No dropouts, no stress: United’s Starlink Wi-Fi just works — and the rollout to every plane can’t come soon enough
I don’t think there’s any way around it — the internet in the sky has never been a perfect experience. However, many airlines are starting to buck that trend, and in the United States, United Airlines has been punching above the rest. It’s not only frequently updating its app with helpful features — real-time boarding group notifications, anyone? — but also partnering with Apple to help reunite you with your bag sooner thanks to AirTag. Now, it’s ambitiously upgrading its onboard Wi-Fi and internet product. In October 2025, I had the chance to fly aboard United’s first mainline jet — a Boeing 737-900 — with fast, free Wi-Fi powered by Starlink. After the flight, I wrote, “It feels like the internet finally reached the sky.” That’s still accurate and sums up my main feelings, but I got to fly again — this time on a slightly different Boeing 737-900 — and United has been hard at work […]