On 14 January the Lufthansa Group revealed plans to equip more than 850 aircraft—including the entire SWISS fleet—with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite-internet service. Installations are slated to begin in the second half of 2026 and will eventually span all classes on Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels, Eurowings and leisure carrier Edelweiss.
Starlink’s low-earth-orbit constellation promises broadband-grade connectivity with latency below 100 milliseconds, enabling video conferences and VPN access comparable to ground-based fibre. Lufthansa says the service will be free for status customers and Travel ID users, while other passengers will pay «competitive» rates—though Starlink typically insists on complimentary basic messaging.
For Swiss-based corporates, the upgrade addresses a persistent pain-point: inconsistent Wi-Fi on long-haul flights, particularly over polar and equatorial routes. Mobility managers can anticipate smoother ground-to-air collaboration and fewer data-security concerns, as Starlink supports end-to-end encryption and dedicated corporate gateways.
![Lufthansa Group—including SWISS—signs fleet-wide Starlink Wi-Fi deal]()
While enhanced in-flight connectivity reduces friction once you’re airborne, VisaHQ can smooth the ground portion of the journey. Through its Swiss portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), the service lets travellers and mobility managers check entry rules, secure e-visas, and arrange passport renewals online, ensuring documentation keeps pace with the faster, Starlink-enabled travel experience.
SWISS will prioritise its forthcoming Airbus A350-900s and high-density A330-300s for early installation, complementing existing 5G-based European-short-haul connectivity. Analysts note the deal positions Lufthansa Group ahead of IAG and Air France-KLM in the race for next-generation in-flight internet, potentially influencing premium-traveller choice and corporate travel-policy preferred-carrier lists.
The agreement underscores Switzerland’s broader push toward seamless digital mobility, dovetailing with national 5G-rollout targets and the Federal Council’s «Digital Switzerland» strategy.
Starlink’s low-earth-orbit constellation promises broadband-grade connectivity with latency below 100 milliseconds, enabling video conferences and VPN access comparable to ground-based fibre. Lufthansa says the service will be free for status customers and Travel ID users, while other passengers will pay «competitive» rates—though Starlink typically insists on complimentary basic messaging.
For Swiss-based corporates, the upgrade addresses a persistent pain-point: inconsistent Wi-Fi on long-haul flights, particularly over polar and equatorial routes. Mobility managers can anticipate smoother ground-to-air collaboration and fewer data-security concerns, as Starlink supports end-to-end encryption and dedicated corporate gateways.
While enhanced in-flight connectivity reduces friction once you’re airborne, VisaHQ can smooth the ground portion of the journey. Through its Swiss portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), the service lets travellers and mobility managers check entry rules, secure e-visas, and arrange passport renewals online, ensuring documentation keeps pace with the faster, Starlink-enabled travel experience.
SWISS will prioritise its forthcoming Airbus A350-900s and high-density A330-300s for early installation, complementing existing 5G-based European-short-haul connectivity. Analysts note the deal positions Lufthansa Group ahead of IAG and Air France-KLM in the race for next-generation in-flight internet, potentially influencing premium-traveller choice and corporate travel-policy preferred-carrier lists.
The agreement underscores Switzerland’s broader push toward seamless digital mobility, dovetailing with national 5G-rollout targets and the Federal Council’s «Digital Switzerland» strategy.
