United have signed a deal with SpaceX to bring the Starlink Wi-Fi service to the airline’s mainline and regional aircraft fleet, for free.

United customers will enjoy the same high-speed, low-latency internet service in the air that they enjoy on the ground. The new, gate-to-gate connectivity will unlock access to live TV and streaming services, social media, shopping, gaming and more, on seatback screens and personal devices simultaneously.

United expects to have Starlink on all United aircraft – more than 1,000 planes – over the next several years. Testing begins in early 2025 with the first passenger flights expected later that year.

Starlink service on United aircraft will be free.

Starlink delivers internet access around the world, including over oceans, polar regions and other remote locations previously unreachable by traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals. United will be the first carrier in the world to commit to offering Starlink service at this scale.

“Everything you can do on the ground, you’ll soon be able to do onboard 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 personalised.”

UPDATE (06/01/2025): United now expects to begin testing Starlink next month with the first commercial flight anticipated to take off this spring on a United Embraer E-175 aircraft. The airline now plans to outfit its entire two-cabin regional fleet by the end of this year and have its first mainline Starlink-enabled plane in the air before the end of this year. Ultimately, United will add Starlink to its entire fleet.