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Earlier this month, I wrote about United Airlines announcing that it would be adding Starlink Wi-Fi connectivity to its entire fleet. This was set to begin with its regional jets and today United announced that the first plane is fully equipped with a scheduled inaugural flight set for May 2025. United expects to install Starlink in 40 regional aircraft per month with the entire fleet (of more than 300 planes) complete by the end of 2025.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) and expects the first commercial flight to be onboard a United Express Embraer 175. In addition to securing the STC, United will run a beta test on select flights between now and the first customer flight in May to make sure the onboard experience works well for passengers.
United and Starlink will work together to secure FAA STCs to install Starlink Wi-Fi on every United aircraft type planned for this connectivity option. There are more than 16 total regional and mainline aircraft models that will eventually have Starlink installed.
Customers onboard Starlink-equipped regional aircraft can expect Wi-Fi speeds up to 250 megabits per second (Mbps), which is around 50 times faster than current regional aircraft speeds. Starlink delivers internet access around the world, including over oceans, polar regions, and other remote locations that previously did not offer Wi-Fi signals. United is the first carrier in the world to commit to installing Starlink service at this scale. Other airlines like airBaltic, Air New Zealand, Hawaiian Airlines, Qatar Airways, and WestJet have plans to install Starlink, but United will be by far the biggest.
Starlink access will be free for all MileagePlus® passengers and include inflight entertainment experiences like streaming services, shopping, gaming, and more.
The FAA has approved our first aircraft equipped with the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky. That green light means we expect to install Starlink on 40+ planes a month, with our entire regional fleet being outfitted by the end of year.
The first passenger flight that'll let customers… pic.twitter.com/di9LRyFdG3
— United Airlines (@united) March 31, 2025
Anthony’s Take: I cannot wait for United to have blazing-fast Wi-Fi across its entire fleet. This regional addition is a huge win and once it’s fully installed will help United leapfrog to the front of the pack in terms of in-flight connectivity.
(Image Credits: United Airlines.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
