United Airlines will add free Starlink Wi-Fi across its entire fleet
United Airlines is making a major investment in inflight Wi-Fi with the debut of Starlink satellite service — for free.
The Chicago-based carrier announced on Friday that it will add SpaceX's Starlink service to its fleet of over 1,000 jets.
United expects to install Starlink on all its aircraft — more than 1,000 planes — over the next several years. Testing begins early next year, and the first passenger flights are expected later in 2025.
"Everything you can do on the ground, you'll soon be able to do on board a United plane at 35,000 feet, just about anywhere in the world," said United CEO Scott Kirby. "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."
Starlink, an arm of Elon Musk's SpaceX, provides satellite internet access in over 100 countries worldwide. While the company's customers range from individual homeowners to the U.S. military, perhaps the most exciting development for travelers is Starlink's deployment on commercial airplanes.
United will become the largest airline yet to partner with Starlink, which will bring some serious upgrades to the inflight connectivity experience, especially for the airline that has historically offered Wi-Fi from a mix of four somewhat mediocre providers.
The satellite internet provider offers download speeds of up to 350 megabits per second — fast enough to support gaming, VPN access, streaming and much more. (Inflight calling still won’t be allowed, per FAA rules.)
Better yet, Starlink Wi-Fi will be free on United — a major move that brings United into the same league as Delta and JetBlue, which currently offer free inflight connectivity.
Right now, United uses four different Wi-Fi providers across its fleet, with varying levels of reliability and speed. The best is Viasat, which is installed on select Airbus A319s, Boeing 737-900s, 757s and the 737 MAX 8 and 9.
The slowest and least reliable provider is Wi-Fi Onboard (formerly known as Gogo), which offers air-to-ground service on regional jets. But with Starlink, these regional jets will go from one of the worst to one of the best connectivity experiences in the sky.
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In fact, the entire United fleet will become one big living room in the sky — arguably even better than Delta's current free Wi-Fi partnership with Viasat and T-Mobile.
Last year, I got to test Starlink's blazing-fast speeds on a demonstration flight from public charter jet service JSX. Though JSX isn't a traditional airline like United, it offers free Starlink Wi-Fi on its fleet of 30-seat Embraer regional jets.
JSX was the first carrier to install Starlink Wi-Fi, and based on my tests during the demo flight, this service has a lot of potential in the aviation industry.
I had no trouble streaming content, joining Zoom meetings and even downloading music simultaneously on five devices. Real-world download speeds topped 100 megabits per second, and the low latency meant that I didn't need to worry about buffering when watching movies and TV shows.
In addition to United, Starlink is either installed or being installed on seven carriers worldwide. They include JSX, Hawaiian Airlines, airBaltic, Zipair, Qatar Airways and Air New Zealand.
As speedy inflight internet access becomes an amenity that passengers expect, hopefully we'll see more carriers partner with Starlink. After all, it's the fastest, most reliable satellite internet provider I've tested in all of my travels.
And for United, this marks another major investment in the passenger experience. In 2021, the airline launched its so-called United Next campaign, which includes an all-new domestic signature interior rolling out across the single-aisle mainline fleet. The United Next cabins feature seatback entertainment screens with Bluetooth connectivity, power outlets and larger overhead bins.
And soon, the jets will also be equipped with free Starlink — another bold move that'll help United shape itself into one of the nation's most premium carriers.
Now, let’s just hope United can stick to its rollout schedule because I, for one, can’t wait to try this new service out.
Related reading:
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- The best credit cards for United Airlines flyers
- What is United Airlines elite status worth?
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- How to survive basic economy on United Airlines
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.