Travel is getting a major upgrade this year, in part thanks to controversial tech billionaire, Elon Musk and his company, Starlink.
While American Airlines (AA) is rolling out free Wi-Fi across 90% of its fleet by January 2026, United Airlines is getting a head start with Starlink’s new in-flight Wi-Fi debut.
That said, not everything is being made easier for holiday-goers as AA is tightening its baggage policies to align with stricter European regulations, meaning some passengers might need to rethink their packing plans.
But, for a few lucky flyers, the focus will be less on luggage and more on enjoying United’s new Starlink Wi-Fi service launching tomorrow (15 May).
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The airline invited a few media outlets to try out Elon Musk's Aviation Wi-Fi before its official launch, one of which was Sean Cudahy from The Points Guy.
The aviation reporter said that connecting to Starlink was as easy as anything. He just connected to the Unitedwifi.com network, clicked 'get started' and was redirected to the United mobile app, which verified his MileagePlus status. After clicking on 'connect,' he was good to go.
According to Cudahy, Starlink’s speed was reliable and much appreciated for a long haul.
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“I ran a speed test, and it clocked the Wi-Fi at 217 Mbps of download speed, and 26.8 Mbps of upload speed,” reported Cudahy.
So you can imagine that with that speed, streaming TV show episodes or a Netflix movie wasn't a problem at all.
"This internet is fast. It's going to feel like nothing you've ever experienced in the skies before," added Grant Milstead, United vice president of digital technology. "It's faster than the internet at my house." For now, United Airlines is offering free Starlink Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members.
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“United certainly isn’t exaggerating on the speed of the service: I was able to simultaneously watch a live news feed about the selection of a new Pope on one device, and stream a live Major League Baseball game on another,” The Points Guy noted, adding that connecting additional devices to the network wasn't a problem either.
All members need to do is scan a QR code on their phone from their other device, and it's all set up. To save time, Cudahy also recommends downloading the United mobile app before your flight.
By the end of this year, United Airlines expects to equip all 300 of its Embraer 175 planes with Starlink, installing the service on 40 regional jets each month.
As the Federal Aviation Administration is giving the green light to United Airlines’ Starlink-equipped planes, the airline is now pushing to get approval for Starlink installations on over 16 more aircraft models.