Dive Brief:
- United will soon bring free Starlink Wi-Fi to its customers through an agreement with SpaceX, the airline announced Friday. The in-air Wi-Fi connectivity is expected to boost in-flight experience.
- The airline will test Starlink onboard planes early next year and plans to begin rolling it out to customers later in 2025. It expects to implement Starlink Wi-Fi on all aircrafts — some 1,000 in total — over the next few years.
- "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," United CEO Scott Kirby said in a prepared statement. "This connectivity opens the door for an even better inflight entertainment experience, in every seatback — more content, that's more personalized.”
Dive Insight:
Airlines have offered inflight Wi-Fi for years, but the connection is often spotty or usually pricey. United is looking to upgrade that experience by bringing fast, reliable — and free — internet connection to all passengers.
“United's culture of innovation is, once again, delivering big for our customers," Kirby said.
SpaceX has signed deals to bring Wi-Fi to Qatar Airways and Hawaiian Air as well, though its deal with United is its largest yet with an airline. SpaceX’s satellite-provided internet connection has brought Wi-Fi to previously inaccessible places.
Customers will be able to livestream, watch live TV, shop, game, stay connected to work and more, United said.
"We're excited to team up with United Airlines to transform the inflight experience," said Gwynne Shotwell, president and COO at SpaceX.
United is providing the service to its seatbacks as well as to customer devices.
United has been investing in technology to improve customer experience, including adding features to its mobile app to reseat customers to their preferred seat and providing more self-service capabilities.
