United Airlines has announced its plans to offer passengers free in-flight WiFi. The service will be powered by Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet technology and is expected to launch next year.
United aims to install Starlink WiFi on more than 1,000 aircraft.
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“Everything you can do on the ground, you'll soon be able to do aboard a United plane at 35,000 feet, almost anywhere in the world,” United CEO Scott Kirby said Friday.
For United MileagePlus members, WiFi is currently $8 and $10 for non-members, per Washington Post.
“We are excited to join forces with United Airlines to transform the flight experience,” said Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer at SpaceX. in a press release. “With Starlink on board 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.”
Delta Air Lines offers free in-flight WiFi on domestic legs for SkyMiles members, and smaller carriers, such as Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue, also offer free WiFi.
About one in five people on U.S. airplanes are connected to in-flight WiFi, according to the Airline Passenger Experience Association.