United Airlines is introducing complimentary Starlink Wi-Fi on all its aircraft.

United Airlines’ in-flight Wi-Fi experience is set to undergo a significant enhancement across its entire fleet, courtesy of SpaceX’s innovative Starlink satellite technology. After announcing a major milestone for the skies, United will start piloting Starlink’s speedy internet service in early 2025, with commercial flights expected to follow suit by the end of next year.

As part of a multi-year initiative, United Airlines will equip more than 1,000 aircraft with Starlink Wi-Fi, providing complimentary internet access to passengers. As you soar through the skies, you’ll discover that every capability you’ve honed below can be effortlessly replicated onboard a United aircraft at 35,000 feet, taking you almost anywhere in the world.

United currently utilizes four distinct Wi-Fi providers, with regional jets relying on Intelsat’s services previously offered by Gogo, while the majority of its wide-body aircraft employ Panasonic’s Wi-Fi capabilities. United also leverages Viasat Wi-Fi on the majority of its 737 Max fleet, as well as select A319s and A321neos. When it comes to speeds, Viasat stands out as the top choice, frequently featured on American and Delta flights.

A crucial update for travelers: onboard Wi-Fi connectivity remains inconsistent and slow at present. How Starlink and other satellite internet providers are poised to revolutionize connectivity, delivering speeds exceeding 100 Mbps on a shared reference network, with latency under 100 ms on a real-world flight. The robust internet connection enables seamless, uninterrupted Netflix streaming and allows for the flexibility to join video conference calls. It has the potential to deliver speeds of up to 220 Mbps per aircraft.

As Starlink’s high-speed internet service becomes increasingly available on select US airlines like JSX and Hawaiian Airways, its expansion to United Airlines will undoubtedly intensify pressure on competitors to upgrade their in-flight Wi-Fi offerings. Global airlines have recently unveiled plans to integrate Starlink WiFi into their fleets, with several carriers set to debut Starlink onboard select aircraft as early as December, and introducing complimentary Starlink WiFi on three Boeing 777-300 planes by the end of the year. Boeing aims to deploy Starlink services across its entire home fleet by 2025.

Just in time for the news to break, Jessica Rosenworcel, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, publicly expressed her concerns about SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation. Since its inception in 2018, Elon Musk’s Starlink has deployed nearly 7,000 satellites into orbit, thereby accounting for approximately two-thirds of all satellites currently operational in space, according to Rosenworcel. “The financial system should not benefit from unchecked monopolies.” “So we’ve invited numerous external space actors and incorporated multiple corporations to advance constellation development and innovations from home.”

T-Cell has recently achieved efficient connectivity via a Starlink satellite. T-Mobile and SpaceX announced a groundbreaking partnership in 2022, enabling users to send texts, place calls, and utilize T-Mobile services through SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network. And satellite companies akin to those of Apple and Google are being developed in parallel, as the tech giants roll out their own satellite TV services for their latest smartphone models.