Iberia Joins the Starlink Revolution: Free High-Speed WiFi Coming to All Flights

Following the recent British Airways' announcement, sister airline Iberia has confirmed it will offer free, high-speed Starlink WiFi to all passengers across its entire fleet. The announcement, made on 6 November 2025, represents a strategic alliance between IAG and SpaceX's Starlink that will transform the inflight connectivity experience for Iberia customers.

Through the IAG-Starlink partnership, Iberia will introduce satellite-based WiFi offering download speeds of up to 450 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 70 Mbps. To put that in perspective, that's faster than many home broadband connections in the UK—genuinely transformative for inflight connectivity.

The service will be free for all passengers regardless of cabin class—Economy, Premium Economy, and Business—marking a dramatic shift from Iberia's current WiFi offering. Currently, passengers pay around €17 for just 22MB of data, making it one of the more expensive options amongst European carriers. This move to free, unlimited high-speed connectivity is a game-changer.

Crucially, the service will be available on both long-haul and short-haul flights. Unlike some carriers that limit high-speed connectivity to long-haul routes only, Iberia's commitment extends to its entire network once installation is complete.

Implementation will begin in 2026, with the rollout being installed gradually across Iberia's fleet. As with most fleet-wide technology upgrades, modifications are typically carried out during scheduled aircraft maintenance checks, so the full installation will likely take several years to complete.

Based on similar rollouts at other airlines, we can probably expect the full fleet to be equipped by 2027 or 2028. If you're booking Iberia flights in late 2026, it's worth checking whether your specific aircraft has been upgraded yet.

Starlink's technology differs fundamentally from traditional inflight WiFi systems. Rather than relying on satellites in geostationary orbit (which sit around 35,000 kilometres above Earth), Starlink uses thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit. This significantly reduces latency and dramatically increases speeds.

According to Iberia's announcement, passengers will be able to access streaming entertainment platforms, work in the cloud, and even play online games at 35,000 feet. For business travellers and digital nomads, this transforms flight time into genuinely productive time rather than a digital blackout.

Importantly, Starlink provides coverage anywhere on the planet, including polar regions where traditional systems struggle. This is particularly relevant for Iberia's South American routes, which often traverse areas with limited satellite coverage. The press release specifically highlights that connectivity will be available "even in areas without coverage such as the poles."

The Starlink agreement is part of Iberia's broader Flight Plan 2030 strategy, which includes €6 billion in investment focused on digitisation, artificial intelligence, and innovation. The airline is positioning itself as a technology leader in European aviation, with the Starlink rollout being a key component of that vision.

Iberia is also developing "Ciudad Iberia," described as a cutting-edge aeronautical innovation hub. This suggests the airline is serious about long-term investment in passenger experience and operational technology.

British Airways, Iberia, and LEVEL have all confirmed they'll receive Starlink. Whilst Aer Lingus and Vueling haven't issued separate press releases, it's highly likely they'll also benefit from the IAG-wide agreement. The group operates on economies of scale, so it would be surprising if any carrier was left out.

For those of us who frequently redeem Avios on Iberia flights—particularly to Latin America where they often offer better availability than British Airways—this is genuinely excellent news. Iberia's competitive award pricing to destinations like Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and São Paulo just became significantly more attractive.

If you're booking long-haul business class awards, having reliable, fast WiFi genuinely transforms the experience. I've personally found myself avoiding certain airlines specifically because of poor connectivity, so this levels the playing field considerably. Being able to stream content, work effectively, or stay in touch with family during a 12-hour flight to South America makes a tangible difference.

With tools like Award Travel Finder and Roame.Travel, finding Iberia award availability is easier than ever. Now with the added benefit of Starlink WiFi, there's even more reason to consider Iberia for your Avios redemptions.

This is a welcome development that addresses one of Iberia's genuine weak points. Their current WiFi system has been a consistent source of frustration, with slow speeds, confusing pricing, and limited functionality. The move to free Starlink connectivity puts them ahead of many European competitors and demonstrates IAG's commitment to passenger experience.

That said, I'm keeping my expectations realistic about the timeline. Fleet-wide modifications take time, and we've seen from other carriers that these rollouts rarely happen as quickly as initially hoped. Don't expect every Iberia flight to have Starlink by late 2026—but by 2027 or 2028, it should be standard across the board.

For frequent flyers who value connectivity, this is genuinely transformative. Being able to work effectively at 35,000 feet—or simply stay entertained on a long-haul flight—makes travel far more pleasant. Combined with Iberia's solid business class product and competitive award pricing, Iberia is becoming an increasingly compelling option for Avios redemptions.

I'll be watching closely to see which aircraft receive the upgrade first and whether certain routes are prioritised. If you're planning Iberia flights in 2026, it might be worth checking closer to departure whether your specific aircraft has been upgraded—though of course, that's not something you can typically select in advance.

All in all, this is excellent news for the European travel rewards community. Free, high-speed WiFi on both British Airways and Iberia by 2026-2027 will fundamentally improve the Avios redemption experience.