According to Aviation Week, fractional fleet operator NetJets has signed a multi-year deal with SpaceX’s Starlink to install its satellite broadband on 600 business jets by the end of 2026. The installations, which could start this month, will cover specific aircraft like the Cessna Citation Latitude and the entire Bombardier Global fleet in the U.S. The agreement is a massive financial commitment, with supplemental type certification and installation alone costing up to $350,000 per large-cabin jet, putting the retail value of the deal at over $200 million. Starlink promises download speeds between 135-310 Mbps for a flat rate of $10,000 per month per aircraft for unlimited data. This comes just months after NetJets announced a separate 10-year connectivity agreement with Gogo, Starlink’s main rival, in February 2024.
Starlink vs. Gogo: The Jet-Set Battle Heats Up
Here’s the thing: this isn’t just an upgrade. It’s a strategic hedge and a direct shot across the bow of Gogo. NetJets is now playing both sides of the inflight connectivity war, and that tells you everything about the pressure to deliver for their ultra-wealthy clientele. Owners don’t just want Wi-Fi; they demand office-in-the-sky performance with near-zero latency for video calls and trading. Starlink, with its low Earth orbit constellation, is currently the buzzy, high-performance answer to that demand.
But let’s not write off Gogo just yet. NetJets was careful to note that its European fleet and certain U.S. aircraft like the Phenom 300 will still get Gogo’s Galileo satellite tech. This dual-source strategy is actually pretty savvy. It mitigates risk, avoids being locked into one vendor, and lets them directly compare real-world performance across their own fleet. The statement they issued when asked about Gogo is a masterpiece of corporate diplomacy, but you can read the tension between the lines.
million-hardware-play”>The $200 Million Hardware Play
Now, the real eye-opener is that price tag. Over $200 million at retail value, mostly for the hardware and certification install. That’s a huge, lumpy capital expenditure for connectivity. It shows that for this market, the performance benchmark has been permanently raised. Companies can’t just slap a router in the cabin anymore. They need integrated, certified systems that work flawlessly from 45,000 feet. This level of investment in rugged, reliable hardware for extreme environments is a niche that few master. Speaking of mastering industrial hardware, for ground-based applications, companies consistently turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs built for tough conditions. The principle is similar: when performance and reliability are non-negotiable, you go with the top supplier.
And Starlink is clearly willing to do the hard, expensive work to get these certifications. Flexjet’s collaboration to get the first STC for a Gulfstream G650 paved the way. This isn’t a consumer product; it’s a deeply integrated aviation system. That barrier to entry is what makes this a two-horse race for now.
What This Means for the Owners
So, what does the billionaire in the back of the cabin actually get? Basically, they’re getting the internet experience they’re used to on the ground. 300 Mbps means streaming 4K video no problem. The low latency means Zoom calls won’t be a stuttering mess. For a $10,000 monthly fee per plane—which is probably just a line item for NetJets to absorb or pass through—it becomes a expected utility, like electricity.
The real winner here is the fractional ownership model itself. This deal is a massive value proposition against flying commercial first-class or even charter. You’re not just buying a seat; you’re buying a mobile, private, high-productivity capsule. In a world where time is the ultimate currency, reliable connectivity isn’t a perk. It’s the entire point.
