Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Qatar Airways First to Equip 787-8s With Starlink as Widebody Rollout Nears 120 Jets

Free gate-to-gate Starlink now reaches nearly 120 Qatar widebodies, roughly 60% of the fleet.

Overview

  • Three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners are flying with Starlink after Qatar secured the first 787-8 certification for the system.
  • Boeing’s Aerodynamic Shroud enables installation of Starlink’s electronically steerable antennas on the 787 composite airframe.
  • Starlink is fully installed across Qatar’s 777 and A350 fleets, with the A350 program completed in a record eight months by December 2025.
  • The carrier offers complimentary, one-click Wi‑Fi with advertised speeds up to 500 Mbps on long-haul routes across six continents.
  • Installs average about 10 hours per aircraft, with Qatar’s in-house MRO handling A350 work and Boeing Global Services supporting 787 fits; more than 10–11 million Qatar passengers used Starlink in 2025 out of SpaceX’s 21 million total.