SpaceX’s Starlink business has been awarded the US Airways contract, another IPO win

American Airlines said Tuesday it plans to install Starlink on more than 500 Airbus narrowbody planes starting early next year, the latest airline to choose a SpaceX unit for in-flight Wi-Fi.

The deal provides more than just a financial boost to Starlink, the space communications network and SpaceX’s only significant revenue-generating business unit. It also gives SpaceX a win over competition — such as Amazon Leo and other legacy providers like Viasat.

Starlink satellites are used in low Earth orbit to provide broadband Internet to consumers as well as to enterprise customers such as American Airlines. The company has entered into contracts with airlines and cruise operators with some success. United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa Group, British Airways and Alaska Airlines (which merged with Hawaiian Airlines) have equipped some planes with Starlink, according to SpaceX’s IPO filing released last week.

American Airlines is the latest, though not all of its planes will get the Starlink upgrade. New Airbus A321XLR and A320neo aircraft will get Starlink; Its Boeing aircraft are not part of this agreement.

However, it provides another boost for SpaceX in the run-up to its highly anticipated initial public offering next month, which is expected to be the largest in history.