Airline Rebates Could Reach $5.7 Billion After Upper C-Band Auction
Satellite companies could get an extra $6.3 billion for clearing the band quickly
WASHINGTON, July 27, 2026 – Airlines could get up to $5.7 billion to carry out gear replacements made necessary by a spectrum auction next year.
The Federal Communications Commission said it expected rebates, to be paid by auction winners, to total between $3.83 billion and $5.71 billion. That will go toward replacing altimeters, vital components that measure an airplane’s altitude, with newer units that can handle more interference from adjacent bands.
