United Airlines announced Friday that it has signed an agreement with Elon Musk's Starlink satellite company to provide free Wi-Fi on flights starting in 2025.
Passengers will be able to stream, game and shop from seatback screens and personal devices.
"Expect the same internet you get on the ground... at 35,000 feet," the airline said in a post on X.
Equipment will be installed in more than 1,000 planes. The airline says it will take a few years to bring the service across its entire fleet.
Starlink is engineered by SpaceX. The company says it delivers internet access around the world, including over oceans, polar regions and other remote locations previously unreachable by traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals.
"We're excited to team up with United Airlines to transform the inflight experience," said Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer at SpaceX. "With Starlink onboard your United flight, you'll have access to the world's most advanced high-speed internet from gate to gate, and all the miles in between."
United says its employees will also benefit from the new service. It says pilots, flight attendants, technicians and gate agents use mobile devices to help run the operation. It says it will allow employees to continue working when traditional services might be impacted, like during a power outage or a natural disaster.
The world's most advanced high-speed Wi-Fi is coming to United with @Starlink. For free.
— United Airlines (@united) September 13, 2024
You’ll be able to stream, game, shop and more on seatback screens and personal devices simultaneously. Expect the same internet you get on the ground… at 35,000 feet. We expect to have… pic.twitter.com/M6ZihBBEnb
