Last year, United announced its intention to upgrade its inflight Wi-Fi using SpaceX's Starlink satellites, with testing expected to begin in the spring with the first equipped flights arriving later in the year. Now the airline says it will begin testing “next month,” followed by the first commercial flight on an Embraer E-175 aircraft (a narrow-body aircraft for regional flights with seating for 88 passengers) in the spring.
On top of that, United now plans to equip its entire regional two-cabin fleet by the end of 2025 and have its first Starlink-enabled mainline aircraft in the air before the end of this year. Ultimately, the airline hopes to have its entire fleet of nearly 1,000 aircraft equipped with Starlink Wi-Fi.
United currently has four different Wi-Fi providers, according to travel site one mile at a timewith regional aircraft using Intelsat (formerly Gogo) and most widebody aircraft using Panasonic Wi-Fi. United also uses Viasat Wi-Fi on most of its 737 Max aircraft, some A319s and A321neos. Viasat is the best of the bunch in terms of speeds and is commonly found on American and Delta flights.
But while several international airlines have announced similar plans to add Starlink to their fleets, United remains alone among major domestic airlines in adopting SpaceX-owned technology. (JSX and Hawaiian have said they plan to add Starlink to their planes.)
United now plans to equip its entire regional fleet with two-cabin by the end of 2025
And while inflight Wi-Fi remains slow and unreliable for most air travelers, it appears we are quickly approaching a tipping point in expectations for fast, free connectivity. Mobile device owners are becoming increasingly accustomed to uninterrupted video streaming and other conveniences wherever they are, even thousands of feet in the air.
Starlink boasts download speeds of 40 to 220 Mbps and upload speeds of 8 to 25 Mbps per terminal, which United says can support streaming, gaming and even video conferencing. United says its Starlink-enabled Wi-Fi will be free for its loyal MileagePlus customers (for whom sign-ups are also free).
“We have a lot planned for our MileagePlus members this year and adding Starlink to as many planes as we can, as fast as we can, is at the heart of it all,” Richard Nunn, CEO of United MileagePlus, said in a statement. . “Not only will it revolutionize the experience of flying with United, but it will also unlock tons of new partnerships and benefits for our members that wouldn't otherwise be possible.”
