United Airlines has struck a deal with SpaceX to bring Starlink In-Flight Wi-Fi to its cabins. Starlink is expected to power both In-flight entertainment (IFE) systems and personal devices on flights, and should make streaming video easier and more reliable for travelers.
According to United, the deal will result in the availability of gate-to-gate high-speed, low-latency internet, improving access to live TV and streaming services, as well as social media, shopping, gaming and more. What’s more, the Starlink In-Flight Wi-Fi service will be available for free on flights.
For those eager to try out the new internet service, it looks like the rollout will take some time. The initial plan is to begin testing the service early next year, with the first passenger flights equipped with Starlink expected to take flight later in 2025.
United says it will take several years for Starlink to go live on all of its fleet.
“Everything you can do on the ground, you’ll soon be able to do onboard a United plane at 35,000 feet, just about anywhere in the world,” said United CEO Scott Kirby. “This connectivity opens the door for an even better inflight entertainment experience, in every seatback – more content, that’s more personalized. United’s culture of innovation is, once again, delivering big for our customers.”
In addition to the ability to stream video, including watching live TV, without buffering or lag, the use of Starlink will also make it possible for travelers to connect and make use of multiple devices at the same time.
“With Starlink onboard your United flight, you’ll have access to the world’s most advanced high-speed internet from gate to gate, and all the miles in between,” said Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer at SpaceX.
The deal between United and SpaceX is only the latest example of how streaming is slowly and fundamentally changing the in-flight experience. In late 2023, DirecTV agreed a deal to bring live TV to select Delta flights, and this followed a similar deal with Southwest earlier in the same year.
More recently, JetBlue launched its new ‘Blueprint by JetBlue’ personalized inflight experience, designed to offer travelers the ability to discover, save and watch content similar to how they do at home.
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