United Airlines announced on Sunday (January 5th) its plans to expedite the provision of Elon Musk’s Starlink Wi-Fi service on aircraft. The company is set to begin testing the Starlink service in February and aims to roll out the service first on United’s Embraer E-175 aircraft this spring.
This move by United Airlines is aimed at providing passengers with the fastest and most reliable global in-flight internet connection service. The company plans to equip its entire regional dual-cabin fleet with this service by the end of this year, and also aims to have the first mainline aircraft equipped with Starlink service operational by the year’s end.
In a statement, United Airlines expressed its ultimate goal of offering Starlink service on all its flights.
However, the company specified that only members of the United MileagePlus program will have free access to the Starlink Wi-Fi service, including in-flight entertainment experiences such as streaming services, shopping, and gaming. This is a departure from their previous plan, where United Airlines had stated they would offer free Wi-Fi to all passengers.
Richard Nunn, CEO of United MileagePlus, stated, “We have many plans in store for MileagePlus members this year, and swiftly adding Starlink to as many aircraft as possible is at the core of our plans.”
In September of last year, United Airlines reached an agreement with SpaceX, planning to install Starlink internet connectivity on over a thousand of the company’s aircraft in the coming years.
Gwynne Shotwell, President of SpaceX, mentioned in a statement at the time that United Airlines passengers will be able to use “the most advanced high-speed internet in the world from gate to gate and every step in between.”
Starlink has also signed agreements with several airlines, including Hawaiian Airlines and JSX, to provide in-flight internet services. However, United Airlines is Starlink’s largest airline customer to date.
Starlink utilizes over 6,300 satellites launched into designated orbits by SpaceX’s rockets, closer to the Earth, to provide internet connectivity. It played a crucial role in safeguarding communication for the Ukrainian military during missile attacks on Russia’s energy grid.
In early 2023, Delta Air Lines announced that members of its SkyMiles loyalty program could use in-flight internet for free. However, Delta partnered with a different supplier to offer complimentary in-flight Wi-Fi service.
JetBlue Airways has been offering free Wi-Fi on its flights since 2017.