Chasing Starlink, Amazon Leo strikes satellite Wi-Fi deal for future Delta flights

Amazon Leo has landed its highest-profile customer yet, reaching a deal with Delta Air Lines to provide satellite-powered Wi-Fi on 500 aircraft starting in 2028.

The agreement, announced Tuesday, gives Amazon’s fledgling satellite internet venture a big new partner as it races to catch up with SpaceX’s Starlink, the rival service that has deals in place with United, Southwest and Alaska Airlines.

Amazon has about 200 satellites in space, vs. more than 10,000 for Starlink, which began commercial service in late 2020, and now has more than 10 million subscribers.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy called Leo a “very important long-term investment” for the company and said he’s confident Amazon will have the capacity to serve Delta and other customers.

Leo is expected to deliver internet speeds three to five times faster than what Delta currently offers. Each aircraft will be equipped with an antenna capable of download speeds up to 1 Gbps, according to Amazon. The service will be free for Delta SkyMiles members.

Delta reportedly looked into Starlink but chose Amazon in part because of its existing relationship with Amazon Web Services. Delta uses AWS to power a variety of its current internal systems.

Originally known as Project Kuiper, Amazon’s satellite initiative was rebranded as Leo in November, a reference to low Earth orbit. 

The company has spent more than $10 billion on the effort and asked the FCC in January for a two-year extension to deploy half of its planned 3,232 satellites. The FCC in February approved more than 4,500 additional second-generation satellites, expanding Leo’s planned coverage. 

Delta is Leo’s biggest airline customer but not its first. JetBlue last year became the first carrier to sign on for in-flight Wi-Fi through Amazon’s satellite network. Other early customers and partners include L3Harris, DIRECTV Latin America, Sky Brasil, and Australia’s NBN Co.