Overview
- Elon Musk said on Wednesday that SpaceX walked away because Starlink requires a no‑portal, instant connection and Delta wanted access routed through its Delta Sync login.
- Delta told Business Insider the claim was not accurate and said it chose Amazon’s low‑Earth‑orbit network for a wider partnership and a roadmap that fits its vision for connected travel.
- Delta’s plan covers roughly 500 jets with Amazon Kuiper starting in 2028, while United is installing Starlink now and expects fleetwide completion by the end of 2027.
- Musk added that SpaceX accepts lower airline revenue to keep Starlink free of captive portals, aiming for Wi‑Fi that works like home broadband without logins or paywalls.
- Starlink operates a far larger satellite fleet than Amazon today, which helps deliver low‑latency service that supports video calls and streaming, raising the risk of a multi‑year Wi‑Fi gap for Delta flyers until Kuiper is ready.