Viasat Expands Fivefold US Capacity Boost for JetXP Business Aviation Users Nationwide
Why It MattersDelivering a capacity gain through a network-side software update shows that business aviation connectivity is increasingly improved without hardware swaps, shifting competition among satellite providers toward network management and service-provider channels.
What happened
Viasat used NBAA-BACE 2026 to announce that its JetXP inflight connectivity solution now provides five times more capacity in the United States for business aviation customers flying with Honeywell Aerospace's JetWave terminals.
The added capacity was first switched on over the Eastern United States and has since been extended nationwide. Viasat describes the move as part of its continuing work to improve the JetXP experience. The enhancement reaches aircraft through a software update that further optimises network management globally.
Viasat says the upgrade gives a more consistent, reliable and high-performance service for data-intensive uses, including HD video conferencing, content streaming, AI tools and bulk file transfers running at the same time on multiple devices.
Existing JetXP customers who want the extra US capacity can contact their service provider, Collins Aerospace, Gogo or Honeywell Aerospace, to confirm eligibility and arrange the update. Claudio D'Amico, VP of OEMs, partners and fleets, business aviation at Viasat, said customers want to hold board calls, stream for the family or send large files all at once and on every device. He said capacity demand continues to rise, that Viasat is focused on giving long-standing customers a consistent experience, and that it will keep investing in JetXP.
Installed base and brand
JetXP is activated on more than 2,100 aircraft worldwide. The name brings the legacy Jet ConneX and Viasat Ka services together under one unified brand, so the capacity increase applies to a fleet that already spans both earlier offerings.
The update path runs through the service providers Viasat named: Collins Aerospace, Gogo and Honeywell Aerospace. Eligibility is confirmed with them rather than with Viasat directly.
Industry impact & what to watch
Connectivity in business aviation has long been sold on the promise of working in the cabin as one would on the ground, and the applications Viasat lists, from HD conferencing to AI tools, show where cabin demand is heading: several users, several devices, all at once. Capacity per aircraft, not headline availability, becomes the differentiator once coverage is broadly in place.
The delivery method matters as much as the figure. A software update to network management lets a satellite provider lift performance on terminals already installed, which means the benefit reaches existing customers without a retrofit downtime or a new hardware purchase. It also places the service providers that handle eligibility checks, here Collins Aerospace, Gogo and Honeywell Aerospace, in the middle of how upgrades are actually delivered to operators.
The practical test is the one Viasat itself points to: consistency under simultaneous load across a cabin. Operator and passenger feedback on that point, once the nationwide capacity has been in service for a while, will say more about the upgrade than the multiple does.
