Key facts
- United Airlines is equipping its aircraft with Starlink WiFi.
- Delta Air Lines is opting for Amazon's Project Kuiper for its future in-flight WiFi.
- Starlink WiFi enabled coding on Replit and use of AI models like Claude.
- Standard Delta WiFi is considered better than standard United WiFi but struggles with intensive tasks.
Kenny Totten, a long-time Delta loyalist with top-tier status, has begun prioritizing United Airlines for his travel due to United's adoption of Starlink in-flight WiFi. Totten, who travels 15 to 20 times a year for his travel startup, found the Starlink connection on a recent United flight to be exceptionally fast and reliable, comparable to his home internet. This experience allowed him to work seamlessly, including coding on Replit and using AI tools like Claude, which he could not do on Delta's standard WiFi. The superior performance of Starlink has made it a deciding factor for Totten when choosing between airlines, especially for work-related travel. He expressed disappointment with Delta's decision to not adopt Starlink, opting instead for Amazon's Project Kuiper, which is not expected until 2028. Totten hopes Delta will reconsider its strategy and listen to customer demand for better in-flight internet.