United on Wednesday will operate its first mainline flight equipped with Starlink wireless internet.
United Flight 2940 is set to depart Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey for Houston around 8 a.m. using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft with two Starlink antennas. The over 170 passengers on board will be able to access Starlink Wi-Fi through their personal devices and inflight entertainment screens, the carrier said, allowing them to stream, shop, game, and work much as they would at home, with high speeds and low latency.
Also on Wednesday, the Starlink-equipped 737 will fly from Houston to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as Flight 365 and from Fort Lauderdale back to Houston as Flight 445.
The airline expects to install Starlink on up to 15 mainline 737-800 aircraft each month. United has already installed Starlink on more than half of its regional jets.
“We’re committed to raising the bar when it comes to the onboard experience, and with Starlink, we’re changing how people fly,” David Kinzelman, United’s chief customer officer, said in a statement. “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.”
The FAA in September approved a supplemental type certificate for Starlink’s use on United’s 737-800s. The carrier expects to have an additional aircraft type certified to offer Starlink by the end of the year, though it did not say which type that will be.
Starlink, which is owned by aerospace company SpaceX, provides wireless internet service from a constellation of more than 7,600 miniature satellites in low Earth orbit. It offers speeds of up to 250 megabits per second.
United makes Starlink-enabled wireless internet free for all MileagePlus customers.
