Airline WiFi speed test ranks the fastest inflight internet access

Since 2006, airlines have provided some form of in-flight WiFi. And as frequent fliers know, WiFi in the air hasn't always been smooth – but some airlines are better than others, a new study has found.

According to analysis by Ookla, Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways stand out as the best-performing airlines when it comes to in-flight WiFi.

For the airlines leading this race, Starlink's low-earth orbit satellite constellation drives high performance. Both Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways use the satellite service to deliver their WiFi connectivity, helping with faster download and upload speeds and latency.

Other airlines that provide high-quality connectivity include Spirit Airlines, Air Canada, Delta Airlines, Breeze Airlines, American Airlines, and Aeromexico. These airlines provide 10th percentile download speeds (above megabits per second) and better median download speeds than others.

Globally, airlines are working to improve WiFi speed and quality. More airlines are aligning themselves with Starlink, including United Airlines and SAS, the latter of which will work with the company to enhance "gate-to-gate" connectivity by the end of this year.

Editor’s Note: Ookla and Mashable are both owned by Ziff Davis.