JetBlue to roll out Amazon’s Project Kuiper for in-flight connectivity
Summary points:
- Project Kuiper uses thousands of interconnected LEO satellites with optical links for faster speeds and lower latency.
- Amazon has deployed more than 100 Kuiper satellites to date and is scaling up production and launch rates.
- JetBlue is exploring future multi-orbit connectivity combining Kuiper’s LEO network with existing GEO satellite service.
NEW YORK - JetBlue in New York announced it will be the first airline to adopt Amazon’s Project Kuiper, a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband network, to enhance its Fly-Fi onboard Wi-Fi service. The carrier plans to begin introducing the technology on part of its fleet in 2027.
JetBlue launched Fly-Fi in 2013, which provides free, high-speed Wi-Fi on every aircraft. The addition of Project Kuiper is intended to bring faster speeds and lower latency compared with JetBlue’s current service, which relies on advanced geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite technology.
Project Kuiper will deploy thousands of interconnected satellites in LEO, linked by optical inter-satellite links to create a mesh network in space. Ground stations with antennas, fiber, and internet connection points will tie the system into terrestrial networks. Amazon has launched more than 100 satellites to date and is scaling up production and launch rates for initial service rollout.
Related: Amazon launches first operational satellites for Project Kuiper from Cape Canaveral
JetBlue will install Project Kuiper equipment on aircraft currently outfitted with its original Fly-Fi system. The airline says the upgrade will support continuous gate-to-gate connectivity for streaming, communications, and work applications, with the possibility of a future multi-orbit solution combining Kuiper’s LEO satellites with GEO assets for more resilient in-flight service.
