United Airlines plans to offer free Starlink Wi-Fi on every flight
The best part is that the service will be free. The best part? Connectivity is free. All you’ll need is a MileagePlus account to access the internet on as many devices as you can carry on board.
Staying connected: United Airlines details 6 big inflight entertainment updates, including all-new Control Tower map
Just six months since the initial announcement, United has made some stellar progress in getting its first Starlink-connected plane in the sky. In fact, the first jet to feature Starlink, an Embraer E175, is nearly ready to start flying.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
As this milestone draws nearer, United invited a select group of media to examine what it takes to bring Starlink to the sky.
So, I flew down to Nashville, home to a maintenance hangar for regional subsidiary SkyWest Airlines, to take a look at what United and its partners have done so far.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
And while I couldn’t connect to the Starlink service just yet — that’ll happen on a demonstration flight in the coming weeks — what I saw is a harbinger of things to come for the United onboard experience.
Timeline of United’s Starlink rollout
Starlink installations will begin with dual-cabin regional jets. To start, United is exclusively working on Embraer E170 and E175 installations.
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
After it obtains the required FAA certification for the E170 family, it will begin the installation process for the next regional fleet type: the CRJ-700 and CRJ-900 aircraft.
Starting with regional jets is a strategic and intentional move on United’s part, because this fleet will see the biggest upgrades right from the outset.
All of United’s dual-cabin regional jets currently offer outdated air-to-ground internet access that’s spotty, unreliable and excruciatingly slow. While that technology was a big innovation when it was introduced in 2008, times have changed.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Starlink will offer a living room-like experience in the sky, no matter what plane you’re flying.
You’ll enjoy speedy downloads, crystal-clear streaming and uninterrupted gaming, all with low latency. Starlink is available to all passengers, unlike air-to ground service which works only above 10,000 feet. ZACH GRIFF/THE POSTS GUY
Speaking with TPG during the behind-the scenes preview event, Merchant stated that the “tech innovation” was what made Starlink so attractive for aviation. The speed, the simplicity, and the lightness. Stoltz said that the installation of Starlink is being accelerated as much as possible. To turn that into numbers, United will retrofit more than 40 aircraft a month starting in May, leading to a grand total of more than 300 installations on track for completion by the end of the year.
Starlink access points. The installation kit is “simple and light” according to Merchant, who oversees regional jet installations. He attributed this to the “simplicity” and “lightness” of the Starlink installation kit. But more about that is below. Stoltz was not ready to commit to an exact timeline as to when mainline jets would start receiving Starlink. However, he gave a few hints. United currently has four Wi-Fi service providers, with some being more reliable than others. The Starlink rollout is underway. Based on my experience with Starlink on another carrier, I believe this. )
One of the things that United loves about Starlink “is how it’s thought about from the perspective of a technician who is
maintaining the system,” said Stoltz.
To demonstrate just how much easier and more efficient it is to install (and repair) Starlink service, Stoltz and Merchant did a little show and tell.
Starlink antenna. ZACH GRIFF/THE POSTS GUY
They showed all the equipment required to run an air-to ground network. Think miles of cables, ancient multiprong connectors and heavy-duty equipment weighing a whopping 300 pounds.
Air-to-ground equipment. ZACH GRIFF/THE POSTS GUY
Starlink requires only four parts, including an antenna radome and two wireless access points. Merchant said that the entire kit is only 85 pounds, and it’s much easier to repair. This will make it much easier to fix inoperable Wi-Fi in the future.
Moreover, Starlink’s light weight helps save fuel.
“It’s like your average person (by weight) being taken off the aircraft … it’s great for our carbon footprint, as we’re always looking to save weight. Stoltz explained that
had incorporated all of this in a simplified manner. If you’ve ever looked at the fuselage of existing satellite-equipped aircraft, you’ll notice a bulge near the tail, which houses the chunky antenna.[Wi-Fi]With Starlink, the entire antenna is just one flat sheet that’s no thicker than a laptop.
Starlink antenna. ZACH GRIFF/THE POSTS GUY
“It’s big to have a lower antenna profile. Today, we have big satellite radomes mounted on the mainline planes. They’re
heavy. So this just helps a lot,” explained Merchant.
Each antenna can provide about 500 Mbps of bandwidth to a plane. This is enough for regional jets that seat 75 passengers. The two access points, or routers, are located in ceiling panels above the cabin. The two access points, or routers, are located in ceiling panels above the cabin.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
They’re incredibly small and lightweight, and Merchant said they are strong enough to give everyone on board perfect reception.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Interestingly, this E175 also featured United’s new larger carry-on bins, which can fit more than four rollaboard bags each — another major upgrade for flyers.[installing and]ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Because the system was powered off during my tour, I couldn’t test how it worked, but I did learn two interesting tidbits.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
First, there will be a hidden network for United flight attendants and pilots. The hidden network will allow employees to check the weather, and any other electronic flight bag-type stuff they may need on the plane. Stoltz laughed and said, “Employees will come out from the woodwork once they know there is bandwidth on the plane. They’re like, ‘Can you do that?’ Can we do this? This definitely opens up capability beyond the client. As part of Starlink’s rollout, United Airlines will offer free Wi-Fi to MileagePlus members. “I can tell you that it will be one login.” The Starlink rollout is a major undertaking for United. That’s the Polaris business class rollout, which was initiated in 2017, but only hit 100% completion about seven years later.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Fortunately, the Starlink rollout isn’t nearly as complex or time-consuming as Polaris, and it shouldn’t be delayed, explained Stoltz.
“I don’t anticipate the same growing pains,” said Stoltz, adding that “we invited Starlink into the process as early as possible … We’re trying to get all of that work done up front so that as we think about how to roll out, we can do it in an efficient manner. “
Hopefully United can bring Starlink onto the plane even faster than they promised. After all, its frequent flyers are waiting patiently.
Related reading:[Starlink]
