United’s Kirby Says Delta’s Starlink Snub Was A Mistake

United CEO Kirby said that 48% of its flights are now on Starlink, with the share set to hit 50% within days.

• Kirby noted that customers are already switching flights for Starlink service.
• Delta selected Amazon’s Leo satellite system in March 2026 for in-flight Wi-Fi, with installations on an initial 500 aircraft not beginning until 2028.
• United, in contrast, aims for full-fleet Starlink coverage by the end of 2027.

United Airlines (UAL) CEO Scott Kirby said Delta Air Lines’ (DAL) decision to opt out of SpaceX’s (SPCX) Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi was a mistake, calling the service the industry’s biggest competitive advantage.

“It was a mistake,” he said on the Cheeky Pint podcast about Delta’s strategy to choose Amazon’s Leo satellite to provide in-flight Wi-Fi over Starlink.

He argued that airlines traditionally move slowly on fleet modifications, treating them as eight-year projects. “We even didn’t appreciate how big it was. I thought it was big, then we put the pedal to the metal,” he said.

United’s Rapid Starlink Rollout

United has moved aggressively. Kirby said that 48% of its flights are on Starlink, with the share set to hit 50% within days. Installations began on regional jets because they were certified first; the airline is now fitting about three aircraft a day and aims for full-fleet coverage by the end of 2027.

Kirby noted customers are already switching flights for the service: “I’m talking to people like, ‘I’m switching to flying a regional flight because it’s got Starlink.’”

He emphasized that free access is secondary. “Free was never the value proposition. Fast is the value proposition, and there’s only one option for fast. It’s Starlink.”

Delta’s Contrarian Path

Delta, by contrast, selected Amazon’s Leo satellite system in March 2026, with installations on an initial 500 aircraft not beginning until 2028. The choice has drawn public criticism from Elon Musk, who has predicted Delta CEO Ed Bastian would lose his job over it.

Kirby pushed back on that idea: “He’s not going to lose his job over it. By the way, I have a lot of respect for Delta… I took inspiration for it.” Still, he called Starlink “the most important thing for customers to choose an airline now” and “the biggest competitive advantage”—albeit a temporary one, since “everybody eventually is going to have high-speed, low Earth orbit” connectivity. However, Kirby expects its own head start on Starlink will help customers switch their loyalty to United.

How Did UAL, DAL Retail Traders React?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around UAL stock was 'bullish' at the time of writing, while sentiment around DAL was 'neutral.'

While UAL stock has dropped 8% year-to-date, DAL has added 16%. 

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