How Hughes and Delta are Transforming In-Flight Connectivity
Not long ago, in-flight connectivity (IFC) and airline Wi-Fi was a bit of a gamble. Travelers couldn’t be sure they’d get reliable service to complete important work, catch up on email, or finally stream that movie they’d been eager to see while flying to their next destination.
From bandwidth limitations and connectivity issues commercial airlines have been challenged to meet passenger expectations for seamless connectivity. Still, now more than ever passengers expect the same level of connectivity in the air as they experience on the ground.
Because of this, industry watchers expect to see the market for global in-flight services grow from about $5.5 billion in 2024 to nearly $10 billion by 2032. According to Business Research Insights, “In-flight Wi-Fi services have become increasingly popular in recent years, as more and more people rely on the internet for communication and entertainment. These services allow passengers to stay connected during flights and can enhance the overall flying experience.”
With recent advancements from connectivity providers and their airline partners, passengers can now enjoy Wi-Fi while they fly.
Hughes-Delta Connectivity Collaboration
Imagine being able to transform your flight time from a connectivity dead zone to a productive, seamless digital experience. That is exactly what Hughes and Delta are revolutionizing in aviation connectivity.
Hughes offers Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Geostationary (GEO), and a simultaneous multi-band/orbit/frequency In-Flight Connectivity solution called Fusion. Hughes provides airlines with flexible and superior in-flight connectivity to meet customer expectations. Hughes Fusion blends LEO and GEO together to deliver an at-home or in-office-like Wi-Fi experience everywhere in the air, including busy airport hubs. Fusion can simultaneously blend multiple bands, multiple orbits, and multiple frequencies to create a service that provides a superior connectivity experience for passengers.
Delta Air Lines passengers can enjoy this award-winning, reliable connectivity and use Wi-Fi during flights without worry. Delta announced that it recently expanded its partnership with Hughes, which now features the Hughes Fusion Simultaneous Multi-Orbit In-Flight Connectivity Solution for select new delivery of Airbus A350 and A321neo aircraft. This is in addition to the already awarded 400+ Delta ERJ, CRJ, and Boeing 717 aircraft, which Hughes is outfitting for passenger Wi-Fi service.
“Why compromise when we’re trying to deliver a fantastic passenger experience? Let’s just be frank. A lot of us travel. How many folks have been on a flight when there has been horrible connectivity? And if you happen to need to get something done as well, then it’s even worse. With our patented Fusion technology, we’re able to create an exceptional experience,” said Reza Rasoulian, SVP & GM of Aviation at Hughes, during a recent panel discussion.
The latest Hughes-Delta collaboration for commercial aviation is an industry-first that blends LEO and GEO satellite capacity to establish a new standard for the IFC experience. Expected to be introduced onboard Delta’s 717 aircraft in the second half of 2025, the Hughes solution provides Delta with the flexibility to deliver customers an elevated and seamless connectivity experience.
Delta just announced that “It had outfitted the first of its fleet of more than 400 regional jets—a CRJ-700 with fast, free Wi-Fi and entered service.” The airline also expects to begin dual-network connectivity retrofits in Q4, with the entire 717 fleet expected to be complete by early 2026. According to Glenn Latta, managing director at Delta Air Lines, Delta continues its innovative partnership with Hughes because the two companies share similar visions.
“This industry-first solution ushers in a new era of connectivity experience for Delta. Using multiple antennas, we can now dynamically deliver the best experience for customers based on location, demand, and network conditions, cementing the Delta Sync experience as best-in-class,” Latta said in a statement. “Our partnership with Hughes to design, test, and refine this next-generation connectivity solution gives us critical and unique insight into how the next-generation experience will be unlocked in the years ahead.”
The Hughes solution on Delta aircraft has been recently recognized by the Mobile Satellite Users Association (MSUA) for its mobile user experience innovation. According to MSUA, Delta Air Lines with Hughes received this recognition because the system works dynamically to deliver the best possible performance.
“Hughes Fusion In-Flight Connectivity Solution, implemented by Delta Air Lines, is a mixed-orbit solution for simultaneously accessing satellite networks in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), Low Earth Orbit (LEO), and other NGSO assets. Using multiple advanced Ka and Ku antennas, the system dynamically selects and simultaneously aggregates between available orbits/satellites based on location, traffic/take rates, applications, and network conditions to deliver the best possible performance suited to each task in real-time.”
Meet Hughes at AIX
Hughes offers airlines several advantages with its IFC solutions. Not only can it connect to both GEO and LEO networks, but it can also integrate transports simultaneously to deliver low-latency experience with pole-to-pole service, including over busy airline hubs.
Hughes will be showcasing its In-Flight Connectivity solutions for airlines at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) 2025 show in Hamburg, Germany. Rasoulian will also participate in two panel discussions, Connectivity: Choosing the right fit, and Connected cabin: Making the most of artificial intelligence.
Schedule an appointment in advance or visit Hughes April 8-10 at AIX booth 2B70 to learn more about Hughes In-flight Connectivity.