection that’s reliable enough for video streaming, voice calls, and other data-heavy tasks that older systems often struggled to support.
Frontier now joins a growing list of airlines betting on Starlink, including American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines, among others.
The airline also says it’s the first U.S. ultra-low-cost carrier to adopt the technology, though its similarly priced global partners (Cebu Pacific, JetSMART, Volaris, and Wizz Air) will soon be getting SpaceX’s Starlink service as well.
It’s not just about passengers
The new connectivity is expected to improve not only the passenger experience.
“Beyond enhancing the customer experience, Starlink will provide gate-to-gate connectivity for Frontier’s pilots, flight attendants, maintenance teams, and ground operations, enabling improved operational performance and more seamless customer service,” the airline said in a statement.
That means crews should have faster access to operational updates, maintenance information, and passenger data throughout the flight, potentially helping the airline respond more quickly to disruptions.
Will Frontier’s Wi-Fi be free?
Frontier isn’t saying—at least not yet.
The airline has not announced whether Starlink will be complimentary or incur an additional fee, saying only that pricing and availability details will be shared closer to the launch.
While some airlines partnering with Starlink, such as United, have opted to provide the service at no additional cost to at least some passengers, Frontier has typically run an à la carte business model, in which travelers typically pay separately for carry-on bags, seat assignments, and other extras. Given that, the airline could choose to charge for Wi-Fi, bundle it into fare packages, or eventually include it as a loyalty benefit.
