United Airlines schedules first Boeing 737 flight with Starlink Wi-Fi for October

United Airlines signed an agreement last year with SpaceX to provide complimentary Starlink Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members across both its mainline and regional fleets. The airline plans to expand this service throughout its entire fleet of over 1,000 aircraft, which have an average age of 16.8 years.

Obtaining FAA approval for each aircraft model involves securing a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), which covers design, installation, testing, and certification processes for safety and reliability. According to United Airlines, the new system is not only faster but also lighter and easier to install than previous systems; installation takes about four days compared to over ten days for standard airborne Wi-Fi.

Other airlines are also moving toward enhanced in-flight connectivity using Starlink. Hawaiian Airlines was the first carrier globally to introduce Starlink internet onboard its Airbus A321 and A330-200 fleets as of September 2024. Following a merger with Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Air Group has announced plans to equip all its planes with Starlink by 2027. International carriers such as airBaltic, Air France, Air New Zealand, Qatar Airways, WestJet, ZIPAIR, and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) have also partnered with SpaceX for similar upgrades.