As United Airlines moves toward free high-speed Wi-Fi across its fleet, today marks an important milestone: its first mainline aircraft with Starlink internet will take flight.
United is hosting a media flight today from Chicago to show off the new service. Unfortunately, I am busy in California today with other work obligations, but I’m still excited for this important occasion and I hope that the rollout to other mainline aircraft will be rapid in the months ahead.
I recently experienced Starlink internet on a United Express flight for the first time and consider it a game-changer in terms of United’s internet offering. We’ve come a long way from the day of tepid speeds that could not even load email.
> Read More: My First Starlink Internet Flight On United Airlines
United Airlines will introduce complimentary high-speed wi-fi across its network of mainline and regional jets utilizing Starlink.
United Airlines Will Offer Free Starlink Wi-Fi On All Aircraft Starting In 2025
Thanks to industry insiders like JonNYC, this news was one of the worst-kept secrets in the business, but we now have official confirmation and details. That includes:
- United expects to have Starlink on all United aircraft – more than 1,000 planes – over the next “several years”
- Testing begins in early 2025 with the first passenger flights expected “later” in 2025
- Internet will be free for all passengers
- Internet will work on the ground and function seamlessly gate-to-gate
This evolution of onboard internet is part of United’s broader plan to introduce a Media Network to more closely control and monetize the onboard IFE experience not by charging for content, but through targeted advertising.
United’s new Starlink Wi-Fi service will include experiences like:
- Live streaming: access personal streaming services and watch live TV, shows and movies without buffering, lag or the need to download content in advance
- Workplace productivity: download/upload documents and edit shared files in real-time
- Gaming: play live games and follow along on live gaming streaming services
- E-Commerce: shop online, schedule grocery delivery and make restaurant and travel reservations all from the comfort of your seat
- Multiple devices: connect multiple devices at once, under one user
- Live support with the United app: download the United app while inflight to get real-time info about connections and access customer support from a real agent through Agent on Demand
Concurrently, United will continue its investment in seatback screens across its entire mainline narrowbody fleet.
Scott Kirby, United’s CEO, said:
“Everything you can do on the ground, you’ll soon be able to do onboard a United plane at 35,000 feet, just about anywhere in the world. This connectivity opens the door for an even better inflight entertainment experience, in every seatback – more content, that’s more personalized. United’s culture of innovation is, once again, delivering big for our customers.”
United’s internet reliability has already greatly improved over the last two years, but this will usher in an exciting new era.
image: United
One of the things no one will probably talk about is how this might impact TMobile.
One of the only reasons I’ve continued to keep TMO is because of the free WiFi benefit on United (amongst other airlines). As WiFi moves to free for many airlines, this benefit is moot.
And now that many other carriers are offering international data, texting, and calling as part of their plans, this opens up the competitive landscape massively. I can very likely see myself jumping the TMO ship sometime in 2026/27 when this is consistently available.
Wil be interesting to see…I would love to see Verizon offer free data abroad.
They already do on their top plan – 10gb per month in 21o countries.
Google Fi charges me $10 per G (prorated) across the world. However, given their 3-month rule on international travel, I’ve moved to using an eSIM company that gives me 20G with a one-year expiration for under $70 good everywhere I travel.
Tim Dunn punching the air rn
You be nice to Mr. Dunn… he loves his Delta, very much. Keep Climbing, sir! 100 more years!
I guess you want me to jump in and tell you that DL has free high speed WiFi operating on over 900 mainline aircraft covering 95% of its network.
except the 717s and
oops. no coverage to Asia or Oceania. UA and AA have had that for years now. Then those pesky LATAM A350s that Delta brought into service with little to no plan to put wifi on them for years….
But the failure on the 717s and the lack of wifi TPAC and previously to South America And Africa was based on poor decisions by Delta they don’t offer any wifi whatsoever on much of their international network.
As ever, I admire your attempts to make a bad wifi coverage and mainline fleet look like “95%”
Wow, that sounds like it is going to be a premium flight experience. Way to go United!
Coming from UA, .. Next several years maybe means next several decades .. lol
JJ.. gotta agree with you.. if they say 2 years.. I say four years.
I totally agree why mention it now just start putting it on the planes and then say we got starlink coming soon instead of waiting three years guaranteed. United is too slow on doing upgrades. Look how long it’s taken to put seat back entertainment, especially when you fly across country on a 737 with nothing on it.
Just get it done.
“Concurrently, United will continue its investment in seatback screens across its entire mainline narrowbody fleet.”
Funny to read as I sit aboard a high density United 777-200 without screens or even usb charging ports on a transcon flight. Meanwhile, the screens that are installed on many 737s are can only be turned off by dimming the monitor completely which inadvertently gets turned back on when I set my elbow on the arm rest. United is really a mess in the seatback screens department.
Just after Starship’s 11th flight! All the best to the SpaceX and Starlink teams!
The Starlink system itself is very easy to install, its the de-installation of the previous IFC that will take time. The United Regional fleet is being installed very quickly. Installations started in May and of this writing the Regional fleet is well over half way installed with Starlink.
United mainline currently has Thales, Panasonic and Viasat IFC installed. My experiences with the Viasat IFC has been pretty good, up to 60 mbps on some flights.
What is the speed this provides?
One can expect Wi-Fi speeds up to 250 Mbps…
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
This is fantastic!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün