Delta CEO Ignored Elon Musk’s Warning That “It Will Get Much Worse.” Now Musk Predicts Ed Bastian Will “Lose His Job” As United And American Race To Try And Poach Delta’s Premium Customers
Elon Musk publicly predicted Delta's CEO will lose his job over a Wi-Fi decision, and now United and American are spending real money to make that happen by poaching the elite flyers who fuel Delta's most profitable revenue streams.
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On August 19, 2026, Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL | DAL Price Prediction) passengers complained about slow in-flight Wi-Fi and rebooked on other carriers for Starlink. Elon Musk responded: “I warned them. It will get much worse.” Days later, Musk said Delta made a “grave error” by picking the service of Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) over Starlink, according to Yahoo Finance. Delta kept its plan. Six weeks later, its two biggest rivals are going after its best customers.
Why Delta Chose Amazon Leo
Delta said in March 2026 it would use Amazon’s low-earth-orbit Leo network on 500 aircraft, with installations starting in 2028. Chief Executive Ed Bastian argued Amazon offers retailing capability, Prime and video gaming technology that Starlink lacks, with better bandwidth at lower cost. On the July earnings call, Bastian said, “We’re no longer competing on price as much as we’re competing on value and experience and service.” In the second quarter, premium product revenue grew 17% and loyalty revenue grew 19%.
How the Feud Got Personal
In late September, the travel site Live and Let’s Fly reported claims from a shared social media post. According to that post, Bastian allegedly said in private that Delta did not want to be with Elon Musk. The post’s author said the claims could not be independently confirmed. PYOK reported that Delta won’t confirm or deny the reported comments.
Musk then posted twice on September 30. In the first post, Elon Musk said the “best way to sandbox an AI” is to put it on a Delta flight. In the second, responding to the reported comments, Elon Musk said Bastian will “lose his job” over this. That is Musk’s claim. Nothing confirms it.
United and American Are Already Courting Delta’s Elite Flyers
Live and Let’s Fly reported that United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) launched a “Switch to Better Wi-Fi” status match. It includes a fast track to Premier 1K, United’s top published tier, for the highest-level members from Delta and American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL).
American rolled out its own tier-by-tier status matches, according to Live and Let’s Fly. Elon Musk posted: “Both @United and @AmericanAir have @Starlink!”
Elite flyers drive outsized profit through premium fares, corporate travel and co-branded card spending. Delta expects $9 billion in American Express payments this year. Its premium corporate sales grew 25% last quarter. Rivals paying to win those customers while the fight is in the news presents a direct risk to that revenue.
Airlines Using Starlink Have the Wi-Fi Edge
Starlink is already on United’s 560+ aircraft, with full fleet conversion expected by end of 2027. Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) and American also picked Starlink. American will bring Starlink to its entire fleet, according to Live and Let’s Fly. Delta still counts on Viasat until Leo arrives.
Delta Shares Show No Damage So Far
As of 7:59 PM ET on October 1, 2026, Delta stock traded at $84.15, up 0.82% for the session and up 22.19% year to date. So far, the share price reflects little concern about the dispute.
The Wi-Fi gap will last for years, giving rivals reason to keep making offers. Delta’s third-quarter EPS guidance of $2.00-$2.50 will be an early test of whether elite flyers are leaving.
- Whether premium and loyalty revenue growth slows in Delta’s next earnings report, which would suggest elite flyers are leaving.
- Whether Delta answers with its own retention offer.
- Whether the Amazon Leo schedule delays or speeds up.
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AJ spent 10 years writing about financial markets at The Motley Fool. His coverage centers on technology stocks and the broader macroeconomic trends, from interest rates to geopolitics, that shape where markets are headed next. AJ is drawn to the stories where big-picture economics and individual companies collide.
