United Airlines Prepares To Launch Its First Starlink-equipped Mainline Flight With Faa Certification, Offering Free High-speed Wi-fi For Mileageplus Members Starting October 15

Published on September 26, 2025

In a important leap guardant for some aerial recreation and in-flight connectivity, United Airlines has officially announced that nan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has certified its first mainline craft equipped pinch SpaceX’s Starlink technology. This milestone is group to revolutionize nan rider experience, arsenic United plans to motorboat its first commercialized Starlink-equipped formation connected October 15. This improvement follows a bid of successful initiatives and agreements betwixt United Airlines and SpaceX to connection high-speed net entree to passengers, marking a caller era of Wi-Fi connectivity successful nan skies.

This announcement comes little than 5 months aft United’s first customer formation featuring Starlink-equipped location jets. Furthermore, it is conscionable nether a twelvemonth since United entered into an industry-leading statement pinch SpaceX, nan largest of its kind, to bring Starlink’s cutting-edge Wi-Fi exertion to some its mainline and location fleet. As portion of this deal, nan work will beryllium offered free of complaint to United Airlines’ MileagePlus members, enhancing nan wide recreation acquisition for loyal customers.

FAA Certification and nan Journey to a Starlink-Equipped Fleet

The FAA’s support of nan Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) amendment for nan Boeing 737-800 is simply a pivotal infinitesimal successful nan airline’s ngo to upgrade its fleet pinch Starlink technology. United Airlines has now completed nan installation of nan instrumentality connected its first mainline aircraft, and nan inaugural Starlink-equipped commercialized formation will return spot connected a Boeing 737-800. This formation will depart from Newark, New Jersey, connected October 15, marking nan airline’s first foray into offering high-speed Wi-Fi onboard its mainline aircraft.

In May 2025, United’s first Starlink-equipped location formation was successfully launched connected an Embraer 175 location jet. Since then, nan hose has made singular advancement successful outfitting its location fleet, pinch Starlink now installed connected much than half of its location aircraft. This accelerated rollout highlights United’s committedness to providing a premium in-flight acquisition for passengers connected some its location and mainline fleets. Early customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, pinch astir 90% of customers expressing restitution pinch nan expertise to watercourse contented during their flights acknowledgment to nan high-speed and reliable relationship provided by Starlink.

“Customers are loving nan Starlink acquisition onboard our location aircraft, and our first Starlink-equipped mainline craft will bring a superior inflight acquisition to moreover much people,” said Grant Milstead, United’s Vice President of Digital Technology. “We’re moving to instal Starlink and connection game-changing inflight intermezo experiences for illustration streaming services, shopping, gaming and more.” 

The Benefits of Starlink for United Airlines and Its Customers

One of nan astir compelling reasons for United Airlines’ determination to instrumentality Starlink connected its craft is nan system’s expertise to present nan fastest Wi-Fi disposable successful nan skies. With speeds of up to 250 megabits per 2nd (Mbps), Starlink offers a important betterment complete erstwhile satellite-based Wi-Fi systems, which often struggled pinch slower speeds and inconsistent connections. For passengers, this intends nan expertise to watercourse movies, play games, shop online, and entree different intermezo options without nan vexation of slow aliases spotty connections.

Another cardinal advantage of nan Starlink strategy is its easiness of installation and maintenance. Compared to accepted in-flight Wi-Fi systems, Starlink is lighter, which results successful little substance depletion and a much businesslike craft operation. Additionally, nan strategy is much reliable and weather-resistant, ensuring a accordant work moreover successful challenging conditions. The streamlined installation process besides allows United to equip its fleet much rapidly, minimizing downtime for craft and enhancing nan wide ratio of nan airline’s operations.

United Airlines has made it clear that Starlink will beryllium disposable to each MileagePlus members free of charge, a important use for predominant travelers. The inclusion of high-speed Wi-Fi arsenic portion of nan in-flight acquisition is expected to elevate United’s customer work offerings and amended nan wide restitution of its passengers. This move is expected to beryllium a game-changer, offering inflight intermezo experiences that rival those disposable connected nan ground.

The Road Ahead: Starlink’s Expansion Across United’s Fleet

United Airlines is not stopping astatine nan certification of its first Starlink-equipped Boeing 737-800. The hose is moving intimately pinch SpaceX to unafraid FAA STC approvals for nan installation of Starlink crossed its full fleet, which includes complete 16 different location and mainline craft models. This broad scheme is group to supply accordant and high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity crossed nan airline’s full network, offering passengers an enhanced flying acquisition nary matter nan craft aliases destination.

The FAA certification process involves a rigorous bid of design, installation, testing, and certification stages to guarantee that nan Starlink strategy operates safely and reliably successful each conditions. United Airlines has emphasized nan important method benefits of nan Starlink system, specified arsenic its reduced size and weight compared to erstwhile systems, arsenic good arsenic its easiness of installation and maintenance. These advantages let United to rotation retired nan exertion crossed its fleet quickly and efficiently while maintaining a precocious modular of work for its passengers.

A New Standard for In-Flight Connectivity

United’s business pinch SpaceX and nan successful implementation of Starlink onboard its craft marks a turning constituent successful nan hose industry’s attack to in-flight connectivity. By offering nan fastest, astir reliable Wi-Fi disposable astatine nary other costs to its loyal MileagePlus members, United Airlines is mounting a caller modular for rider expectations successful nan air. The operation of high-speed internet, seamless streaming, and reliable connectivity is poised to toggle shape nan in-flight experience, ensuring that passengers tin stay connected, entertained, and productive passim their journey.

As United Airlines continues to rotation retired Starlink crossed its fleet, nan hose is mounting a powerful illustration for nan remainder of nan aviation industry, proving that in-flight Wi-Fi tin beryllium fast, reliable, and free of charge. With plans for further description and continuous improvements to nan Starlink system, United is well-positioned to support its activity successful providing top-tier rider experiences and connectivity.

United’s announcement heralds a early wherever aerial recreation is much connected than ever before, offering passengers nan expertise to stream, shop, and prosecute pinch their devices successful ways that were erstwhile thought intolerable astatine 35,000 feet. With nan first Starlink-equipped commercialized formation group for October 15, nan hose is taking a bold measurement guardant successful ensuring that its passengers enactment connected, nary matter wherever their travels return them.