Global commercial carrier United Airlines has struck a deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to offer satellite-based Starlink Wi-Fi service on all of its flights.
The airline said Friday that the service will be free for passengers for the next few years.
The announcement comes as airlines are racing to offer more amenities as a way to stand out when passengers choose an airline to travel on.
United’s goal is to make sitting on a plane as similar as possible to being on the ground, industry experts said, when it comes to surfing the Internet, streaming entertainment and playing multiplayer online video games.
Global commercial carrier United Airlines has struck a deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to offer satellite-based Starlink Wi-Fi service on all of its flights.
United Airlines announced that it had reached an agreement with Starlink and will soon offer free internet to passengers on all its flights. Above, a Starlink system placed on the grass
Elon Musk speaks to spectators as he watches Jannik Sinner of Italy and Taylor Fritz of the United States during the men’s singles final at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
“Anything you can do on the ground, you’ll soon be able to do onboard a United aircraft at 35,000 feet, virtually anywhere in the world,” United CEO Scott Kirby said in announcing the deal.
According to the The Wall Street JournalUnited’s deal is part of a broader initiative to enhance its high-end offering for first- and business-class travelers.
The company hopes Starlink’s technology could “propel it ahead of rival carriers in offering fast, free Wi-Fi,” according to the Journal.
The multinational airline has been equipping its planes with more power sockets and seatback screens in a bid to appeal to consumers who want to be more connected to the Internet via their electronic devices in flight.
United said it will begin testing the service early next year and start offering it on some flights in late 2025.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Rival airline Delta had also previously approached Starlink for a similar arrangement, but no contract or deal has materialized, according to media reports.
