Qatar Airways has just added the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to its fleet of 150 Starlink-equipped aircraft, the carrier confirmed on Thursday. Over half of the airline’s 787s have the technology and the rollout across its entire 787 fleet is expected to be completed by the end of this year. That means all passengers flying on Qatar’s Dreamliners will have access to incredibly fast WiFi while at cruising altitude. It’s part of a broader widebody mission that has included the Boeing 777 and Airbus A350, ensuring flying doesn’t mean disconnecting from the digital world.
Starlink is a satellite internet company linked to Elon Musk’s SpaceX. It uses over 10,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit, providing connectivity at up to 400 megabytes per second in some of the world’s most remote locations. Last year, it produced $11.4 billion in revenue and $4.4 billion in operating income.
Qatar Is The First Airline To Operate Starlink On 787-9 Aircraft
Adding Starlink to the carrier’s 787-9 aircraft has allowed it to pioneer a new era of rapid onboard connectivity for the aircraft type. Once the project is completed by the end of this year, passengers will enjoy speeds of up to 500 megabytes per second while cruising at 35,000 feet (10,688 meters). The service will be available free of charge and operate gate-to-gate, meaning passengers won’t have to switch off during landing and takeoff. The airline currently operates 27 aircraft, with 58 more on order.
At the rollout of the service on the carrier’s Boeing 777s, Qatar Airways’ Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, commented on the installation process.
“Our commitment to rapidly roll-out Starlink across our entire modern fleet demonstrates our relentless pursuit of offering passengers an in-flight experience that transcends the constraints of traditional air travel. By providing Starlink reliable, seamless internet on board, we are connecting people to the things they love the most even at 35,000 feet, making every journey with us a memorable one.”
Qatar Airways currently has 150 Starlink-equipped jets. Over 23 million Qatar Airways passengers have connected to Starlink across 86,000 flights since October 2024. During this time, the rollout of the technology has been rapid, taking seven months for its Boeing 787-8s, nine months for its 777s, and eight months for its A350s.
The rapid, ambitious program is currently 83% complete. Up to 323 Starlink-equipped Qatar Airways flights depart daily.
The table below shows the size of the Qatar Airways fleet for jets in the Starlink program, assuming the service will also be available on its 777X jets once they arrive.
Another world first for the Middle Eastern carrier.
Qatar Airways Isn’t The Only Middle Eastern Carrier Using Starlink
Other Middle Eastern carriers are also looking to Starlink to enhance their passenger experience. In November 2025, Simple Flying reported on an Emirates project to equip over 200 of its aircraft with the technology. The measures would affect 232 jets as part of its broader fleet refurbishment project. The carrier aimed to retrofit 14 jets per month, including 777s, Airbus A350s and A380s.
Outside the Middle East, British Airways and Iberia also announced they would start to offer free Starlink WiFi in November 2025.
British Airways pledged that the technology would make its aircraft “feel like home” without passengers suffering the disorienting experience of slow or non-existent connectivity. The aircraft involved included the mainline fleet and the BA Euroflyer arm. Meanwhile, BA Cityflyer was not included. The development marked a noticeable step up in British Airways’ onboard WiFi offering. It was introduced back in 2019, with the rollout taking until 2021. Initially, only first class passengers could access the connectivity for free.
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