Clients flying Korean Air can soon stream, game, and work in the air at no charge. The carrier announced earlier this month that free high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi powered by Starlink launches this week, making it the first full-service airline in East Asia to bring SpaceX's low-Earth-orbit satellite network into the cabin.

The service debuts on four retrofitted widebody aircraft — three Airbus A350-900s and one Boeing 777-300ER — flying primarily medium- and long-haul routes to the Americas, Europe, and Southeast Asia, along with select short-haul routes. Access is free for passengers in every cabin class.

Getting online is straightforward: passengers switch their devices to airplane mode, connect to the onboard network, and enter the name and seat number from their boarding pass in the Korean Air Wi-Fi portal — no separate account required. The airline says speeds support streaming, online gaming, messaging, file transfers, and cloud-based work at near-ground levels. Voice and video calls, along with live social media streaming, remain blocked for cabin comfort and security. Aircraft awaiting retrofit will continue offering the airline's existing paid Wi-Fi in the meantime.

Sister carrier Asiana Airlines launches the service the same day on 10 widebody aircraft — nine A350-900s and one A330-300 — though the Asiana brand is set to disappear in December 2026 as its integration into Korean Air continues. Korean Air plans to have Starlink installed across the combined Korean Air and former Asiana fleet by the end of 2027.