Lufthansa Group Goes All-In on Starlink: Free High-Speed WiFi Coming to All 850 Aircraft

In a move that marks yet another major victory for in-flight connectivity, Lufthansa Group has announced it's partnering with Starlink to bring free high-speed WiFi to all 850+ aircraft across every single one of its airlines. And yes, I do mean all of them.

If you've been following the aviation connectivity space recently, you'll know Starlink has been absolutely dominating. We've already seen British Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, and Iberia all announce their Starlink plans. Now Lufthansa Group has joined the party – and they're making the biggest commitment of any European airline group.

The announcement, made on Lufthansa's 100th anniversary (quite the birthday present!), confirms that Starlink's high-speed satellite internet will be installed across the entire Lufthansa Group fleet. Here's what you need to know:

Airlines covered: Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, ITA Airways, Air Dolomiti, and Edelweiss

Fleet size: Around 850 aircraft

Rollout begins: Second half of 2026

Full fleet completion: By 2029

Price: Free for all Miles & More status customers and Travel ID users, across all cabin classes

For those of us in the UK, this is genuinely exciting news. Lufthansa Group airlines operate a significant number of routes from British airports, particularly through their hub cities like Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, and Vienna.

If you're a Star Alliance frequent flyer or regularly connect through European hubs to reach destinations in Asia, Africa, or the Americas, you'll now have another compelling option with proper in-flight connectivity.

The key detail here is that the WiFi will be free for Travel ID users. Travel ID is Lufthansa Group's registration system, and here's the best part: it's completely free to sign up. You don't need elite status – just register for a Travel ID, and you'll get access to free Starlink WiFi once it's rolled out.

What sets Lufthansa Group apart from their competitors is the comprehensiveness of this rollout. Let me explain why this matters.

When Air France-KLM announced their Starlink plans, it initially didn't include KLM and Transavia (though this may have changed since).

Lufthansa Group? They're equipping everything. From their flagship Lufthansa long-haul jets to Eurowings' European short-haul fleet, from SWISS's premium service to Air Dolomiti's regional routes – the lot.

As Dieter Vranckx, Lufthansa Group's Chief Commercial Officer, put it: "No other airline will equip more aircraft with Starlink technology."

It's remarkable how quickly Starlink has become the de facto standard for in-flight connectivity. Just a year or two ago, we were all suffering through painfully slow, overpriced WiFi that could barely load a text-based email. Now, we're looking at ground-like internet speeds at 35,000 feet.

Here's a quick rundown of major airlines that have announced Starlink adoption:

The holdouts are becoming increasingly obvious. Any airline not investing in proper connectivity now is going to look decidedly dated by 2027.

For points collectors, this announcement doesn't change the fundamentals of Lufthansa Group's loyalty programme, but it does make their airlines more attractive for booking award flights.

If you're an American Express cardholder, remember that Membership Rewards points transfer to various Star Alliance partners through Singapore Airlines, which can be used to book flights on Lufthansa Group airlines.

You can also transfer Amex points to Avios, which can be used for multi-carrier awards that include flights on oneworld partners – though that wouldn't help you directly with Lufthansa Group flights.

I've been banging the drum about in-flight WiFi for a while now, and it's genuinely exciting to see how quickly the industry is moving. The fact that we'll soon be able to stream, video call, and work properly on flights across virtually every major airline is remarkable.

The three-year rollout timeline is realistic but does mean patience is required. My guess is that Lufthansa and SWISS will be prioritised first, given they're the flagship carriers targeting premium travellers. If you're flying Eurowings to Mallorca, you might be waiting until 2028 or 2029.

What I particularly appreciate is Lufthansa Group's decision to make this free for Travel ID users rather than keeping it behind a paywall or restricting it to their most elite frequent flyers. It's a recognition that connectivity isn't a luxury anymore – it's an expectation.

If you're planning future trips that route through Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, or Vienna, this is definitely something to factor into your booking decisions. A SWISS flight with free Starlink WiFi might be worth the slightly longer routing compared to a direct flight with patchy connectivity.

For now, if you want to experience Starlink in action, Qatar Airways is your best bet from the UK – they've already got it live on their entire Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 fleets. You can use our Award Travel Finder to search for award availability on Qatar Airways flights.

Lufthansa Group's Starlink announcement is another nail in the coffin for overpriced, barely-functional in-flight WiFi. With 850 aircraft across eight airlines set to receive the upgrade, this is the largest European Starlink rollout to date.

Free for Travel ID users (which costs nothing to register), available across all cabin classes, and rolling out from the second half of 2026 – there's a lot to like here.

The age of usable in-flight WiFi is truly upon us. Happy flying!

Jack