(Reuters) – United Airlines said on Sunday it plans to begin testing Elon Musk’s Starlink as an in-flight internet service in February and offer the capability for the first time on a commercial flight operated by an Embraer E-175 this spring.
The airline plans to equip its entire two-cabin regional fleet with the service by the end of 2025, and have its first Starlink-enabled aircraft on major routes by the end of the year.
Starlink will eventually be available on all flights, the airline said in a statement.
However, United said access would be free only for MileagePlus members, reversing an earlier plan to offer free Wi-Fi to all passengers.
Last year, United signed an agreement with Starlink to provide internet service across its entire fleet of more than 1,000 aircraft over the next several years.
Starlink, a division of SpaceX, has signed agreements with several airlines to provide in-flight internet services as it seeks to expand its reach beyond consumers and households in rural areas around the world with little or no internet access.
The satellite internet service provider previously signed agreements with Hawaiian Airlines and regional carrier JSX.