German airline Lufthansa has flown its first commercial flight equipped with Starlink satellite internet, testing free inflight connectivity on an Airbus A320neo aircraft. Aviation news outlet Avianews.com reported the inaugural flight on Wednesday.
The satellite antenna is currently installed on a single European route aircraft, an Airbus A320neo carrying the registration number D-AINM. Lufthansa intends to expand the technology across its network following the initial trial.
Lufthansa is the flag carrier of Germany and one of the largest airline groups in Europe. Starlink, operated by American aerospace manufacturer SpaceX, uses a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites to deliver broadband internet access to moving vehicles and remote locations.
Fleet expansion plans
By the end of 2026, Lufthansa plans to install Starlink equipment on 10 additional aircraft across its own fleet and that of its subsidiary Lufthansa City.
Engineers will carry out the hardware upgrades during routine scheduled maintenance. This approach allows the airline to install the satellite receivers without withdrawing planes from active flight schedules.
Lufthansa Group aims to expand the installation significantly over the coming years. The company plans to equip its entire combined fleet of approximately 850 aircraft with Starlink satellite internet by 2029.
The fleet-wide rollout will encompass 10 airlines within the group. The participating carriers include Lufthansa, Lufthansa City, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Edelweiss, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti, and Eurowings.
Free access conditions
Lufthansa stated that access to Starlink satellite internet on board its flights will be free for passengers. However, travelers must complete a specific login requirement to connect to the network.
Passengers must log into either the Miles & More loyalty program or the Travel ID passenger identification system to activate their connection. Both registration platforms are free to join.
Once created, a single user account can be used across flights operated by Lufthansa and its subsidiary airlines. The system eliminates the need for passengers to purchase individual inflight internet packages.
Existing Flynet pricing
Most aircraft across Lufthansa and its subsidiary fleets currently rely on the Flynet satellite internet system, which requires paid access.
On short European routes, Flynet offers connection speeds of up to 4 Mbit/s. Access costs €6 for flights lasting up to 90 minutes and €8 for flights exceeding 90 minutes.
Long-haul international flights operate under a separate pricing structure. Passengers pay from €15 for two hours of internet access, or from €25 for continuous connectivity throughout the entire flight.
European night train expansion
In separate European travel developments, rail operators plan to launch a new direct night train service connecting Brussels and Amsterdam with Copenhagen and Malmo in April 2028.
The service will mark the first Scandinavian route for European Sleeper, a Dutch-Belgian railway operator specializing in overnight trains. European Sleeper agreed on the project with German private rail company RDC.
The overnight train will establish a direct rail link between the Benelux region, Denmark, and southern Sweden. The Benelux region comprises Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
