A United Airlines Boeing 737-MAX 8 departs San Diego International Airport en route to New York in San Diego, California on August 24, 2024.
Kevin Carter | Getty Images
United Airlines said Friday it plans to offer free inflight Wi-Fi via SpaceX's Starlink on its hundreds of jets, the largest inflight internet deal for SpaceX to date.
The collaboration comes after airlines invested in faster on-board Wi-Fi.
Delta Airlines announced in early 2023 that inflight internet would be free for members of its SkyMiles loyalty program. Hawaiian Airlineswhich has an agreement with Starlink, also offers free Wi-Fi on board. JetBlue Airlines has been offering free WiFi for years.
SpaceX previously struck a deal with semi-private airline JSX.
SpaceX has been steadily expanding its Starlink network and product offering since its debut in 2020. There are currently about 6,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, connecting more than 3 million customers in 100 countries, the company says. SpaceX initially focused on consumers, but has expanded into other markets, including aviation.
