In recent speed tests conducted by Ookla, Spirit Airlines achieved impressive rankings in global in-flight internet access, coming in third overall, only trailing behind Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways.

When it comes to reliability at cruising altitude, Hawaiian Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Spirit Airlines provide the fastest Wi-Fi.

A recent study by Ookla found that these three airlines led the pack for in-flight Wi-Fi speed and latency, outperforming 30 other airlines measured.

Hawaiian and Spirit Airlines Lead North America

What distinguishes Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways is their deployment of Starlink technology for internet connectivity, resulting in remarkably higher median download and upload speeds compared to their competitors. Among all airlines not utilizing Starlink, Spirit Airlines topped the chart with the highest median internet speeds, surpassing established carriers such as Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines.

At the bottom of the list, Lufthansa was found to offer lesser service, primarily because of the Deutsche Telekom LTE ground-to-air network constraints. A statement from the study articulated the challenges with Lufthansa’s service, also mentioning the premium brands like Japan Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Cathay Pacific and their potentially better internet connectivity options.

The findings are encouraging for airlines eyeing the installation of Starlink technology fleet-wide. United, ranked 11th, is eager to implement Starlink throughout its aircraft by 2025, while Air France and SAS are proceeding with their rollout plans.

Feature image courtesy: Spirit Airlines