Lufthansa deploys Starlink internet on flight to Rome
On 19 August 2026, Lufthansa operated its first flight with the new high-speed Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi powered by Starlink, on route LH234 from Frankfurt to Rome. The aircraft used was an Airbus A320neo registered D-AINM, the first aircraft in the entire Lufthansa Group fleet equipped with this technology.
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Flight LH234 took off at 12:15 and the system was activated at an altitude of 10,000 metres. The onboard connection was switched on personally by Jens Ritter, CEO of Lufthansa Airlines. Since this flight, D-AINM has been operating with the new technology in regular scheduled service as the first aircraft in Lufthansa's entire fleet.
- Date of first flight
- 19 August 2026
- Route
- Frankfurt – Rome
- Flight number
- LH234
- Aircraft type
- Airbus A320neo
- Registration
- D-AINM
- Departure time
- 12:15
- Activation altitude
- 10,000 m
Jens Ritter said Lufthansa is investing more in its passengers than ever before – in new aircraft, services, a broader onboard offering and modern technology. According to him, Starlink is meant to provide the fastest connectivity from take-off to landing, over oceans and deserts, on short and long routes alike, and he called the launch of the service another milestone in Lufthansa's modernisation.
Rollout plan
- By the end of 2026, up to another two dozen – more precisely up to ten – A320 family aircraft at Lufthansa and Lufthansa City Airlines are set to receive this technology.
- Installation is taking place mainly at Lufthansa Technik in Berlin and is combined with planned technical aircraft downtimes.
- Other airlines within the Lufthansa Group are also due to be equipped with Starlink technology soon.
- By 2029, roughly 850 aircraft across all of the group's airlines are expected to be fitted with Starlink.
Lufthansa Group states that thanks to this large-scale rollout it will become the largest airline group in Europe with modern high-speed internet connectivity on board. The aim of the broad rollout is to offer passengers a consistently high-quality online experience in flight across all its airlines.
The new Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi lets passengers browse the internet and also offers supplementary information about destinations, about the Lufthansa Group, and access to a wide range of digital magazines. In the future, passengers are also expected to gain access to further information and service offerings related directly to their flight. The portal also includes terms of use applicable to all passengers.
The new Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi service is sponsored by Mastercard, which was also a partner of the previous FlyNet connectivity. The service is free for all Miles & More members and Travel ID users, across all travel classes.
Anyone interested can follow the progress of equipping the Lufthansa fleet with Starlink technology, as well as the specific aircraft D-AINM, at map.flights.