United Airlines rolls out Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi on regional flights

From 15 May 2025, United Airlines has started fitting its regional flights with Starlink satellite internet from Elon Musk's company. Full rollout across all long-haul flights is planned by the end of the year, which the carrier says will provide passengers with "a high-quality digital experience on board."

Connection speed

During a test flight of an Embraer E-175 from Chicago to Detroit, a journalist from The Verge noted that download speeds averaged 128 Mbps, with upload speeds of about 24 Mbps. Video quality was described as "flawlessly sharp." For comparison, Qatar Airways flights have recorded download speeds of up to 215 Mbps at an altitude of 11,000 metres.

According to official figures, maximum Wi-Fi speed on board United flights can reach 250 Mbps. The "laser link" technology ensures stable performance even in adverse weather conditions and allows connectivity from boarding all the way to disembarkation.

United was the first major US airline to announce a partnership with Starlink, back in 2024. United's Vice President of Digital Technology, Grant Milstead, called the project "an innovative solution with unique speed and scale," noting that its rollout was made possible by a dedicated technical team and modern equipment. He also praised the partnership with Starlink, stressing that the joint effort will allow equipment to be installed on more than 300 aircraft in the regional fleet by the end of the year.

However, the system still shows limitations when transferring large files: uploading a video to cloud storage took the tester almost seven minutes. This underscores Starlink's caution in publicising upload speed figures.

Connecting to the network

To access the internet, passengers need to connect via the United mobile app and sign up for the MileagePlus loyalty programme, which remains free. This sets United apart favourably from other carriers, where Wi-Fi is often offered on a paid basis. At the same time, American Airlines recently announced plans to offer free internet to 90% of passengers using Viasat and Intelsat technology.

Before connecting to the network, passengers must agree to terms of use: voice and video calls are prohibited, headphones are required for audio playback, and all content viewed must meet ethical standards.

Besides United, Starlink's partners for rolling out in-flight Wi-Fi include airBaltic, Air France, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Qatar Airways. Air New Zealand, SAS, WestJet, and Zipair have also expressed interest in the technology.