United Airlines offers free Starlink wifi, but that rollout will continue through the end of next year. It’s the best wifi in the sky, and in my experience it’s even better than what many people have it home. You just need to be a MileagePlus member, or join.
Officially wifi on non-Starlink aircraft, wifi is still $8 for members or $10 without joining. However it appears that their ViaSat wifi-equipped planes are now offering free wifi as well. United hasn’t announced this, but it’s confirmed broadly by passengers inflight.
United uses ViaSat on 737 MAX and many Airbus narrowbody aircraft. It’s the same service offered by American Airlines and Delta where wifi is free (and somewhat degraded compared to when it was a paid service, but still more functional than free wifi on the majority of Southwest planes – and better than on United’s planes that do not use either ViaSat or Starlink).
While United will soon have better inflight wifi than anyone else (and Delta’s plan for fast wifi doesn’t even begin until after United finishes, and then only for half its fleet), American, JetBlue and Delta are ahead on free so this move appears to help them catch up there. Free wifi has become a baseline product feature.
About freakin’ time. Charging $8 or 800 points for WiFi in 2026 is insulting. All airlines should include free, reliable WiFi for all passengers. In the US, JetBlue and Delta lead the way, American finally followed, and now United is starting to get it. If it works on my next flight, I’ll toast you with my next stroopwaffle.
Experienced this yesterday on a Max 9 with Viasat as well as on a -200ER (PW) with Panasonic – free WiFi does not seem to be limited to Viasat fleets in this rollout.
@S — Was that the high-density 772 with rear-facing 2-4-2 seat-config. up-front?
@ Gary — Good to see United with yet another win over Delta.