A few months ago, United Airlines announced its agreement with Starlink to provide in-flight Internet access to its passengers. At the time, the airline said it would begin testing the new service in early 2024 and then offer it on passenger flights later in the year. United has now sped up that timeline slightly, with testing starting next month and the first passenger flight Starlink offers, an Embraer E-175 regional jet, set to take off this spring.
When I spoke with United’s chief customer officer, Linda Jojo, she told me that the company had an aggressive plan for the renovation, with the installation of the new Starlink terminal scheduled to take about two days while the plane is grounded (with the option to split installation also over two nights).
United now expects to install Starlink across its entire regional fleet by the end of the year. The first mainline aircraft (think Boeing 737s and Airbus 320s) will receive Starlink before the end of the year.
The promise here is that Starlink will essentially make the in-flight Wi-Fi experience the same as on the ground, with enough bandwidth to let anyone on the plane stream live video, access productivity apps and play games direct.
“We have a lot planned for our MileagePlus members this year, and adding Starlink service to as many aircraft as we can – as quickly as we can – is at the heart of it all,” said Richard Nunn, CEO of the frequent flyer program. of United’s MileagePlus. . “This will not only revolutionize the experience of flying with United, but will also unlock many new partnerships and benefits for our members that would not otherwise be possible.”
Once available, Wi-Fi through Starlink will be free for all members of United’s MileagePlus program. Fliers will also be able to connect to multiple devices under the same account.
