Amazon (AMZN) Strikes Delta Partnership for Leo Satellite Internet to Challenge Starlink

Key Highlights

• Delta Air Lines will install Amazon’s Leo satellite internet on 500 aircraft beginning in 2028
• Amazon has now secured two major airline partnerships, following its 2027 JetBlue agreement
• The service delivers download speeds reaching 1 Gbps with uploads at 400 Mbps
• Amazon deployed 214 satellites beginning April 2025, with over 20 additional launches scheduled this year
• SpaceX’s Starlink maintains a commanding lead with more than 10,000 operational satellites since 2019

On Tuesday, Amazon revealed a partnership with Delta Air Lines to equip 500 aircraft with its Leo satellite internet platform, with service beginning in 2028. The initial rollout will focus on domestic flights within the continental United States.

Leo is short for Low Earth Orbit. Amazon positions its satellites at an altitude of 370 miles, which is 50 times nearer to Earth compared to traditional geostationary satellites. This proximity dramatically cuts latency and enhances connection performance.

The specialized terminals being installed on Delta’s aircraft will enable download speeds reaching 1 gigabit per second alongside upload speeds of 400 megabits per second. These speeds are sufficient for passengers to conduct video conferences and stream content from platforms like Netflix mid-flight.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy emphasized that the partnership demonstrates Leo’s capabilities at commercial scale. “It’s going to change what’s possible while traveling,” Jassy stated.

Delta presently relies on Viasat and Hughes satellite connectivity across approximately 1,200 aircraft, serving passengers enrolled in its SkyMiles loyalty program. Roughly 163 million members have accessed this service to date.

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Delta’s chief marketing officer Ranjan Goswami explained that the airline selected Leo in part due to its longstanding partnership with Amazon Web Services, Amazon’s cloud infrastructure arm. Neither company revealed the financial details of the arrangement.

This marks Amazon’s second major airline collaboration. In the previous year, the company announced an agreement with JetBlue to install Leo connectivity on one-quarter of JetBlue’s aircraft fleet beginning in 2027.

Amazon Accelerates Satellite Deployment

Amazon has placed 214 satellites in orbit since April 2025 and intends to conduct more than 20 launches throughout the coming 12 months. The company reports it is doubling its deployment velocity.

Amazon vice president Chris Weber indicated that commercial operations are “months away.” The service will debut in limited geographic areas before expanding as additional satellites reach orbit.

Amazon has secured approximately 100 launch contracts with Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance, and notably SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket system. The combined value of these agreements totals several billion dollars.

In January, Amazon requested that the FCC grant a two-year extension beyond the July 2026 deadline for deploying half of its planned 3,200-satellite network. FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly questioned Amazon’s deployment timeline.

Starlink Maintains Dominant Position

SpaceX’s Starlink has positioned over 10,000 satellites in orbit since 2019, establishing itself as the planet’s largest satellite network operator. Its proprietary Falcon 9 launch system provides substantial advantages in both cost efficiency and deployment speed.

Starlink has already secured airline partnerships with Southwest and United Airlines, among other carriers. Southwest revealed its Starlink collaboration just last month.

Amazon reports investing a minimum of $10 billion in Leo to provide service to both consumer and enterprise customers worldwide. Weber stated the company is doing “everything in our control” to complete constellation deployment according to plan.