Image: United Airlines
United Airlines has received approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its first mainline aircraft equipped with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet, with the inaugural customer flight scheduled to depart from Newark/New York on October 15.
The FAA recently approved an amendment to Starlink’s Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the Boeing 737-800, clearing the way for United’s first Starlink-equipped mainline aircraft to take to the skies. The company has already completed installation on its first 737-800.
This milestone comes less than five months after United’s first Starlink-equipped customer flight on a regional Embraer 175 aircraft back in March, and just a year after the airline unveiled plans to bring free Starlink Wi-Fi to more than 1,000 planes across its mainline and regional fleets. United has been fast-tracking installations throughout 2025, adding Starlink to around 50 regional jets every month. More than half of United’s regional fleet is already equipped.
“Customers are loving the Starlink experience onboard our regional aircraft, and our first Starlink-equipped mainline aircraft will bring a superior inflight experience to even more people,” said Grant Milstead, United’s VP of Digital Technology. “We’re working to install Starlink and offer game-changing inflight entertainment experiences like streaming services, shopping, gaming and more.”
Starlink, engineered and operated by SpaceX, offers speeds of up to 250 Mbps and is available free for all MileagePlus members, who can sign up at no cost. The lightweight, weather-resistant equipment is also quicker to install and improves reliability compared to traditional in-flight connectivity systems. Starlink is in the process of securing FAA STCs to cover installation on every United aircraft model slated for the upgrade — more than 16 regional and mainline types in total.
SpaceX’s satellite internet has quickly become the new standard for in-flight connectivity, with more airlines steadily joining the list of adopters. Earlier this week, Canada’s WestJet announced plans to begin rolling out free Starlink Wi-Fi across its Boeing fleet starting in late 2025. Air Canada is also equipping its regional aircraft with Starlink as part of a $10 million modernization project.
With United now bringing Starlink to its mainline fleet, passengers on larger aircraft will soon get the same fast, consistent Wi-Fi experience that regional customers have been enjoying since earlier this year.
