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British Airways offers Wi-Fi on most of its fleet today, but the experience and cost can vary significantly depending on aircraft type, route, and cabin.
That’s set to change. In November 2025, British Airways announced a major partnership with Starlink that will eventually bring free, high-speed Wi-Fi to every customer in every cabin.
Here’s what you need to know about British Airways Wi-Fi today, how much it costs, and what’s changing with the upcoming Starlink rollout.
Page Contents
How British Airways Wi-Fi Currently Works
British Airways currently offers onboard Wi-Fi on most Airbus A320-family aircraft operating within Europe, as well as on the majority of its long-haul fleet. Availability isn’t guaranteed on every flight, and performance can vary depending on the aircraft and satellite system in use, but Wi-Fi is now the norm rather than the exception across the network.
On short-haul flights, Wi-Fi is typically available gate-to-gate. On long-haul flights, service usually begins shortly after departure and remains active until descent, though occasional outages still occur.
How to connect to British Airways Wi-Fi
Connecting is straightforward. After enabling airplane mode, join the onboard “BAWiFi” network and open your browser. You’ll be redirected to the Wi-Fi portal, where you can log in with your British Airways Club account. From there, you can connect to free messaging or purchase a Wi-Fi package, if available.
On most aircraft, Wi-Fi becomes available shortly after boarding and remains active until landing.
How Much Does British Airways Wi-Fi Cost?
Until Starlink rolls out in 2026, British Airways continues to charge for full internet access on most flights — although messaging is now free for British Airways Club members.
On short-haul European routes, pricing is usually set per flight rather than by time, and costs increase with route length. From recent British Airways flights this year, we've found that full Wi-Fi access has ranged from as little as £1.89 to around £10 per flight.
For example, a short Amsterdam–London flight priced full internet access at £1.89, while longer routes such as London–Corfu offered free messaging with a £10 upgrade for streaming and full browsing.
British Airways does not publish a fixed pricing chart, and prices can vary even between similar routes or aircraft types. Pricing appears to depend on a mix of route length, aircraft configuration, and available bandwidth.
British Airways to Offer Free, High-Speed Starlink Wi-Fi
In the past couple of years, several airlines have announced partnerships with Starlink Aviation, including United, Qatar, Hawaiian Airlines, Air France, WestJet, SAS, and more.
Starlink Aviation is the Starlink brand for aircraft. As of November 2025, there are nearly 9,000 satellites in orbit, with thousands more planned in the next few years. Download speeds average 100-250 Mbps, peaking at 450 Mbps. The service also features a very low latency (the time between the source and destination) of less than 0.1 seconds. That means fast speeds and low latency, suitable for streaming or even video calls.
Details are sparse, but we know the following so far: British Airways is currently running a $9.36 billion transformation program. In 2026, the airline will begin rolling out Starlink Aviation across all mainline and Euroflyer flights. Once installed, the high-speed Wi-Fi will be available for all passengers in all classes for free.
Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and Chief Executive, said:
“We’re continuing to focus on transforming our customer experience. Launching Starlink on both our long-haul and short-haul aircraft is game-changing for us and our customers, elevating their experience on board our flights by offering them seamless connectivity from gate-to-gate. Especially on short-haul, this will really differentiate us from our competitors.
“With our new Wi-Fi powered by Starlink, our customers will be able to enjoy lightning-fast, low-lag internet from the moment they board to the moment they land - even over oceans and remote regions. It’s Wi-Fi that feels like home, even at 38,000 feet.”
Our Take
British Airways continues to make improvements and changes, not the least of which was the recently rebranded British Airways Club. High-speed Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly important, especially for long-haul business travelers.
We don’t yet know the exact timeline for British Airways’ Starlink rollout or how quickly it will reach the full fleet, but the commitment to free, high-speed Wi-Fi across both long- and short-haul aircraft is a meaningful step forward. We’ll continue to update this guide as British Airways shares more details on rollout timing and aircraft coverage.
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