United Airlines has just unveiled an exciting new timeline to bring Starlink – the world’s fastest and most reliable inflight connectivity – to United travellers around the globe. This announcement marks a significant milestone for the airline, promising game-changing inflight experiences for all its customers.

First Commercial Flight Expected by Spring

United Airlines now anticipates testing Starlink as early as next month, with the first commercial flight featuring this cutting-edge service expected to take off this spring on a United Embraer E-175 aircraft. The airline plans to outfit its entire two-cabin regional fleet with Starlink by the end of this year and expects its first mainline Starlink-enabled plane to be in the air before the year concludes. Ultimately, Starlink will be added to the entire United fleet.

Free Access for MileagePlus® Customers

All MileagePlus customers will enjoy free access to Starlink’s inflight entertainment, which includes streaming services, shopping, gaming, and more. With the award-winning loyalty program free to join, travellers can sign up now at united.com/starlink to take advantage of these incredible benefits.

Revolutionizing Inflight Experience

“We have a lot planned for our MileagePlus members this year and adding Starlink to as many planes as we can – as quickly as we can – is at the centre of it all,” said Richard Nunn, CEO of United MileagePlus. “It’s not only going to revolutionize the experience of flying United, but it’s also going to unlock tons of new partnerships and benefits for our members that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.”

Largest Agreement with SpaceX

Last September, United signed the industry’s largest agreement of its kind with SpaceX to bring Starlink to its entire fleet. Starting in a few months, United customers will enjoy the same high-speed, low-latency internet service in the air that they enjoy on the ground. This gate-to-gate connectivity will enable experiences at scale that no other major U.S. airline provides, available on seatback screens and personal devices simultaneously.

MileagePlus: The World’s Best Airline Loyalty Program

MileagePlus has been rated the world’s best airline loyalty program, offering a plethora of benefits:

• Free to join for all customers
• Free to earn miles
• Miles never expire
• No blackout dates for award seats – if there’s a seat open, you can buy it with miles
• Just about anything you can pay for with cash at United, you can buy with miles (seats, WiFi, snacks, etc.)
• United was the first major U.S. airline to allow members to pool their miles with family and friends into a joint account

On an average day, approximately 31,000 United seats are filled by MileagePlus customers using their miles – the equivalent of filling about 100 Boeing 777 aircraft. During the summer of 2024, more than three million MileagePlus customers flew on award tickets.

With these exciting advancements, United Airlines is set to revolutionize the inflight experience, ensuring that travellers stay connected and entertained from gate to gate.