United Airlines has completed the installation of Starlink Wi-Fi on the majority of its two-cabin regional fleet, equipping more than 300 aircraft with the high-speed satellite service in less than a year.
The carrier confirmed it now expects to have Starlink installed on more than half of its mainline fleet, an additional 500 aircraft, by the end of 2026. This would bring the total number of Starlink-equipped planes to more than 800.
Currently, more than 25 percent of United’s daily departures, representing roughly 1,200 flights, feature the new service. According to the airline, the service provides gate-to-gate connectivity capable of supporting live sports streaming, online gaming, and other high-bandwidth activities previously difficult to support with traditional inflight satellite Wi-Fi.
United reported that customer satisfaction scores for Wi-Fi on Starlink-equipped aircraft have nearly doubled. Over the last 10 months, more than 7 million passengers have flown on these aircraft, connecting approximately 3.7 million devices.
Mainline Expansion and FAA Approval
The focus now shifts to the mainline fleet. United plans to accelerate the rollout this year, working in collaboration with Starlink to seek FAA approval for installation on more than a dozen aircraft models. These include the Boeing 737-900ER, the Airbus A321 family, and the Boeing 777.
“We’re rolling out Starlink at an unprecedented speed and scale, and our milestone for our regional fleet is just the beginning,” Grant Milstead, United’s VP of Digital Technology, said in a statement. “This is all part of our commitment to bring this innovative service to our entire fleet.”
Regional Market Saturation
United is highlighting the rollout with a new advertising campaign set to air during the Super Bowl on Feb. 8 in select local markets. The ads will target cities where Starlink availability on United flights is already high, including:
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Indianapolis: More than 63 percent of United flights are equipped.
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Kansas City: More than 53 percent.
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Cincinnati: More than 51 percent.
Other key markets seeing high availability include Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Denver, and Houston.
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