If you travel for work or just want to binge your fave show, good internet speed is probably an essential in-flight service for you.
Internet connectivity data company Ookla has released its ranking of airline Wi-Fi performance, which may help frequent flyers determine which carriers offer the best internet access.
“Just as hotels have progressively integrated Wi-Fi connectivity as a standard amenity for their guests, in-flight Wi-Fi is transitioning from a novelty to a convenience to an expected service,” reads the reportĀ released on Monday.
Ookla says this increased expectation led the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) to incorporate “Quality of in-flight Wi-Fi” into its benchmarks for the airline industry.
The company assessed airlines’ internet performance by analyzing its Speedtest data collected during Q1 of 2025. It examined performance for individual airlines and for in-flight connectivity service providers.
Two Canadian airlines made the ranking. Air Canada placed fourth for internet download speed, which means it’s great for receiving texts, downloading large files, and streaming videos.
Download speed (Ookla)
Air Canada placed higher for internet upload speed. It took third place with a median speed of 10.32, which makes it optimal for sending texts, emails, video calling, and uploading photos and videos to social media.
WestJet ranked lower in both categories. It ranked ninth in internet download speed, with a median speed of 38.89, but placed just below Air Canada in upload speed, with a median speed of 5.32.
Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways ranked the best in both categories, which Ookla credits to their use of Starlink’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation for their in-flight Wi-Fi.
Upload speed (Ookla)
The company says this results in “download speeds, upload speeds, and latency that are better than the other airlines.”
It notes that many other airlines, including Air Canada, offer a very usable internet speed. However, while download speeds are ideal, it notes that upload speeds on most airlines only support basic actions, such as emailing.
“When the upload speed is observed alongside the many high-latency results, real-time uses like gaming or video calling are likely not possible (to the relief of all other passengers),” reads the report.
When it comes to the best internet speed service providers, SpaceX Starlink crushes the competition, ranking first in both download and upload speeds.
Sasin Paraksa/Shutterstock
Intelsat, the service provider used by Air Canada, placed third for download and second for upload speed, reflecting the carrier’s decent ranking.
Panasonic Avionics Corporation, the service provider for WestJet, ranks in the middle for download speeds and in third place for upload speeds.
Overall, Ookla says that flyers can expect airlines to “ramp up their efforts” when it comes to in-flight connectivity.
“[It] can be a key point of differentiation for travellers, helps support the premium brand value that many international airlines aspire to create, and is an opportunity to monetize a literally captive audience,” reads the report.
The company also released a ranking of the fastest internet providers in Canada in February.