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Speed Guide 2026

# Inflight WiFi Speed: Provider Comparison

Real Mbps numbers for every major inflight WiFi provider — what you can actually do at 35,000 feet.

TL;DR

Starlink (United, Hawaiian) is 5–10× faster than old Gogo and 3× faster than Viasat-2. For streaming and video calls, fly Starlink if you can. JetBlue Fly-Fi (Viasat) is a strong second. Gogo ATG regional jets are email-only territory.

## Provider Speed Breakdown

### Starlink Aviation

Best in class

Download
40–220 Mbps

Upload
8–25 Mbps

Latency
20–40 ms

Technology
LEO Satellite (550 km orbit)

Airlines: United, Hawaiian, Southwest (rolling out)

▶ Streaming: Yes — 4K capable
🎮 Gaming: Yes — low latency

### Viasat-3

Strong for browsing & streaming

Download
25–150 Mbps

Upload
5–20 Mbps

Latency
400–600 ms

Technology
GEO Satellite (35,786 km orbit)

Airlines: JetBlue, Alaska, Delta (upgrading)

▶ Streaming: Yes — HD/4K on most flights
🎮 Gaming: Limited (high latency)

### Viasat-2

Adequate for most browsing

Download
10–50 Mbps

Upload
3–8 Mbps

Latency
600–800 ms

Technology
GEO Satellite

Airlines: Delta, American, Alaska (legacy)

▶ Streaming: Usually yes (HD)
🎮 Gaming: No

### Gogo 2Ku

Functional but aging

Download
8–25 Mbps

Upload
2–5 Mbps

Latency
600–900 ms

Technology
GEO Satellite

Airlines: American, Alaska (some), Business Aviation

▶ Streaming: SD/HD on good days
🎮 Gaming: No

### Gogo ATG

Email only

Download
1–3 Mbps

Upload
0.5–1 Mbps

Latency
200–400 ms

Technology
Air-to-Ground (cell towers)

Airlines: Regional jets (SkyWest, Endeavor)

▶ Streaming: No
🎮 Gaming: No

### Panasonic eXConnect

Declining — being replaced

Download
5–20 Mbps

Upload
1–5 Mbps

Latency
600–800 ms

Technology
GEO Satellite (Ku-band)

Airlines: American (international), United (legacy)

▶ Streaming: SD only
🎮 Gaming: No

## What Speed Do You Need?

|
Activity |
Min Speed |
Compatible Providers |

| --- | --- | --- |

| Email / Slack | 0.5 Mbps | All providers |

| Web Browsing | 2 Mbps | Gogo ATG+ |

| Zoom Video Call | 3 Mbps ↑↓ | Viasat+, Starlink |

| Netflix HD | 5 Mbps | Viasat+, Starlink |

| Netflix 4K | 15 Mbps | Starlink, Viasat-3 |

| Online Gaming | <80 ms latency | Starlink only |

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## Frequently Asked Questions

### How fast is Starlink WiFi on planes?

Starlink Aviation delivers 40–220 Mbps download with latency of 20–40 ms. On United and Hawaiian, passengers routinely measure 80–120 Mbps — enough for 4K streaming, video calls, and gaming simultaneously.

### How fast is Viasat inflight WiFi?

Viasat-2 aircraft (Delta, American, JetBlue, Alaska) average 15–50 Mbps with 600–800 ms latency. Viasat-3 retrofits, starting in 2025, push speeds closer to 150 Mbps and cut latency significantly.

### How fast is Gogo inflight WiFi?

Gogo 2Ku satellite hardware averages 8–25 Mbps with 600 ms+ latency. Older Gogo ATG (air-to-ground) hardware on regional jets is 1–3 Mbps — barely enough for email. Gogo 5G (ground-based) delivers 20–60 Mbps with much lower latency on equipped routes.

### What speed do you need to stream video on a plane?

Netflix recommends 5 Mbps for HD, 15 Mbps for 4K. Zoom video calls need about 3 Mbps up/down. Most Starlink-equipped flights comfortably handle all three. On Viasat-2 and Gogo 2Ku, HD streaming usually works but 4K may buffer. On Gogo ATG, skip streaming — browse only.

### Does plane WiFi speed change during the flight?

Yes. Satellite WiFi is shared bandwidth — speed can drop during peak hours (morning rush, transcon redeyes). Gogo ATG drops out entirely over oceans. Starlink and Viasat maintain signal over most routes but can slow when many passengers connect at once.

### Which airline has the fastest WiFi?

United and Hawaiian Airlines (Starlink) consistently measure the fastest speeds — 80–200 Mbps on equipped aircraft. JetBlue Fly-Fi (Viasat) is also strong, typically 20–60 Mbps. Delta on Viasat averages 15–40 Mbps. American Airlines (mixed Viasat/Panasonic) varies widely by aircraft.

[Free WiFi Guide](/guides/free-wifi)
[Starlink vs Viasat](/compare/starlink-vs-viasat)
[All Providers](/providers)