Delta to roll out Amazon Leo on 500 aircraft. Photo: Delta

Delta Air Lines has turned to Amazon to expand its in-flight connectivity offerings, announcing plans to roll out Amazon Leo IFC service starting with 500 planes in 2028. Delta becomes the largest airline to adopt Amazon Leo so far, following after JetBlue signed on for Amazon Leo last fall. 

Delta highlighted the connection to Amazon Web Services, which has been Delta’s cloud provider since 2020. The companies said they plan to integrate AWS, Amazon Leo, other Amazon technologies and AI to improve the IFC experience. 

The service will use an aviation version of the Leo Ultra terminal, Amazon’s most capable terminal designed to to support download speeds of up to 1 Gbps. 

“This agreement gives us the fastest and most cost-effective technology available to better connect the world today, and it deepens our work with a global leader that shares our ambition to build what’s next — creating even stronger human connection for our people and our customers for years to come,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a release. 

Delta did not specify which plane models will be equipped with Amazon Leo or whether they will be new aircraft or retrofit. The company said initial installation on 500 aircraft will begin in 2028.

The airline also mentioned its existing “world-class” partnerships with Viasat and Hughes. Viasat has equipped Delta planes with its Ka-band IFC service, and Hughes provides the Fusion system that blends Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO).  

Delta will continue to work with Viasat and Hughes as part of its multi-vendor strategy, a Delta spokesperson confirmed to Via Satellite on Tuesday, calling the two companies a “hugely important” part of Delta’s IFC service.

“By working with multiple connectivity leaders, Delta is ensuring it equips the right aircraft with the right technology to serve customers across the globe,” the airline said in a release.

Delta’s overall IFC rollout is “moving quickly” and the airline is approaching 1,200 connected aircraft, the spokesperson told Via Satellite. The airline previously reached the milestone of 1,000 connected aircraft in December. Delta made the move in 2023 to offer IFC free to loyalty members. 

Amazon Leo has not yet entered commercial service. The constellation has 212 satellites in orbit and Amazon is working to rapidly deploy its constellation, working with a number of launch providers. Last week during SATShow Week, Chris Weber, vice president for Leo Business, said Amazon has over 200 satellites in its processing facility at Cape Canaveral awaiting launch. 

“People increasingly want to stay connected wherever they are in the world, and Leo’s speed and reliability is going to have a big impact for businesses, governments, and consumers. It’s going to make the in-flight experience so much better, and it’s going to change what’s possible while traveling,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said of the Delta agreement in a release. 

Amazon’s win, combined with the JetBlue deal, signals its entry into the IFC market, where SpaceX has made strong inroads with Starlink over the past few years. According to a recent Valour Consultancy tracker, Starlink has more than 5,000 aircraft under contract. However, less than half of active commercial aircraft across the world are connected, as a number of major Chinese airlines have not adopted IFC.