I recently experienced my first Starlink internet flight on United Airlines and was very impressed.
My First Flight With Starlink Internet On United Airlines – A Review
United Airlines is gradually rolling out Starlink internet across its fleet. Service began rolling out on regional jets earlier in 2025 and the first mainline jet with Starlink will shortly enter service. In collaboration with SpaceX, United will gradually introduce Starlink internet on 1,000 aircraft, which will usher in a new era of connectivity for passengers on United. Not only will wi-fi internet be free, it will be super fast.
While equipping Starlink on mainline jets is just beginning (and will take time due to regulatory concerns), over half of the United Express fleet already has Starlink and the high-speed internet service is being added to about 50 aircraft per month. Installation is slated to be complete across the United Express fleet by the end of 2025.
I was flying from Los Angeles (LAX) to Palm Springs (PSP), a flight of only 110 miles. As I boarded the aircraft, the Sarlink message popped up:
I logged into my United MileagePlus account and was instantly connected:
The internet was very fast:
As someone who has flown United for decades, I remember the years and years from about 2013 to 2022 when the internet on United was so unreliable you simply could not depend on it…even when it worked, it crawled so slowly that it was virtually unusable.
How times change!
Of course, this comes at a price, even though it is “free.” You must log in and I have to imagine the analytics United is gathering and selling to advertisers is a very profitable endeavor indeed…that’s why United brought Richard Nunn from Comcast to lead MileagePlus. In the future, I expect United will leverage this service to offer very targeted ads to its frequent flyers.
But you know something? In exchange for high-speed Wi-Fi that feels like I am sitting at home, I’m willing to make that tradeoff…
You use the interwebs without a VPN when connected to public wifi?
Anything worth stealing on my laptop or phone is encrypted.
It is not about what is on your laptop or phone. It is about data you send over the internet.
Kinda like having unprotected sex with someone you just met. Most likely you will be OK but there is a risk of catching something.
I used Starlink on recent flights on Hawaiian and United and it is indeed lightning fast.
Sadly most flights still make you pay $8 for something approaching dial up speeds
To get an idea when it will be available. Unfortunately 787 is not expected until Q3 2026
https://www.starlink.com/support/article/9c43bea7-0645-5854-6842-dabb0def8a94#boeing
Thankful for the Elon Musk’s of the world for innovation!
Had free StarLink wifi on a AirFrance intra Europe flight on an A220. Was super fast (not quite as fast as the United flight) with a sub 70 ping.
What a great experience