Delta Air Lines now flies more than 1,000 aircraft with its high-speed inflight internet service on board, complimentary for SkyMiles members. The company celebrated the milestone this week, while discussing plans to continue improving the on-board experience.
We’re turning our planes into platforms, where customers can stay entertained, connected and informed from takeoff to landing. Delta Sync is the enabler that makes these personalized experiences and exclusive offers possible. – Ranjan Goswami, senior vice president, customer experience design
The Delta Sync inflight experience, powered by the inflight internet link, offers personalization (and targeted marketing). It also offers an increased range of content for passengers, both through the Delta Sync Wi-Fi and Delta Sync seatback platforms. This includes ad-free access to some YouTube content, as well as Crunchyroll anime, both activated in recent weeks on the Wi-Fi side.
On the seatback side, Delta is expanding its relationship with FlightPath3D, increasing the range of moving map options on board.
More Map Engagement with FlightPath3D
The carrier activated the latest iteration of Kids Map, adding an interactive angle to the journey. Kids Map enables exploration of continents, landmarks and nature through illustrations, games and quizzes.
It adds progress badges as a gamification play, keeping kids entertained and curious from takeoff to landing.
Read more: Delta boosts moving map accessibility with FlightPath3D update
In early 2026 Delta will activate Destination Stories on the seatbacks as well.
Destination Stories extends the FP3D Destination Reels and Destination Guide concepts, bringing more content to the embedded IFE market, rather than just personal devices. Backed by Luci, FlightPath3D’s AI-powered travel companion, Destination Stories presents passengers with curated collections of video content, focused on local tips and highlights, integrated within the map.
Delta also tips the opportunity to book activities directly from Destination Stories interface. This is something FlightPath3D has been teasing for years. With the connected experience now enabled that may finally come to fruition.
The Delta Sync seatback experience is now deployed on more than 300 aircraft across six fleet types. This includes the 737-900s, the latest to see the service activated. Delta plans to enable Sync on its 767-300s and A350-900s in 2026, extending the experience to its widebody fleet for the first time.
Scaling the Hughes Deployment
Crossing the 1,000 aircraft milestone comes as the carrier deploys an upgraded solution on its regional jet fleet. The deal to retrofit those planes with satellite-based service from Hughes Networks was announced in November 2023. The first plane was fitted in early 2025 and installations accelerated in recent months.
The Delta program is Hughes’s first direct deployment for an airline and also the first airline to use ThinKom‘s Ka1717 terminal, specifically designed for the regional jet market.
Delta and Hughes plan further deployments, including a multi-link, multi-orbit “Fusion” solution on select A321neo and A350 aircraft from late 2026.
A favor to ask while you're here...
Did you enjoy the content? Or learn something useful? Or generally just think this is the type of story you'd like to see more of? Consider supporting the site through a donation (any amount helps). It helps keep me independent and avoiding the credit card schlock.
Leave a Reply