United Airlines unveils inflight entertainment upgrades including Control Tower map

Research

Gene Sloan Cruise team lead | The Points Guy

By Sky Industry News

Jan 22, 2025

United Airlines is set to enhance its inflight entertainment offerings with a series of updates. The Chicago-based airline plans to introduce more screens, new features, and faster internet connectivity.

Dominic Green, United's director of inflight entertainment, mentioned that the company has been focusing on testing and improving its services without much publicity. He stated, "we'll probably hit a thousand aircraft over the next couple of years that have seatback screens at every seat."

Currently, over 300 United aircraft offer Bluetooth connectivity at every seat, allowing passengers to use wireless headphones with the entertainment systems. This makes United a leader in Bluetooth functionality among U.S. airlines.

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United's new screens boast 4K resolution, providing high-definition visuals. A notable addition is the Control Tower view feature. This map shows the airfield with surrounding aircraft and allows passengers to see their position for departure. Green noted this feature is enabled through a partnership with Betria Interactive's FlightPath3D product.

Channel 9 remains available for aviation enthusiasts who wish to listen to air traffic control radio chatter between pilots and controllers. However, Green explained that pilots can choose whether or not to enable this feature.

United also plans regular software updates for its seatback entertainment systems to ensure they remain current and functional. The airline announced last year it would integrate Starlink satellite internet service across its fleet, which could enhance the inflight screen experience.

Despite these advancements, United will not be offering screencasting capabilities on its screens due to privacy concerns from corporate partners.

Green emphasized that while travelers can still use personal devices for content consumption, United aims to create a living room-like experience with reliable internet on their seatback systems.