Gogo Inflight (Intelsat Commercial Aviation)
The pioneer of US inflight WiFi — now part of Intelsat after the 2020 commercial aviation sale.
Provider Snapshot
About Gogo Inflight (Intelsat Commercial Aviation)
Gogo Inflight is the brand most US travelers associate with inflight internet. Gogo built the first nationwide air-to-ground (ATG) network and connected most major US airlines starting in the late 2000s. In 2020, Gogo sold its commercial aviation business to Intelsat, so the satellite Ku-band system on widebody aircraft is now operated by Intelsat under what is often still labeled "Gogo" in the cabin. The remaining Gogo Business Aviation arm continues to serve private jets.
History
Founded in 1991 as Aircell, the company launched Gogo Inflight in 2008 with American Airlines as the first carrier on its ATG network. Gogo grew to power most US major-carrier WiFi through the 2010s, layering Ku-band satellite ("2Ku") on top for international widebodies. After years of profitability struggles, Gogo sold its commercial aviation business to Intelsat in December 2020 for ~$400M. The Gogo brand still appears at the portal for many US passengers, but the underlying network is Intelsat's.
Airlines using Gogo Inflight (Intelsat Commercial Aviation) (7)
How Gogo Compares
Gogo's legacy ATG network is widely considered slow by 2026 standards — it's the system passengers complain about most when flying older domestic aircraft. The 2Ku satellite product is competitive on widebodies but is being displaced rapidly by Starlink across Delta, American, United, and others. Expect the Gogo/Intelsat footprint on commercial aviation to shrink through 2027-2028 as airlines transition to LEO providers.
| Gogo | Starlink | |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit | GEO / ATG (high latency) | LEO (~30ms latency) |
| Typical Speed | 3–10 Mbps typical on legacy ATG; 15–70 Mbps on 2Ku/5G | 100+ Mbps typical, 350+ peak |
| Latency | ~600ms (GEO) / 60–100ms (ATG) | ~20–44ms |
| Trajectory | Defending installed base | Rapid airline adoption |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which airlines use Gogo WiFi?
Gogo (now operated by Intelsat for commercial aviation) historically powered American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and most US regional carriers. Many of those airlines are actively migrating to Starlink as of 2026. Check our airline pages for the current per-flight provider on your booking.
Is Gogo the same as Intelsat?
For commercial airlines, yes — Intelsat acquired Gogo's commercial aviation business in December 2020. The portal you see in the cabin may still say "Gogo," but the satellite network and ground infrastructure are operated by Intelsat. Gogo Business Aviation (private jets) remains a separate company.
How fast is Gogo inflight WiFi?
Speeds vary widely by aircraft. The legacy ATG network typically delivers 3–10 Mbps shared across the cabin — slow by modern standards. Gogo 2Ku (Ku-band satellite) on widebodies typically runs 15–70 Mbps. The new Gogo 5G ATG network is rolling out for narrowbodies and targets 25 Mbps to the seat.
Why is Gogo WiFi so slow?
Most "slow Gogo" complaints stem from the original ATG (air-to-ground) network, which uses cell towers pointed up and shares a small amount of spectrum across the entire cabin. It was state-of-the-art in 2008 but dramatically underperforms today. Newer Gogo 2Ku satellite and 5G ATG products are much faster, but coverage is uneven.
Is Gogo being replaced by Starlink?
Largely yes. Major Gogo customers — including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines — have signed deals to install Starlink across substantial portions of their fleets through 2027. Gogo/Intelsat will retain a long tail of older aircraft, but Starlink is the clear direction of travel for North American commercial aviation.
Can I use Gogo WiFi for streaming?
On legacy ATG, no — speeds are too low for reliable video streaming. On Gogo 2Ku and 5G ATG, basic streaming (480p–720p) works for most users. For HD streaming you typically need Starlink or Viasat.