Elon Musk's Starlink is becoming an in-flight must-have. I tried it on Qatar Airways, and it's a game changer.

On a recent flight with Qatar Airways, Business Insider journalist Pete Syme experienced Elon Musk's Starlink internet service firsthand. This high-speed WiFi, which Elon Musk's Starlink has been installing on airlines, proved to be a game changer for passengers.

Comparing Starlink to standard in-flight WiFi, Syme noted that the speeds were significantly faster. While standard WiFi typically offered around 5 megabits per second, Starlink reached up to 215 megabits per second. This speed made it possible for him to stream high-definition video, such as watching the quiz show "University Challenge" without any buffering.

The Starlink service on Qatar Airways was available in all cabins, including economy class, and was completely free for passengers. This is a notable change from other airlines, where in-flight WiFi often comes with a fee and is limited to higher cabins.

Starlink's reliability, which operates gate-to-gate compared to the standard WiFi that is only activated at cruising altitude, minimizes downtime. This made it possible for Syme to video call friends, family, and even his editor on the ground, with video quality comparable to what he would experience on the ground.

However, there were some limitations. While Starlink was free for passengers, business travelers may still find it inconvenient as they cannot make calls with this service. Additionally, installing Starlink on airplanes requires taking the aircraft out of service, which can be a lengthy process.

Despite these drawbacks, the quality and reliability of Starlink's service are making it a must-have for airlines. As more airlines install Starlink, it is likely to become a standard feature, offering passengers a more reliable and faster internet experience compared to the often spotty connections currently available on flights.