United Airlines Expects to Start Starlink in February

United Airlines announced on Sunday that it expects to begin testing Starlink onboard its aircraft in February, marking the initial phase of bringing Starlink’s Wi-Fi to its entire fleet.

United plans to first offer Starlink Wi-Fi on its Embraer E-175 aircraft this spring, with a phased rollout across the rest of the fleet. The airline aims to have its entire two-cabin regional fleet, along with its first mainline aircraft, equipped with Starlink by the end of this year.

Eventually, United, which signed the agreement with Starlink last spring, intends to provide the service across its entire fleet of more than 1,000 jets.

The Starlink Wi-Fi will be free for all United guests with a MileagePlus account, enabling passengers to stream movies and live TV, game, shop online, and work on multiple devices simultaneously at no additional cost. Passengers will also be able to use Starlink to connect with a United customer support agent via the United app, allowing them to receive real-time information or make flight changes in-flight.

United is among the first wave of airlines to adopt Starlink, joining WestJet, which began the process in 2024, and Hawaiian Airlines, which is currently transitioning to the service. Many travelers and travel advisors may already be familiar with Starlink due to its widespread use in the cruise industry, with lines such as Carnival Cruise Line, Princess, Regent Seven Seas, Holland America, Oceania, and Cunard having added Starlink to their ships to great acclaim.