United presents an exciting update about free Starlink Wi-Fi

United Airlines has one last Christmas present for flyers: Free Wi-Fi is coming sooner than originally promised.

The Chicago-based carrier announced Sunday that it will begin installing Starlink Wi-Fi on its two-cabin regional planes in the coming weeks.

The first aircraft to receive Starlink Wi-Fi, the Embraer E175 regional jet, will be fitted with a Starlink radome in February and will also enter commercial service planned for spring.

In addition, United now plans to equip its entire fleet of two-cabin regional jets by the end of 2025 and have its first Starlink-powered mainline aircraft in the air before the end of this year.

TPG’s picks: The most exciting new flight routes of 2025

United has committed to installing Starlink on all of its more than 1,000 jets — a task that is sure to take at least a few years. (United is not giving a timeline for when it expects these Wi-Fi upgrades to be fully completed.)

In addition to the expedited rollout program, United also emphasized that Internet access will be free for all United MileagePlus customers.

Additionally, the airline will roll out a new Starlink-enabled in-flight entertainment page. This upgrade will provide access to streaming services, shopping, gaming and more.

In September, United shocked the industry when it announced it would add free Starlink Wi-Fi.

For years, United has provided a subpar inflight communication experience. It has partnered with four different Wi-Fi providers, each offering different speeds and reliability.

This mishmash of providers has left loyal fliers wondering if Wi-Fi service will work on their plane or if they can stream their favorite shows or browse heavy social media apps.

The good news is that the first provider United chose to replace with Starlink is a very old one: Wi-Fi Onboard (formerly known as Gogo), which provides incredibly slow air-to-ground connectivity on all of the region’s fleet.

Starlink, the arm of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, provides satellite Internet access to more than 100 countries around the world. While the company’s customers range from individual homeowners to the US military, perhaps the most exciting development for travelers is the deployment of Starlink on commercial flights.

Value check: Are airline credit cards still worth it?

The satellite Internet provider offers download speeds of up to 350 Mbps per second — fast enough to support gaming, VPN access, streaming and more. (Inflight calls are not permitted, per Federal Aviation Administration regulations.)

Once the rollout is complete, United will go from offering a subpar communications experience to offering the best in the sky.

While Delta Air Lines and JetBlue both offer free Wi-Fi in the US, both carriers partner with Viasat for Internet access. Viasat usually provides streaming speeds, but Starlink’s low latency means data should load very quickly.

In addition to United, Starlink is installed or installed on seven carriers around the world. It includes JSX, Hawaiian Airlines, airBaltic, Zipair, Qatar Airways and Air New Zealand.

“We have a lot planned for our MileagePlus members this year and adding Starlink to as many flights as we can – as quickly as possible – is at the center of it all. Not only will it transform the United flight experience, but it will also open up tons of new partnerships and benefits for our members that wouldn’t have been possible, ” said Richard Nunn, CEO of United MileagePlus, in a statement.

United’s Starlink rollout schedule

Related reading: