Aviation Community in Uproar: Starlink Limits In-Flight Internet to 100 MPH
General aviation pilots across North America are expressing their discontent after SpaceX imposed a drastic 100 mph speed cap on standard Starlink Roam and Priority plans. This move has effectively eradicated affordable in-flight internet for a majority of aircraft. The new restrictions, which came into effect on March 3, 2026, compel pilots to upgrade to aviation-specific tiers costing between $250 to $1,000 per month, with severely limited data allowances.
The controversy revolves around Starlink’s Aviation 300MPH plan at $250 monthly and the Aviation 450MPH plan at $1,000 monthly. Both plans include only 20GB of data, with overages charged at $10-$50 per gigabyte. Before these changes, pilots could use standard Roam plans for approximately $50-$65 per month, with reasonable data at speeds up to 450 mph. The 100 mph cap—equivalent to just 87 knots—is slower than the cruise speed of most general aviation aircraft, including even a basic Cessna 172.
A petition demanding Starlink reinstate the original roaming plans has gathered thousands of signatures. The AOPA sent a formal letter to Elon Musk on March 9, 2026, representing 400,000 pilots across more than 80 countries. AOPA Senior Vice President Jim Coon stated that many general aviation operators had used Starlink as a safety-enhancing tool for weather information and emergency communications. It’s unfortunate that the company has now priced out the majority of GA pilots. So far, SpaceX has not responded to the aviation community’s concerns.
Source: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2026/march/04/starlink-raises-prices-for-ga-pilots