JetBlue will offer free Wi-Fi via Amazon’s Kuiper satellites

JetBlue is taking a different path in the race to upgrade in-flight internet. While many major airlines have partnered with SpaceX’s Starlink, JetBlue announced Thursday that it will instead turn to Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites to deliver free Wi-Fi to passengers beginning in 2027.

Faster Speeds, New Partner

Under the deal, JetBlue will equip its planes with Kuiper terminals capable of download speeds up to 1 Gbps from Amazon’s low-Earth orbit satellites. That speed would outpace Starlink’s current maximum of 250 Mbps, though Kuiper’s constellation will be smaller — 3,226 satellites planned, compared to 8,000+ already launched by SpaceX.

Amazon has long pitched Kuiper as a way to connect “unserved and underserved communities,” but that language has quietly disappeared from its website as the company pursues deals with commercial partners like JetBlue and Airbus.

First Airline to Fly with Kuiper

When JetBlue’s service goes live, it will become the first airline to use Kuiper satellites. Amazon launched its first batch of Kuiper satellites in April 2025, and earlier this year, the company also announced plans to integrate Kuiper technology into Airbus aircraft.

Kuiper’s Road Ahead

Project Kuiper has been years in the making and faced repeated production delays, but Amazon says it is on track to meet the FCC’s mid-2026 deadline to deploy half of its planned satellite network. Securing airline partnerships represents a major step in proving Kuiper’s commercial viability against rivals like Starlink.

For JetBlue, the move reflects both a competitive play for passengers — offering free, high-speed internet as a differentiator — and a bet on Amazon’s still-developing satellite network.