United will begin testing Starlink on flights in February

United Airways has introduced plans to start out testing Starlink on flights in February, and ultimately add SpaceX’s satellite tv for pc web service to its total fleet. The corporate first introduced a partnership with SpaceX to “set a brand new commonplace of inflight connectivity” in September 2024.

After testing, United expects the primary industrial flight with Starlink to be on a United Embraer E-175 within the spring. The remainder of the the airline’s “two-cabin regional fleet” can have Starlink put in all through 2025, and United says it would have the “first mainline Starlink-enabled aircraft within the air” earlier than the top of yr.

Starlink will obtainable totally free to all members of United’s MileagePlus program. In addition to bettering the standard of inflight Wi-Fi, United sees Starlink as a possibility to “unlock new partnership” for its members. Don’t be shocked if United cooks up new offers with streaming companies to supply extra free content material throughout flights.

United is becoming a member of each Delta and Hawaiian Airlines in partnering with Starlink for inflight Wi-Fi. SpaceX initially introduced its intentions to offer 350 Mbps internet speeds to planes in 2022, and each Delta and Haiwaiian Airways have both examined Starlink or dedicated to providing it on their planes.

Starlink has expanded in some critical methods within the final yr. SpaceX received to check Starlink’s direct-to-cell satellite service with T-Cellular throughout Hurricane Milton’s landfall within the US, made plans for a larger beta test of the service for February and launched a nationwide satellite texting service in New Zealand.