United Airlines announced plans to begin testing Starlink on flights in February, and eventually add SpaceX satellite Internet service to all of its fleet. The company initially announced a partnership with SpaceX to “set a new standard in spaceflight” by September 2024.
After testing, United expects the first commercial flight with Starlink to be on the United Embraer E-175 in the spring. Some of the “double-cabin regional fleet” aircraft will be equipped with Starlink throughout 2025, and United says it will have “the first Starlink-enabled flagship in the air” before the end of the year.
Starlink will be available for free to all members of United’s MileagePlus program. Besides improving the quality of in-flight Wi-Fi, United sees Starlink as an opportunity to “open new relationships” for its members. Don’t be surprised if United cooks up new deals and streaming services to offer more free content during flights.
United joins both Delta and Hawaiian Airlines in partnering with Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi. SpaceX initially announced its intentions to offer 350 Mbps internet speeds on planes by 2022, and both Delta and Hawaiian Airlines have either tested Starlink or committed to offering it on their planes.
Starlink has expanded in serious ways over the past year. SpaceX got to test the Starlink direct-to-cell satellite service with T-Mobile when Hurricane Milton hit the US, made plans for a larger beta test of the service in February and launched a nationwide satellite texting service in New Zealand.