United Airlines’ 1st flight equipped with Starlink internet departs from O’Hare

CHICAGO — Passengers on board a United flight bound for Detroit on Thursday morning flew on the airline’s first Starlink-equipped aircraft, which provided them with satellite internet service while in the air.

The first-of-its-kind flight took off from O’Hare International Airport at 7:35 a.m., headed to Detroit Metropolitan Airport, and passengers on board were able to use high-speed, gate-to-gate internet service provided by Starlink.

Starlink, a satellite internet constellation, utilizes thousands of satellites suspended in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to provide broadband internet service in remote and rural areas around the globe.

SpaceX-owned Starlink, which began launching satellites in 2019, currently has more than 7,000 in orbit.

The plane used for Thursday’s flight was a United Embraer E-175, with the tail number UA5717.

Currently, United Airlines, headquartered in Chicago, is the only major U.S. airline to offer Starlink services and they plan to expand services. Officials said the airline will soon offer Starlink on its entire two-cabin regional fleet and plans to have Starlink on its first mainline flight by the end of the year.

According to the airline, the internet services provided by Starlink are free for MileagePlus members, the airline’s frequent-flyer program, which is free to join.