United rolls out Starlink Wi-Fi on mainline fleet

United Airlines has made history as the first major U.S. carrier to provide complimentary Starlink Wi-Fi on a mainline flight. 

On Wednesday (Oct. 15), a United Boeing 737-800 equipped with the high-speed satellite internet system completed its inaugural journey from Newark Liberty airport in New Jersey to Houston, Texas, then continued to Fort Lauderdale, Florida before returning to Houston.

United plans to equip up to 15 of its mainline 737-800 aircraft with Starlink each month and more than half of the airline’s regional fleet is already fitted with the service.

By the end of the year, the airline expects to have an additional aircraft type certified to offer Starlink.

Passengers connecting to the service can expect Wi-Fi speeds reaching up to 250 megabits per second (Mbps), fast enough to stream movies and TV shows on multiple devices simultaneously — with no buffering, lag, or need to download content ahead of time.

READ MORE: WestJet’s Sam Taylor calls PAX from 35,000 ft. as airline celebrates Telus Wi-Fi milestone

According to United, travellers will even be able to play live online games while cruising at 38,000 feet.

Starlink Wi-Fi is free for United MileagePlus members, and customers will receive a notification before their flight if it's equipped with Starlink. 

"We're committed to raising the bar when it comes to the onboard experience, and with Starlink, we're changing how people fly," said David Kinzelman, United's chief customer officer, in a press release. "Whether it's catching a live game, streaming an award show or working, United customers won't miss a beat when they're onboard a Starlink-equipped flight."

High-speed satellite internet is also making headlines in Canada as WestJet, in collaboration with TELUS, recently marked a milestone, installing brand-new, powerful Wi-Fi on 100 (103, to be exact) of its 737 aircraft.

WestJet’s next-gen internet — which began rolling out across its aircraft in March, and was recently tested by PAX — is available free of charge for WestJet Rewards members. Membership in the program is also free.

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