The airline industry is fiercely competitive, with major carriers constantly pushing to deliver better service, greater convenience, and a touch of luxury.
To stand out, airlines must offer more than just smooth and safe flights; they need to meet modern passengers’ expectations.
One demand has become increasingly important: staying connected at 30,000 feet.
Over the last two decades, the internet has become an important part of our lives. According to data from Development Aid, around 5.44 billion people around the world use it, which is around 67% of the total population.
Every day, the number of people relying on it for work is also increasing.
Considering these statistics, it is understandable why most airlines are working on or already provide internet services on their flights.
United Airlines is one of the four largest carriers in the United States. Until recently, it lacked Wi-Fi services compared to Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.
This year, United changed that by inking a significant deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Image source: Shutterstock
United Airlines deploys Starlink Wi-Fi on its first mainline aircraft
United Airlines confirmed on September 25 that the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has certified the carrier’s Boeing 737-800 narrowbody equipped with Starlink.
The first commercial flight with Starlink Wi-Fi is scheduled for October 15, 2025, from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
The news comes about five months after the first Starlink-empowered United customer flight on the Embraer 175 regional aircraft, and less than a year since the carrier inked the biggest deal of its kind with SpaceX.
Related: Delta Air Lines cuts flights to key destination permanently
United’s Digital Technology Vice President Grant Milstead commented on the milestone, saying it will provide a “superior” experience to more flyers.
Customers are loving the Starlink experience onboard our regional aircraft, and our first Starlink-equipped mainline aircraft will bring a superior inflight experience to even more people. We’re working to install Starlink and offer game-changing inflight entertainment experiences like streaming services, shopping, gaming and more.
Is Starlink Wi-Fi free on United Airlines?
United’s first regional flight on a regional jet with Starlink services departed in May 2025. Since then, the carrier has deployed Starlink systems on more than half of the aircraft in its regional fleet.
Per the report, 90% of passengers appreciated the ability to stream while flying using Starlink’s high-speed and stable connection.
United Airlines added that Starlink is free for all Mileage Plus members, who can use it to stream videos, shop, game and more. Starlink systems provide Wi-Fi speeds of 250 megabits per second (Mbps).
MileagePlus membership is also free.
Starlink might attract passengers who need to work while flying
By adding fast, stable Wi-Fi to all its aircraft, United Airlines is undoubtedly taking the competition with other carriers to a whole new level.
According to a report by aviation data platform OAG, United is currently the fourth-biggest airline in the U.S. by the number of departing seats in the schedules. With 117.21 million seats, it is behind American Airlines (151.69 million), Delta Air Lines (136.64 million), and Southwest Airlines (132.55 million).
While airlines have been providing internet service on flights for some time, many passengers complain about connection instability. Elon Musk’s Starlink is often appreciated for its stable connection and high speed, which are important for travelers who plan to work while flying.
This special perk might make some flyers turn to United Airlines.
But wait, don’t other airlines also offer Starlink internet on flights?
In-flight Wi-Fi matters, and some airlines get it
According to data from Space Explored and One Mile at a Time, three U.S. carriers already provide or are preparing to start providing Starlink internet service.
U.S. airlines with Starlink internet service:
- Hawaiian Airlines
- United Airlines
- Alaska Airlines
International carriers with Starlink-equipped aircraft:
- airBaltic
- Air France
- Qatar Airways
- Air New Zealand
- Scandinavian Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- West Jet
- ZIPAIR
According to a report from mobile and broadband network intelligence Ookla, Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways “stand out as the best performing airlines.” Ookla explains that performance for these two airlines is driven by Starlink’s low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation.
Flyers’ experience with Starlink internet service on flights
Some passengers shared their experiences with Starlink internet services on flights on Reddit. One commenter particularly started the thread, sharing excitement:
Had my first Starlink flight…and goodman this is a game changer.
Some flyers shared a positive experience of being able to work on the flight and attend meetings with consistent connectivity.
“Connection process is essentially the same, except it works the entire flight instead of turning on above 10,000 feet,” wrote one passenger.
I had 208 mbps down and 36 mbps up with a ping of 28 msec. Much faster than the airport WiFi and I didn’t notice any difference from my home setup — you essentially don’t feel like you’re on airplane WiFi at all.
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