Royal Air Maroc to Offer Free Starlink Wi-Fi: A First for Africa
Royal Air Maroc will become the first African airline to offer Starlink Wi-Fi, rolling out the free service across 41 aircraft from early 2027.
By The Aviation Hub
4 min read
The Royal Air Maroc Starlink deal will bring Wi-Fi to its fleet, making the Casablanca-based oneworld carrier the first airline in Africa to commit to the service. Installation across 41 aircraft is due to begin in early 2027, with the connectivity offered free of charge to members of its Safar Flyer frequent flyer programme.
The announcement marks a significant step for inflight connectivity on the continent. No other African airline has yet officially committed to Starlink, so the move places Royal Air Maroc ahead of its regional peers on this particular measure of passenger experience.
What Royal Air Maroc Starlink Will Offer Passengers
According to One Mile at a Time, the service will be available to all Safar Flyer members, though it is not yet clear whether passengers need to have their frequent flyer number attached to their booking or simply hold membership of the programme.
Starlink is a low-latency, high-speed broadband service that operates gate to gate. One Mile at a Time reports that it supports live streaming, gaming, e-commerce and productivity at speeds comparable to a ground-based connection.
For the vast majority of Royal Air Maroc passengers, this will be a substantial upgrade. The carrier currently does not offer Wi-Fi on most of its aircraft.
Which Aircraft Will Receive the Service
Royal Air Maroc's fleet stands at around 70 aircraft, comprising ATR 72-600s, Embraer E190s, Boeing 737-800s, Boeing 737 MAX 8s, Boeing 787-8s and Boeing 787-9s, according to One Mile at a Time. The airline has confirmed that 41 of those aircraft will be fitted with Starlink.
The source notes that equipping all Dreamliners and Boeing 737 MAX 8s would account for 32 aircraft, with the remaining nine likely drawn from the existing 737-800 fleet, though Royal Air Maroc has not specified the exact breakdown.
You can explore Royal Air Maroc's fleet and routes using our Airline Search tool.
The CEO's View
Royal Air Maroc chief executive Hamid Addou set out the airline's ambition plainly. One Mile at a Time quotes him as saying: "This agreement reflects a clear ambition: to offer our passengers a travel experience that meets the highest international standards."
The airline confirmed the partnership on 7 October 2026 via its official social media channels, describing itself as "the first African airline to offer Starlink connectivity onboard."
How the Rollout Timeline Compares
The installation target of early 2027 is realistic, if not rapid. One Mile at a Time notes that United Airlines is currently fitting Starlink to 20 aircraft per week, though smaller carriers typically move more slowly. A completion date for the full 41-aircraft programme has not been announced.
The broader Starlink trend among airlines is accelerating. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced its own Starlink deal around the same time, with One Mile at a Time reporting that the Dutch carrier plans to begin installation on its wide-body intercontinental fleet from mid-2027, offering the service free to Flying Blue members. Paddle Your Own Kanoo notes that IAG and Lufthansa Group have also committed to group-wide Starlink rollouts, underlining how quickly the service is becoming an industry standard among full-service carriers.
A Bright Spot in a Mixed Picture
The Starlink commitment stands out because Royal Air Maroc's broader fleet strategy is relatively subdued. One Mile at a Time points out that the airline has no next-generation aircraft on order beyond two used Embraer E190s, and that its Dreamliner business class product is notably inconsistent across the fleet, with at least four different configurations in service across its Boeing 787-8s and Boeing 787-9s.
That context makes the Starlink announcement a rare piece of unambiguously good news for passengers. It does not require new aircraft or a cabin overhaul; it is a retrofit programme that will benefit travellers across a significant portion of the existing fleet.
The Bottom Line
Royal Air Maroc is set to become the first airline in Africa to offer Starlink Wi-Fi, with free access for Safar Flyer members from early 2027 across 41 aircraft. The announcement puts the carrier ahead of every other African airline on inflight connectivity, even as questions remain about the pace and precise scope of the rollout.
With Starlink now embedded across most major European airline groups and spreading into new regions, carriers that have not yet committed are increasingly the exception. For Royal Air Maroc passengers, who have largely had no Wi-Fi option at all, the upgrade will be a meaningful improvement when it arrives.
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