United (NASDAQ:UAL) today announced the FAA certified its first mainline Starlink-equipped aircraft, and the first commercial flight is planned for October 15.
“This certification,” to quote this morning’s news release, “comes less than five months since the first Starlink-equipped United customer flight on the Embraer 175 regional aircraft and less than a year since United signed the industry's largest agreement of its kind with SpaceX to bring Starlink's fast, reliable Wi-Fi service free to MileagePlus members on the airline's mainline and regional aircraft fleet.”
The FAA approved Starlink's Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) amendment for the Boeing 737-800 to include United's fleet. United completed the equipment installation on its first mainline aircraft and expects the first Starlink-equipped mainline flight to be onboard a United Boeing 737-800 that will fly from Newark/New York on October 15.
United's first Starlink-equipped regional flight took place on a regional jet in May 2025, and the airline now has Starlink installed on more than half of the aircraft in its regional fleet. Initial customer scores on those flights have been noteworthy with 90% of customers appreciating the ability to stream onboard with Starlink's high-speed, easy-to-use and consistent connection.
"Customers are loving the Starlink experience onboard our regional aircraft, and our first Starlink-equipped mainline aircraft will bring a superior inflight experience to even more people," said Grant Milstead, United's Vice President of Digital Technology.
UAL shares gained altitude, picking up 72 cents to $99.87.
