If you have ever tried to send an email on a Korean Air flight, you will know the struggle. Despite flying one of the worlds most technologically advanced nations flag carriers, the inflight WiFi experience has been... well, rather lacking. That is all about to change.
Korean Air has just announced that it, along with Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Air Busan, and Air Seoul (all part of the Hanjin Group), will be rolling out Starlink high-speed WiFi across their entire fleets. This marks the first time any South Korean airline has adopted SpaceX satellite internet service, and it is genuinely exciting news for anyone planning trips to Asia.
The Details: When and Where
Installation preparation and testing begins later this year (2025), with the earliest Starlink service expected to launch in Q3 2026. Korean Air is targeting complete fleetwide installation by the end of 2027 which is an ambitious but achievable timeline given how quickly other airlines have rolled out the technology.
Korean Air and Asiana Airlines will prioritise their long-haul workhorses first: the Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A350-900 aircraft. This is excellent news for UK travellers, as the daily London Heathrow to Seoul Incheon route (flight KE908/KE907) operates on the 777-300ER with the stunning Boeing 747-8i occasionally deployed during summer months.
For the low-cost carriers in the group, Jin Air will start with its Boeing 737-8 fleet, while Air Busan and Air Seoul will assess their fleets to determine installation priorities.
Why This Actually Matters
Here is the thing that surprised me when researching this: Korean Air only started offering any inflight WiFi in 2023. For an airline from South Korea a country where 5G coverage is ubiquitous and internet speeds are legendary this was frankly embarrassing.
Starlink represents a massive leap forward. Using over 8,000 low Earth orbit satellites positioned at approximately 550km altitude, it offers broadband speeds of up to 500 Mbps. That is comparable to or better than what many of us have at home. Passengers will be able to stream video, make video calls, play online games, and actually get work done, all at 35,000 feet.
Free WiFi Confirmed
According to reports, the Starlink WiFi will be free for all passengers across all cabins. This puts Korean Air in good company with other airlines adopting the same approach, including Qatar Airways, British Airways, Emirates, and Virgin Atlantic.
How to Book Korean Air Flights Using Points
Korean Air is a founding member of SkyTeam, which means UK-based points collectors can book using Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles. This is particularly relevant because Flying Blue is a transfer partner for American Express Membership Rewards so your Amex points can get you onto Korean Air metal.
Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing, so award costs vary based on demand. However, you can often find reasonable redemption rates on Korean Air flights from London to Seoul.
The London-Seoul Route
Korean Air operates daily flights between London Heathrow (Terminal 4) and Seoul Incheon:
KE908: London Heathrow 19:35 to Seoul Incheon 16:15 next day
KE907: Seoul Incheon 10:55 to London Heathrow 17:20
The flight covers approximately 8,860km. You can check the seatmap for this route using our Flight Seatmap tool to choose the best seat.
My Take
I am genuinely pleased to see Korean Air making this move. Korean Air Prestige Class (business class) is an underrated product that offers excellent value when booked with points. The airline famous Bibimbap is genuinely one of the best meals in the sky. Add proper WiFi to the mix, and Korean Air becomes a much more compelling option.
The only question mark is timing. Q3 2026 is still several months away, and full fleetwide rollout by end of 2027 means it could be nearly two years before you are guaranteed Starlink on every Korean Air flight.
Still, it is good to know that better connectivity is on the horizon. The Starlink domino effect continues.
Jack