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United flyers should mark their calendars for October 15, 2025 as the day United launches high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi on a mainline commercial flight. United first introduced Starlink on regional flights back in May, giving passengers faster, more reliable internet from gate to gate.
While many U.S. airlines charge for basic connectivity — or offer limited speeds and coverage — United’s partnership with Starlink means passengers can look forward to speeds fast enough to work, stream, or stay in touch without interruption. With an aggressive timeline, more than half of United's regional fleet is already equipped with Starlink.
Here are the latest details on the timeline and rollout schedule.
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United Partners With Starlink to Offer Free In-Flight Wi-Fi
United originally announced its new partnership with Starlink on September 13, 2024. A division of SpaceX, Starlink launched in 2019 and now has over 7,000 satellites providing internet to reportedly over 100 million customers worldwide. With this new United partnership, the total number of aircraft served by Starlink Aviation increases to over 2,500, and will hit 10,000 by 2034.
Starlink Wi-Fi claims to offer download speeds of 100-250 Mbps and upload speeds of 8-25 Mbps on flights. The service also has a very low latency (time between source and destination) of less than 0.1 seconds. In other words, it's fast and strong Wi-Fi.
Timeline to Outfit the United Fleet with Starlink Wi-Fi
After providing some initially ambiguous details, United announced a timeline at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. United then began testing Starlink Wi-Fi on regional United Express Embraer E-175 aircraft in February 2025.
On March 31, United posted an update on X/Twitter saying that the FAA had approved the first aircraft fitted with Starlink Wi-Fi. With this green light, the airline started outfitting more than 40 planes a month. In May, the first United passengers gained access to high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi on regional flights.
First United mainline jet with Starlink Wi-Fi will take flight on October 15
On September 26, United announced the installation of Starlink Wi-Fi on its first Boeing 737-800. The first United mainline commercial flight with high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi will depart Newark (EWR) on October 15, 2025. All United MileagePlus members get free access to Starlink Wi-Fi on this and all future flights with Starlink-enabled aircraft.
By the end of 2025, United plans to outfit its entire two-cabin regional fleet. The regional fleet consists of approximately 200 aircraft, with more than half now equipped with Starlink Wi-Fi.
And while there's no official timeline on the rollout schedule for additional mainline jets, we're hopeful that United will move swiftly on those, too.
Existing United Wi-Fi Availability and Pricing
Until Starlink goes live across the rest of the United fleet, passengers can purchase Wi-Fi on most United flights. Availability depends on the route, aircraft, and service provider. Several flights outside the U.S. don't have coverage, so Starlink is a major upgrade.
For flights with Wi-Fi, passengers can purchase a day pass or a subscription using cash or points. United MileagePlus members can purchase a day pass for $8 or 1,600 miles on most flights. You can also purchase a monthly Wi-Fi subscription for $49 or 7,500 miles.
If you're not a MileagePlus member, your only option is to purchase a flight pass. This costs $10 for domestic and short-haul international flights — and an undisclosed amount on long-haul flights.
Day vouchers are valid for 24 hours, starting one hour before departure. If a flight is canceled, the aircraft is changed to one without Wi-Fi, or you have less than 50% connectivity on your flight, United will issue you a refund. The monthly subscription is non-refundable. Among other restrictions, the day pass and monthly subscription do not include streaming services.
Can you get free Wi-Fi on United flights?
While we wait for Starlink to go live, some United flyers can already get free Wi-Fi on United flights. T-Mobile customers can get free and unlimited Wi-Fi, texting, and even streaming on both domestic and international United flights. Additionally, all United passengers receive complimentary messaging through various apps, including iMessage, WhatsApp, and Google Messages.
Otherwise, you'll currently need to pay for United Wi-Fi. Even top-tier MileagePlus Premier 1K elite members must pay for a day pass or a monthly subscription.
While it's not free, you can at least get a 25% discount with any of its Chase-issued United MileagePlus credit cards. Yes, that even includes the no-annual-fee The New United Gateway℠ Card (Rates & Fees).
- Earn 30,000 bonus miles
- 0% intro APR for the first 12 months from account opening on purchases & no annual fee.
- 2x miles on United® purchases
- 2x miles at gas stations, on local transit and commuting
- 1x mile on all other purchases
- 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Gateway Card
- Earn 2 checked bags after you spend $10,000 in a calendar year
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- 2 miles per $1 spent at gas stations, on local transit and commuting
- 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
Our Take
United’s move to offer free, fast Starlink Wi-Fi is a major win for flyers — especially on regional routes where coverage has historically been hit or miss. With installation already halfway completed on the regional fleet and the first mainline flight departing on October 15, United is setting the bar high for in-flight connectivity.
We'll keep this post updated as the rollout expands to more aircraft by the end of 2025 and beyond.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The New United Gateway℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
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