United Airlines (UA), one of the big three airlines from the US, has secured approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to install Starlink-powered Wi-Fi on its Boeing 737-800 fleet. The milestone certification for this aircraft type- the United has 141 units of averages 21.6 years -paves the way for high-speed, low-latency satellite internet on more than 1,000 aircraft across the airline’s fleet.
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United Airlines’ free Starlink Wi-Fi
The FAA’s Supplemental Type Certification (STC) allows United to retrofit its Boeing 737-800 fleet (Note: Boeings planes have started and ended with the number 7) with Starlink antennas and onboard systems. United’s most recent announcement comes almost half a year after its regional jet, the Embraer E175, took off Starlink system.
In January this year, United expressed its plans to outfit its entire two-cabin regional fleet by 2025, and “have its first mainline Starlink-enabled plane in the air before the end of this year“, claiming that its ultimate objective was to add Starlink to the entirety of its fleet:
“United signed the industry’s largest agreement of its kind with SpaceX to bring Starlink to its entire fleet. And starting in a few months, the airline’s customers will enjoy the same high-speed, low-latency internet service in the air that they enjoy on the ground. This gate-to-gate connectivity will enable experiences in the sky at scale that no other major U.S. airline provides, on seatback screens and personal devices simultaneously.”
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However, there were reports in June that static interference had affected Wi-Fi in the regional jets, and The Points Guy confirmed this by adding a statement of a United official:
“Starlink is now installed on about two dozen United regional aircraft. United and Starlink teams are working together to address a small number of reports of static interference during the operation of the Wi-Fi system, which is fairly common with any new airline Wi-Fi provider. We expect the service to be back up and running on these aircraft soon.”
When this problem surfaced, United was looking forward to the CRJ-550 and E175 family of planes.
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Boeing 737-800 and Starlink in United’s fleet
The Boeing 737 family entered United’s fleet following its merger with Continental Airlines in 2010. At that time, Continental was a major operator of the type.
United Airlines Fleet Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Founded | 1926 (as Varney Air Lines) |
| IATA Code | UA |
| Fleet Size (2025) | 1054 aircraft |
| Primary Hubs |
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| Alliance | Star Alliance |
United’s aircraft registered N24211, N24212, and N26210 are among the carrier’s oldest 737-800, all of which date back to October 2010. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the type’s youngest members include N77538, N77539, and N77541 – all of which were delivered between late 2016 and 2017, and are just over eight years old.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Current number in service | 141 |
| Total currently in operation | 129 in service and 12 are currently parked |
| Average fleet age | 21.6 years |
| Oldest 737-800 | 27.3 years (registered N24211 delivered in October 2010) |
| Youngest 737-800 | 8.1 years old (N77541 and delivered in September 2017) |
Data: planespotters.net
Here’s how United configures its Boeing 737-800 type:
| Cabin Class | Layout & Configuration | Row Pitch | Seat Width | Seat Recline | Features & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic First | 16 cradle seats, 2-2 layout | 36.7″ | 20″ | 5″ | — |
| Economy Plus | 54 Collins Aerospace Pinnacle seats, 3-3 layout, blue accents | 33.2″ standard; 38.8″ at rows 20-21 | 17″ | 3″ | 4-way adjustable headrest, tablet holder. Rows 15 & 20 do not recline. Partial height raked partition at row 7 with extra legroom, fixed armrests, retractable bi-fold tray tables. |
| Economy | 96 Collins Aerospace Pinnacle seats, 3-3 layout | 30.0″ | 17″ | 2″ | 4-way adjustable headrest, tablet holder. Seats in row 38 have limited recline. |
Data: aerolopa
We have to note that the access to Starlink Wi-Fi will be free for all MileagePlus customers. According to the carrier, the access includes inflight entertainment experiences like streaming:
- gaming
- services
- shopping
Membership to MileagePlus is also free and people can sign-up now at united.com/starlink.
According to One Mile At a Time, the FAA certification for the installation of Wi-Fi (on United’s 737-800 and other aircraft in general) involves the “approval of the design, installation, testing, and certification of the system, to ensure safe and reliable operations“.
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Similar in-flight wi-fi expansion
United’s move of installing Starlink is part of a broader industry trend to resort to the services of Starlink. Airlines such as Alaska, Scandinavian, among others, are looking for something similar. Let’s take a look at the most notable cases of the Wi-Fi installed in the different aircraft types:
| Airline | Technology Provider | Aircraft Certified | Year | Cost to Passengers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | Viasat | Airbus A321, Boeing 737 | 2022 | Free |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Starlink | Airbus A321neo, A330 | 2023 | Free |
| Qatar Airways | Inmarsat GX | Boeing 777, A350 | 2021 | Paid |
| United Airlines | Starlink | Boeing 737-800 | 2025 | Free |
Before adopting Starlink, United Airlines relied on multiple Wi-Fi providers across its fleet.
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Regional jets were equipped with Intelsat Wi-Fi (previously Gogo).
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The majority of wide-body aircraft, along with select A319s, A320s, and 757s, used Panasonic Wi-Fi.
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Most non-MAX 737s were fitted with Thales Wi-Fi.
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Many 737 MAX planes, A321neos, and certain A319s relied on Viasat Wi-Fi.