Federal regulators just gave the green light. United Airlines is teaming up with Starlink for its first commercial flight using the new Wi-Fi system in May.
The FAA approved the use of Starlink’s satellite internet on United’s Embraer 175 aircraft. Starlink is part of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Starlink’s goal? Fast, low-latency internet—everywhere. Even places where internet has always been spotty or way too pricey.
“The FAA has approved our first aircraft equipped with the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky,” United posted Monday on X. “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.”
United says this will be a game-changer. Passengers can use mobile devices like they do at home or work.
Before the first customer flight, United will run beta tests with Starlink. It’s all part of the rollout.
The airline says Starlink is 50 times faster than current regional airline internet. And it’ll be free for MileagePlus members.
United struck a deal with Starlink in September. The plan? Equip over 1,000 planes in the coming years.
In January, United said they were speeding things up. Starlink is now a top priority.
“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 center of it all,” said Richard Nunn, United Airlines MileagePlus CEO.