{"id":14831,"date":"2025-05-09T06:59:18","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T06:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=14831"},"modified":"2025-05-09T06:59:18","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T06:59:18","slug":"i-tested-uniteds-new-starlink-wi-fi-heres-my-honest-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=14831","title":{"rendered":"I Tested United\u2019s New Starlink Wi-Fi. Here\u2019s My Honest Review."},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">Earlier this week, I bought Wi-Fi on a transcontinental United Airlines flight. It was terrible and virtually unusable.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">But that\u2019s soon about to change, as United begins its rollout of Starlink Wi-Fi aboard its United Express regional jets. The first commercial United flight with Starlink is expected to launch May 15, 2025, on flight UA 5717 from Chicago to Detroit. The Embraer 175 plane operating that flight is the first of United\u2019s two-cabin regional jets that will be getting the service by year&#8217;s end.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">Starlink, a subsidiary of Elon Musk\u2019s aerospace company SpaceX, is a satellite internet network that operates thousands of low Earth-orbit satellites to provide higher internet speeds to its users around the globe.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">The Chicago-based airline says Starlink will eventually be enabled across its entire fleet, with the first mainline United plane expected to get Starlink sometime this year. The new Wi-Fi, which will be free for all <\/span><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">United MileagePlus<\/span><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"> members, is expected to be a game-changer, providing gate-to-gate connectivity for as many devices as you want. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">United invited me on a media flight to check out the Starlink service before it rolls out to the general public. Despite a few hiccups, the experience was a huge upgrade over the usual in-flight Wi-Fi.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"_3P4ktl zeCuXk _28z5Fp _2w4PM3 _1My7YX\" data-currency=\"Text\" id=\"logging-in-to-starlink-wi-fi\"><span class=\"_3P4ktl zeCuXk _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">Logging in to Starlink Wi-Fi<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">To access the Wi-Fi, you\u2019ll need to have a MileagePlus account and connect to United\u2019s Wi-Fi network, typically called \u201cUnitedwifi.com.\u201d Once you connect on your phone, a browser will pop up automatically and present what United is calling a \u201ccode of conduct\u201d for using Starlink Wi-Fi.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\">\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\" style=\"width:1440px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;max-width:100%\">\n<figure class=\"_3ngNGS\">\n<div class=\"xkItPk\" style=\"background-color:transparent\">\n<div class=\"_30SBGi x6Nm1J\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"yYnXEF\">\n<p class=\"_1xAKS5 TS4Kq- _28z5Fp\"><span class=\"TS4Kq- _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">(Screenshots by Benjamin Din)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">The rules prohibit voice and video calls, require headphones for audio, and advise against viewing content that others might find offensive. Once you agree to these terms, you can sign into your MileagePlus account to access the Wi-Fi. There\u2019s supposed to be a seamless one-click option for those who have the United app installed, but it didn\u2019t work for me.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">After you sign in, you\u2019ll need to watch two advertisements. I had a 30-second Marriott ad, followed by a 17-second ad for <\/span><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">United credit cards<\/span><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">. Once that\u2019s done, you\u2019re ready to use the Wi-Fi.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">If you have additional devices, connecting is easy. Just join the Wi-Fi network on your device. If a window doesn\u2019t pop up, you can go to <\/span><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">onboard.united.com<\/span><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">. When you click on the sign-in button, a QR code will appear that you can scan with your phone. This will automatically connect that device after you watch the required ads.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\">\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\" style=\"width:770px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;max-width:100%\">\n<figure class=\"_3ngNGS\">\n<div class=\"xkItPk\" style=\"background-color:transparent\">\n<div class=\"_30SBGi x6Nm1J\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Airport, Adult, Male\" class=\"Zsn_9Z\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/tachyon\/2025\/05\/image2.png?fit=770%2C1006\" credit=\"unknown\" id=\"1740907\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"yYnXEF\">\n<p class=\"_1xAKS5 TS4Kq- _28z5Fp\"><span class=\"TS4Kq- _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">(Screenshots by Benjamin Din)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">There are still some kinks that United needs to work out (there are reminders throughout the page that it\u2019s still in beta mode), but I found it simple and intuitive to use.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">You can use the Wi-Fi even if you don&#8217;t have your MileagePlus number attached to your itinerary. That&#8217;s helpful for those who want to collect miles with a frequent flyer program besides MileagePlus.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"_3P4ktl zeCuXk _28z5Fp _2w4PM3 _1My7YX\" data-currency=\"Text\" id=\"internet-speeds\"><span class=\"_3P4ktl zeCuXk _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">Internet speeds<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">United is billing Starlink as \u201cthe fastest Wi-Fi in the sky,\u201d and based on internet speed test results during the flight, it certainly seemed true at times. Throughout the 90-minute flight, I regularly clocked download speeds of over 100 megabits per second, with speeds peaking at 222 megabits per second (Mbps). Upload speeds typically ranged from 6 to 18 Mbps.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\">\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\" style=\"width:1440px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;max-width:100%\">\n<figure class=\"_3ngNGS\">\n<div class=\"xkItPk\" style=\"background-color:transparent\">\n<div class=\"_30SBGi x6Nm1J\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Text, File, Page\" class=\"Zsn_9Z\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/tachyon\/2025\/05\/image4.png?fit=1440%2C1196\" credit=\"unknown\" id=\"1740905\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"yYnXEF\">\n<p class=\"_1xAKS5 TS4Kq- _28z5Fp\"><span class=\"TS4Kq- _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">(Screenshots by Benjamin Din)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">I was able to download the YouTube app (308.4 MB) in seconds, watch YouTube videos, stream shows, listen to Spotify and even FaceTime some friends and family, who said my picture quality was extremely clear. (Keep in mind you aren\u2019t allowed to make calls on regular commercial flights; this was a media flight.) Someone was even playing World of Warcraft in the air.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">But there were also times when the internet speeds seemed to slow, dropping to 8.15 Mbps download and 3.95 Mbps upload. Compared to the top speeds, that\u2019s not great. That became apparent on sites like YouTube, where video thumbnails took a few seconds to load.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\">\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\" style=\"width:1440px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;max-width:100%\">\n<figure class=\"_3ngNGS\">\n<div class=\"xkItPk\" style=\"background-color:transparent\">\n<div class=\"_30SBGi x6Nm1J\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Text, File, Page\" class=\"Zsn_9Z\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/tachyon\/2025\/05\/image7.png?fit=1440%2C1198\" credit=\"unknown\" id=\"1740897\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"yYnXEF\">\n<p class=\"_1xAKS5 TS4Kq- _28z5Fp\"><span class=\"TS4Kq- _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">(Screenshots by Benjamin Din)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">But context is important here. Because it was a media flight, a lot of people came prepared to stress test the system, including local TV camera crews, content creators and journalists, many with several devices and one person near me declaring that he would be uploading tons of content during the flight. Hopefully, a commercial flight with more regular Wi-Fi use would provide a more consistent experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">When compared to my flight earlier this week, which had abysmally slow speeds of 0.53 Mbps download and 0.01 Mbps upload, calling Starlink a significant improvement feels like an understatement. But the fluctuating speeds during my flight made it clear that Starlink still has some limitations.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"_3P4ktl zeCuXk _28z5Fp _2w4PM3 _1My7YX\" data-currency=\"Text\" id=\"gate-to-gate-connectivity\"><span class=\"_3P4ktl zeCuXk _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">Gate-to-gate connectivity<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">With Starlink, United passengers will have access to the internet from pushback to arrival. That makes a big difference, especially when you\u2019re flying on a regional jet that requires you to be above a specific altitude before you can connect to Wi-Fi.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">\u201cWe want you to start the experience as soon as you sit down, and the experience will end at your destination when you&#8217;re ready to stand up,\u201d Grant Milstead, United\u2019s vice president of digital technology, said at the event. \u201cNo waiting for that ding at 10,000 feet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\">\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\" style=\"width:1440px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;max-width:100%\">\n<figure class=\"_3ngNGS\">\n<div class=\"xkItPk\" style=\"background-color:transparent\">\n<div class=\"_30SBGi x6Nm1J\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Nature, Outdoors, Sky\" class=\"Zsn_9Z\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/tachyon\/2025\/05\/image3-1.jpg?fit=1440%2C1500\" credit=\"unknown\" id=\"1740906\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"yYnXEF\">\n<p class=\"_1xAKS5 TS4Kq- _28z5Fp\"><span class=\"TS4Kq- _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">(Photo by Benjamin Din)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">Once Starlink is expanded to the mainline fleet, the seatback screen will be connected to the internet in a way that U.S. airlines haven\u2019t been able to do before, Milstead told SS. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">That could unlock things like displaying baggage carousel numbers, tracking baggage tags and even rebooking flights if necessary. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"_3P4ktl zeCuXk _28z5Fp _2w4PM3 _1My7YX\" data-currency=\"Text\" id=\"how-to-check-if-your-flight-has-starlink\"><span class=\"_3P4ktl zeCuXk _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">How to check if your flight has Starlink<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">If you\u2019re flying on a regional jet, you may wonder if your flight has Starlink enabled. An easy way to check is by going to your flight\u2019s status page and checking the \u201centertainment\u201d section under \u201cinflight amenities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">Starlink-enabled aircraft will say, \u201cInternet by Starlink, free for United MileagePlus members.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\">\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\" style=\"width:1440px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;max-width:100%\">\n<figure class=\"_3ngNGS\">\n<div class=\"xkItPk\" style=\"background-color:transparent\">\n<div class=\"_30SBGi x6Nm1J\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Aircraft, Airliner, Airplane\" class=\"Zsn_9Z\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/tachyon\/2025\/05\/image5.png?fit=1440%2C1444\" credit=\"unknown\" id=\"1740904\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"yYnXEF\">\n<p class=\"_1xAKS5 TS4Kq- _28z5Fp\"><span class=\"TS4Kq- _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">(Screenshot by Benjamin Din)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"_3P4ktl zeCuXk _28z5Fp _2w4PM3 _1My7YX\" data-currency=\"Text\" id=\"what-i'm-looking-forward-to-the-most\"><span class=\"_3P4ktl zeCuXk _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">What I\u2019m looking forward to the most<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">As a United frequent flyer, I love the airline\u2019s global route network, which means I\u2019m often taking flights that are 10 to 17 hours long. That\u2019s a long time to go without high-speed internet connectivity, so I\u2019m extremely excited about the potential Starlink has to improve the onboard United experience. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">However, it remains to be seen how the new Wi-Fi will fare on those international long-haul flights over the ocean and over certain countries. I\u2019m looking forward to the moment when Starlink is added to the entire fleet, although that timeline is still unclear.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">As someone who loves to travel, I\u2019m also excited about what this means for air travel at large and the industry\u2019s embrace of free Wi-Fi. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways have already installed Starlink aboard some of their planes and offer it as a complimentary service, just as United plans to do (as long as you sign up for its free MileagePlus loyalty program). Air France and SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) are also expected to start adding Starlink to flights this year, free of charge. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">Other airlines offer <\/span><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">free Wi-Fi<\/span><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">, albeit not via Starlink, including Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways. Even American Airlines, which doesn\u2019t offer free messaging to all passengers, announced free Wi-Fi was coming, starting 2026. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">With all these airlines on board with free Wi-Fi, it seems likely that this isn\u2019t a fad but here to stay.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3VJt4n\">\n<p class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_98KgO7 _28z5Fp _3-to_p\"><span class=\"_28z5Fp _3-to_p\">Top photo courtesy of United Airlines.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"_3wlVa6 _2247K8 _3eCw6n\">\n<h3 class=\"_21EZtY eHXiWO _3_uGsM _28z5Fp _28CJ7N _1My7YX\" data-currency=\"Text\" id=\"how-to-maximize-your-rewards\"><span class=\"_21EZtY eHXiWO _3_uGsM _28z5Fp _3-to_p\">How to maximize your rewards<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/article\/travel\/starlink-wifi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Earlier this week, I bought Wi-Fi on a transcontinental United Airlines flight. It was terrible and virtually unusable. But that\u2019s soon about to change, as United begins its rollout of Starlink Wi-Fi aboard its United Express regional jets. The first commercial United flight with Starlink is expected to launch May 15, 2025, on flight UA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14832,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[195],"tags":[255,6101,63,6099,2099,5747,6100],"class_list":{"0":"post-14831","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-finance","8":"tag-heres","9":"tag-honest","10":"tag-review","11":"tag-starlink","12":"tag-tested","13":"tag-uniteds","14":"tag-wifi"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14831","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14831"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14831\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14831"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14831"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}