United Airlines plans to start installing Starlink satellite wifi on its regional aircraft from this spring, as part of an "accelerated timeline" for rolling out the internet service.
The US carrier said that it will begin testing of the system from next month and will initially introduce the Starlink service on its Embraer E-175 two-cabin regional aircraft. The new wifi service will be free for members of United's MileagePlus loyalty scheme.
United said it planned to finish installing the wifi service on its regional fleet by the end of 2025. The airline also intends to introduce the system onboard its first “mainline” aircraft by the end of this year, with the aim of eventually adding Starlink to its entire fleet.
United is the second major US carrier to announce free wifi for loyalty customers, following Delta Air Lines' announcement in February 2023, which was later extended to Delta's international routes in summer 2024.