United Airlines has announced an accelerated timeline to bring high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi connectivity to its passengers.
The airline now expects to begin testing Starlink in February and the first commercial flight is anticipated to take off in the springtime on one of its Embraer E-175 aircraft. United plans to outfit all its two-cabin regional fleet by the end of 2025.
Its first mainline Starlink-enabled aircraft will be in the air before the end of this year and plans exist to add Starlink to the entire United Airlines fleet.
Starlink delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to users around the world. As the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using a Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Starlink delivers broadband internet capable of supporting the likes of streaming, online gaming and video calls.
Starlink is engineered and operated by SpaceX, which leverages experience with spacecraft and on-orbit operations to deploy the world’s most advanced broadband internet system.
In September 2024, United signed the industry’s largest agreement of its kind with SpaceX to bring Starlink to its entire fleet. It will enable the airline’s customers to use the same high-speed, low-latency internet service in the air that they enjoy on the ground.
This gate-to-gate connectivity will enable experiences in the sky at scale that no other major US airline provides, on seatback screens and personal devices simultaneously.
Access will be free for all MileagePlus customers and includes in-flight entertainment experiences such as streaming services, shopping and gaming.
“We have a lot planned for our MileagePlus members this year and adding Starlink to as many planes as we can – as quickly as we can – is at the centre of it all,” said Richard Nunn, CEO of United MileagePlus.
