Wireless in-Flight Entertainment Market Report 2026

The wireless in-flight entertainment market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $2.42 billion in 2025 to $2.77 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to early adoption of onboard wireless networks to reduce reliance on seatback screens, rising demand for digital entertainment access on personal devices during flights, initial development of airplane software enabling wireless content distribution, increasing airline focus on enhancing passenger experience through value-added services, growth in availability of offline wi-fi systems to support basic in-flight content delivery.

The wireless in-flight entertainment market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $4.58 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growing integration of high-speed connectivity solutions to support richer media streaming, increasing deployment of advanced entertainment software tailored for personal devices, rising airline investments in differentiated digital service offerings, expansion of cloud-based content management platforms for in-flight use, growing passenger expectations for seamless wireless access to travel information and entertainment. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of wireless in-flight entertainment in commercial airlines, integration of passenger personalization features and interactive content, expansion of retrofitting solutions for older aircraft fleets, growing demand for high-speed connectivity and seamless streaming, rising use of multi-band satellite and atg-based systems.

The rising number of air passengers is expected to support the growth of the wireless in-flight entertainment market in the coming years. Air passengers include both domestic and international travelers flying with air carriers registered in a given country. Wireless in-flight entertainment systems provide passengers with convenient access to the internet, browsing, video streaming, and other digital activities on their personal devices during a flight. For example, in December 2024, Eurostat, a Luxembourg-based government agency, reported that 973 million passengers traveled by air within the EU in 2023 - a 19.3% increase from 2022, when 816 million passengers were recorded. All EU member states experienced an increase in passenger numbers compared with the previous year. Therefore, the growth in air passenger traffic is driving the expansion of the wireless in-flight entertainment market.

Leading companies are developing innovative technologies to strengthen their competitive position. For instance, in August 2024, Air India, the national carrier of India, introduced wireless in-flight entertainment on its wide-body aircraft in response to customer feedback regarding previous system issues. The new service, Vista, enables passengers to stream content directly to their personal devices during flights. The Vista W-IFE system uses Bluebox’s Blueview digital services platform, allowing content to be streamed through Bluebox Wow, a compact wireless network system that can be stored in the aircraft’s overhead compartments.

In November 2023, Stingray Group Inc., a Canada-based provider of music, media, and technology services, partnered with Air Transat A.T. Inc. to enhance the inflight entertainment experience. Through this partnership, passengers can access a wide selection of listening options, including live performances, relaxing film content, Stingray Music channels, and destination-themed audio offerings. Travelers can also enjoy Qello Concerts, a special feature that brings full-length concert experiences onboard, allowing passengers to watch performances by their favorite artists while in the air. Air Transat A.T. Inc. is a Canada-based company specializing in holiday travel and vacation packages.

Major companies operating in the wireless in-flight entertainment market are Panasonic Avionics Corporation, SITA AG, Astronics Corporation, Burrana Pty Ltd., Collins Aerospace, FDS Avionics Corp., Global Eagle Entertainment Inc., Gogo LLC, Honeywell International Inc., Lufthansa Systems GmbH & Co. KG, Thales Group, Viasat Inc., Inmarsat plc, Sitaonair SA, Bluebox Aviation Systems Ltd., digEcor Inc., Kontron AG, Lufthansa Technik AG, Spafax Group Inc., VT Miltope LLC, AirFi Co., Global Onboard Partners LLC, Immfly Group.

North America was the largest region in the wireless in-flight entertainment market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the wireless in-flight entertainment market report during the forecast period. The regions covered in the wireless in-flight entertainment market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs are affecting the wireless in-flight entertainment market by increasing the cost of importing critical components such as antennas, modems, access points, and network hardware, resulting in higher implementation costs and delayed system rollouts. Segments most impacted include hardware providers and airlines installing retrofit solutions, with North America and Europe being particularly affected due to high import dependencies. On the positive side, tariffs have prompted greater local manufacturing and innovation, encouraging service providers to develop cost-efficient and domestically produced in-flight entertainment systems.

The wireless in-flight entertainment market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides wireless in-flight entertainment market statistics, including wireless in-flight entertainment industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a wireless in-flight entertainment market share, detailed wireless in-flight entertainment market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the wireless in-flight entertainment industry. This wireless in-flight entertainment market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Wireless in-flight entertainment refers to a system that enables wireless content distribution to passengers' devices, offering benefits such as information on the travel path, onboard menu, operational recommendations, and other relevant content.

The main types of aircraft in wireless in-flight entertainment include narrow-body, wide-body, and regional jets. A narrow-body aircraft is characterized by a single aisle of seats and is typically used for short-haul international and domestic flights, accommodating as few as four passengers and as many as 300. These aircraft may have different fitment types, such as retrofit and line-fit, utilizing hardware such as antennas, wireless access points, modems, and others. The technologies involved in wireless in-flight entertainment include ATG (air-to-ground), ku-band, l-band, and ka-band.

The countries covered in the wireless in-flight entertainment market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The wireless in-flight entertainment market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing wireless in-flight entertainment services such as offline wi-fi networks, airplane software, and entertainment software. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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