United Airlines to Equip Its Planes with Elon Musk's Internet
'07.01.2025'
ForumDaily New York
United Airlines has announced that it will equip most of its planes with Wi-Fi. Internet will be provided by Elon Musk's company Starlink. United Airlines plans to operate its first commercial flight with the new service this spring, reports AOL.
The service will be offered free onboard to members of the carrier's loyalty program United MileagePlus.
According to a press release, the airline will begin testing Starlink Wi-Fi in February. United expects to launch the service on its Embraer E-175 aircraft this spring.
On the subject: Uber Took Me From Manhattan To The Airport For $18: How The Service Works
“Adding Starlink to as many aircraft as possible, as quickly as possible, is a central goal of the airline’s loyalty program this year,” said Richard Nunn, CEO of United MileagePlus. “Not only will it revolutionize the United flying experience, it will also open up a host of new partnerships and benefits for our members.”
Internet on board
Musk launched Starlink in 2019. The internet service uses a network of satellites in low Earth orbit to provide broadband internet. United described the service as “the world’s fastest, most reliable connection in the sky.”
In-flight Wi-Fi became available in 2003, when aircraft manufacturer Boeing announced its Connexion service. Other providers have since emerged, but their service is often spotty or slow.
Inflight Wi-Fi via Starlink will eventually be available on all flights, United says flights – on seatback screens and personal devices. The airline has not released pricing information for non-MileagePlus members who want to purchase the service. Currently, Wi-Fi costs $10 for non-members on domestic and short-haul international flights and $8 for members.
Where else
United isn’t the first airline to partner with Starlink. Hawaiian Airlines announced in September that it would offer free Starlink connectivity to all travelers on Airbus flights between the islands and the United States, Asia, and Oceania. Semi-private charter company JSX is also offering free Starlink Wi-Fi on all 46 of its aircraft.
JetBlue has offered free inflight Wi-Fi from a different provider since 2017. Delta provides free Wi-Fi to its SkyMiles members through T-Mobile, and American offers it to travelers for a fee.
SpaceX has already launched 24 new spacecraft into orbit in the new year. The Starlink network consists of more than 6000 satellites, and Musk has ambitions to add another 25.
