Starting early next year, travelers on some Lufthansa flights in Europe will be able to surf the web using airborne Wi-Fi that promises speeds and coverage that trounce existing offerings.

The network, which will use Inmarsat Plc’s satellites and Deutsche Telekom AG towers on the ground, aims to let business travelers check the news and vacationers chat with friends as they jet across one of the world’s most crowded airspaces. While existing inflight Wi-Fi services rely on satellites or terrestrial infrastructure but not both, Inmarsat and Telekom say their hybrid approach offers seamless service at a lower cost.

The partnership is one of at least three ventures aiming to help European airlines catch up with their U.S. counterparts. While travelers can surf the internet on about 75 percent of flights in the U.S., according to airline rating site Routehappy, only a handful of airlines in Europe offer the service.

Inmarsat and Deutsche Telekom say airlines can if they use Wi-Fi as a way to increase customer loyalty. Two other companies are also making this pitch to airlines in Europe: ViaSat Inc., which provides Wi-Fi to U.S. carrier JetBlue Airways Corp., and Panasonic Corp., which serves United Airlines.

ViaSat plans to wade into the European airline Wi-Fi business after it launches new satellites in 2017 and 2019, and could offer service once the first satellite goes online, CEO Rich Baldridge said. Panasonic, which currently offers Wi-Fi using rented satellite space, plans to launch its own device to increase coverage, said David Bruner, vice president of global communications service.