The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t just disrupt aviation, it fast-tracked a wave of transformation that continues to redefine the industry. In the five years since its onset, its impact has reshaped nearly every aspect of air travel, from how aircraft are operated to what passengers expect in the cabin. One area where this shift is especially pronounced is inflight connectivity (IFC), especially within business aviation. According to Valour Consultancy’s latest report, The Market for IFC in Business Aviation – 2025, demand for high-performance, always-on connectivity has shifted from a premium add-on to a core expectation for business jet travelers.
How it Started: A New Class of Travelers
Valour’s report notes that as travel patterns shifted during the pandemic, business aviation saw a notable surge in activity. Charter services, fractional ownership, and jet card programs opened the skies to a broader, more diverse clientele, positioning business aviation as a viable and attractive alternative to first- and business-class commercial travel. But it’s not just the who that changed; it’s the why and the how.
Today’s business aviation passengers are younger, more digitally immersed, and increasingly reliant on connectivity to stay productive and engaged. Inflight time is no longer viewed as downtime; it’s an extension of the workday. That means fast, seamless access to collaboration tools, live data, streaming content, and cloud-based platforms is now the standard expectation.
Historically, the industry struggled to meet this demand. Legacy inflight connectivity solutions, such as L-band systems or early air-to-ground (ATG) networks, could barely support basic email or messaging. Geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellite systems offered better throughput but came with their own challenges, including high latency and large, mechanically steered antennas that limited deployment to larger aircraft. This created a fragmented experience where only large-cabin aircraft could offer premium connectivity, while smaller jets and turboprops remained underserved
Enter NGSO: A Game-Changer in the Sky
That dynamic is changing fast. The introduction of non-geosynchronous orbit (NGSO) satellite networks has opened the door to a new era of IFC. These systems offer significantly lower latency and higher throughput than their GSO counterparts, thanks in part to satellites operating in lower Earth orbit (LEO).
Just as importantly, the introduction of compact, flat-panel electronically steered antennas (ESAs) means high-performance connectivity is no longer limited by aircraft size. In their report, Valour Consultancy says, “OneWeb will be impactful as it leverages Gogo’s existing relationships and makes its way onto aircraft of all sizes.” Even turboprops and light jets can now deliver a fully connected experience that supports video conferencing, real-time collaboration, streaming, and more.
“LEO lends itself really well to the development of electronically steered array antennas,” explained Ben Griffin, Vice President of Mobility Services for Eutelsat OneWeb, in a recent podcast. “They do a lot less and they’re less prone to break, so you get an awful lot of capability to an aircraft with much lower profile, which means you reduce drag and significantly, weight.”
This breakthrough is noteworthy. It means that a turboprop flying a short-haul route can now offer the same digital experience as a long-range heavy jet. For business travelers who rely on video conferencing, live trading, or real-time cloud collaboration, this is a turning point.
According to the fourth edition of Valour Consultancy’s Business Aviation report, this shift is rapidly expanding both the addressable market and the business case for IFC. Next-generation satellite networks and antennas are lowering the barrier to entry for operators and OEMs, sparking new adoption across a wide range of aircraft classes and use cases. The report provides detailed forecasts through 2033, outlining expected growth in both service and hardware revenues as the market scales.
A More Complex Yet Opportunity-Rich Landscape
As IFC solutions grow more capable, stakeholders across the aviation ecosystem face new strategic choices. Success will require more than signal strength. Operators, technology vendors, and service providers will need to prioritize scalability, seamless integration, and the ability to support bandwidth-intensive, mission-critical applications.
Passenger expectations are evolving just as fast as the technology itself. The next wave of IFC innovation will be defined by both performance and experience. Secure enterprise access, AI-powered cabin services, real-time telemedicine, immersive entertainment are no longer far-off concepts. They’re emerging differentiators that will shape brand loyalty and revenue growth.
This environment is also reshaping how traditional satellite providers show up in the market. Traditionally known for geosynchronous solutions, companies like Intelsat are now introducing multi-orbit offerings designed specifically for business aviation. Their new FlexExec Multi-orbit solution, expected to go to market in the second half of 2025, for example, leverages both GEO and LEO networks, seamlessly switching between them via a compact ESA antenna, to deliver uninterrupted, high-performance connectivity for VVIP and government aviation. Already flying on select aircraft, it’s a notable step forward in addressing the reliability, latency, and global coverage needs of modern IFC.
Commercial Aviation is Watching Closely
While business aviation often serves as the proving ground for new technologies, commercial aviation is never far behind. The same trends transforming private flight—low-latency NGSO networks, compact antennas, and rising passenger expectations—are already influencing how airlines think about IFC. “It’s relatively new technology to the commercial aviation business, but ESA’s really harnessed the power of LEOs and they can also provide connectivity for GEO as well,” Griffin said.
As costs come down and network coverage expands, commercial carriers are looking to bring these high-performance solutions to more of their fleet, particularly regional and single-aisle aircraft. With remote work and hybrid travel here to stay, the ability to offer a seamless, gate-to-gate connected experience has become a true competitive necessity.
The Sky is No Longer the Limit
What began as a pandemic-era pivot has become a long-term evolution. Business aviation is leading the charge in redefining what inflight connectivity can be: agile, high-performance, and truly accessible across aircraft classes. As IFC has become almost as essential as fuel or flight plans, it is clear that connectivity is no longer just a technical upgrade. It’s a strategic imperative defining passenger loyalty, operational efficiency, and competitive advantage for years to come.
