United Airlines expands Starlink-powered in-flight Wi-Fi across its fleet

The skies are finally catching up to the ground when it comes to in-flight internet, and United Airlines has been leading the charge. The airline has long updated its app with handy features and even partnered with Apple to help users recover bags with AirTag. Now, United is accelerating the rollout of Starlink-powered Wi‑Fi across more of its fleet, aiming to deliver a smoother, faster experience.

In October 2025, I flew on United’s first mainline jet equipped with Starlink on a Boeing 737-900 and came away impressed. Since then, United has expanded Starlink to its United Express regional jets and increased the number of mainline aircraft fitted with the service. Today, Starlink is installed on 18 mainline jets and all United Express regional aircraft, marking a significant upgrade from earlier satellite-based systems that could be slow or unreliable.

During a busier demonstration flight with more media and creators using the network, the Starlink-equipped experience held up surprisingly well—latency was low enough to handle common tasks without the typical in-flight buffering or lag.

Performance you can feel. On a test with an iPhone 17 Pro Max, speeds reached about 291 Mbps download and 35 Mbps upload. Later in the flight, near descent, speeds were still solid at roughly 41 Mbps download on an iPhone Air. These speeds supported livestreams, streaming Disney+ channels, YouTube viewing, and scrolling through social apps without the usual slowdowns that plagued prior in-flight networks. Text messaging via iMessage, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger worked reliably too, keeping a sense of connectedness even while cruising over Los Angeles at 35,000 feet.

Access is straightforward and, for now, free. United’s Starlink-powered Wi‑Fi is accessible as soon as you connect to the aircraft’s network. The sign-in flow begins with a “Break the Barrier” screen, followed by a few brief rules about calling and content. After signing in with your United MileagePlus account (free to join), you’ll watch two short ads before you’re online and ready to go. The setup is designed to be quick and simple, so you can jump into work or entertainment right away.

While the on-board experience was steady, there are some caveats. In this test, a video call was possible on a trial basis, with no obvious lag or garbled audio, though such calls aren’t generally permitted on standard flights. It showed Starlink’s potential for truly multi-device collaboration: I used two iPhones, an iPad, and a MacBook Pro without issue, able to browse, upload to cloud storage, and stream while staying connected with colleagues and family.

Not everything was instant, though. Uploads for longer videos weren’t lightning-fast—my one-minute clip took several minutes to post. Still, for live collaboration, document work, and streaming, the service offered a practical and usable upgrade over previous in-flight options.

Two Starlink antennas sit near the aircraft’s forward fuselage, with four onboard routers distributing the signal. The configuration supports multiple devices simultaneously, keeping everyone connected during the flight.

As for the broader rollout, United remains on track to outfit its entire fleet with Starlink by the end of 2027. Since October 2025, 16 more mainline aircraft have joined the program, with the full United Express regional fleet already equipped. Future plans include larger jets—the 787, 777, 757, and 767—and other 737 variants as well as the Airbus A321, expanding the Starlink footprint across more routes.

Industry observers and travelers alike see Starlink as a potential game changer for in-flight connectivity. The pace of United’s rollout has sparked interest from other airlines, both domestic and international, as they explore similar upgrades to reduce latency and improve download speeds in the sky.

Today, roughly 344 United aircraft carry Starlink, and the airline has operated more than 167,000 flights with this faster, complimentary Wi‑Fi on many routes. If the timeline holds, more flyers will soon experience faster, more reliable internet across an even larger share of United’s fleet.

If you want more tech headlines and hands-on testing like this, follow TechRadar for ongoing coverage and reviews. Jacob Krol covers technology and travel tech, and his hands-on reporting helps shed light on how new connectivity solutions perform in real-world scenarios.