A popular airline will be trialling Elon Musk’s satellite internet from next month, which it hopes to roll-out for free to all it’s loyalty customers in the future
A popular airline is looking to implement satellite Wi-Fi onboard its aircraft, meaning customers will be able to use fast internet while up in the clouds.
United Airlines has announced a deal inked with Elon Musk’s Starlink, promising customers that it would offer “fast, reliable Wi-Fi service” on its mainline and regional aircraft for free, according to USA Today Travel. The promise could be in place as soon as spring 2025, United said back in September.
Starlink is essentially a high-speed, low-latency internet. It is the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit, and can deliver broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls and more.
On Sunday, United Airlines stated that it had accelerated its planned timeline, as testing is due to begin next month. Following testing, United’s two-cabin regional fleet will be outfitted with Starlink and the first Starlkink-enabled plane flying on major routes before the end of the year.
Eventually, the airline hopes to add Starlink to its entire fleet of aircraft.
“We have a lot planned for our MileagePlus members this year and adding Starlink to as many planes as we can – as quickly as we can – is at the centre of it all,” said Richard Nunn, CEO of United MileagePlus. “It’s not only going to revolutionise the experience of flying United, but it’s also going to unlock tons of new partnerships and benefits for our members that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.”
To access the Starlink Wi-Fi, passengers must be a MileagePlus member, which is part of United’s loyalty programme and is free to join. Wi-Fi access is set to include in-flight entertainment options such as streaming services, shopping and gaming. Internet connectivity will also be available on seatback screens and personal devices.
MileagePlus was also recently rated the world’s best airline loyalty programme. Customers can earn miles which never expire, purchases with miles and pool their miles with family and friends. On an average day, about 31,000 United seats are filled by MileagePlus customers using their miles – that’s the same as filling about 100 Boeing 777 aircraft. During the summer of 2024, more than three million MileagePlus customers flew on award tickets.
In addition to United Airlines, a number of other airlines have announced that they will be implementing Starlink in the future, including Air France which said that from 2025, it will offer ultra-high-speed WiFi free of charge to customers in all cabins.
Other airlines that have publicly announced deals with Starlink include: Air Baltic, Air New Zealand, Hawaiian Airlines, JSX, Qatar Airways and Zipair. United aims to start testing Starlink in February, and its first commercial flight with the service is set to launch in spring on the airline’s Embraer E-175 aircraft.
