Airline WiFi Speed Comparison 2026
Viasat vs Starlink vs Inmarsat vs Gogo — what each system actually delivers at 35,000 feet, and what that means for streaming, video calls, and remote work.
The gap between the best and worst in-flight WiFi is enormous — from 3 Mbps on legacy Gogo to 500+ Mbps on Starlink-equipped flights. Below we compare every major provider by real-world speed, latency, and what activities each can handle. For a ranked list of which airlines offer the best overall WiFi experience, see our best airlines for WiFi guide.
A note on in-flight speed tests
In-flight speeds depend on how many passengers are connected simultaneously, your route, aircraft age, and the provider's capacity at that moment. The figures below are typical real-world ranges from independent passenger speed tests and published benchmarks — not provider marketing claims. Latency matters as much as Mbps — satellite systems have 600–800 ms latency which is noticeable on video calls and makes gaming unviable, while Starlink's LEO orbit delivers 20–40 ms.
Every In-Flight WiFi System Compared
Starlink Aviation (SpaceX)
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite
- +Lowest latency of any airborne system
- +Fastest speeds — supports 4K streaming
- +Works over poles and oceans equally
- −Rollout still incomplete — check if your specific flight is equipped
- −Speeds can drop when many users connected simultaneously
Viasat (Ka-band)
Geostationary satellite, Ka-band
- +Streaming-capable on most routes
- +Consistent speeds on most Viasat-equipped routes
- +Global satellite coverage including oceans
- −High latency (600–700 ms) makes gaming unworkable
- −Speeds drop on very full aircraft
Inmarsat GX Aviation (Ka-band)
Geostationary satellite, Ka-band
- +Reliable global coverage on all major airlines
- +Good for email, messaging, browsing
- +Widely deployed across European and Gulf carriers
- −Speeds lower than Viasat on busy flights
- −High latency — gaming not viable
- −Streaming throttled by many airlines using it
Panasonic Avionics (Ku-band / Ka-band eX3)
Geostationary satellite (Ku-band older, Ka-band eX3 newer)
- +eX3 Ka-band is a significant improvement on older Ku-band
- +Widespread deployment across Asian and Middle Eastern carriers
- +Good integration with IFE systems
- −Older Ku-band equipment much slower (5–15 Mbps)
- −Performance varies significantly between old and new Panasonic equipment
Deutsche Telekom 4G/5G (Air-to-Ground)
Ground-based 4G/5G cellular towers
- +Very low latency — closest to ground internet feel
- +Fast speeds over densely covered European airspace
- +Excellent for video calls on short-haul European routes
- −Only works over land with 4G coverage
- −Drops over oceans, mountains, and remote areas
- −Not available outside Europe
Gogo ATG (Air-to-Ground)
Ground-based cell towers (legacy US system)
- +Low latency compared to satellite (for its speed)
- +Reasonable for email and basic browsing
- −No coverage over water — useless on any transoceanic route
- −Too slow for streaming or video calls
- −Being phased out across major US carriers
What Speed Do You Actually Need?
| Task | Min. Speed | Which Systems Work |
|---|---|---|
| Send a WhatsApp message | 0.1 Mbps | All systems |
| Browse websites, read news | 1 Mbps | All except Gogo (marginal) |
| Video call (SD, Zoom/Teams) | 1.5 Mbps | Viasat, Inmarsat, Panasonic eX3, Starlink, 4G |
| Stream Netflix (HD) | 5 Mbps | Viasat, Starlink, 4G — NOT Gogo, NOT always Inmarsat |
| Video call (HD, 1080p) | 8 Mbps | Viasat, Starlink, 4G |
| Stream Netflix (4K) | 25 Mbps | Starlink, high-throughput Viasat, 4G |
| Online gaming | 5 Mbps | Starlink only (latency matters most) |
Why Latency Matters More Than Mbps
Traditional geostationary satellites orbit at ~35,000 km. The round-trip signal delay (latency) is 600–800 milliseconds — you won't notice it loading a webpage, but you'll feel it on video calls (slight delay before responses) and it makes gaming unplayable. Starlink's low Earth orbit satellites sit at ~550 km, giving 20–40 ms latency — close enough to ground internet that video calls feel natural and casual gaming is viable. This is why Starlink is a step-change, not just an incremental improvement.