United Airlines has signed a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX to provide free Wi-Fi on flights via its Starlink satellite internet service. However, it will take several years to roll out to the entire fleet.

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United Airlines passengers will be able to use free Wi-Fi on flights starting next year. Photo: techopedia

The service will be tested starting in early 2025 and available to passengers thereafter. Anything customers can do on the ground can be done on board at 35,000 feet, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement.

Currently, if United Airlines passengers want to use Wi-Fi while flying, they have to pay between $8 and $10.

United Airlines will be the second major airline to offer free in-flight Wi-Fi. Delta Air Lines began offering the service to its frequent flyers on domestic flights last year and is in the process of expanding it to international flights.

Smaller airlines, like JetBlue and Hawaiian Airlines, also offer free Wi-Fi on board.

The difference, though, is that Starlink offers an experience that’s closer to broadband than the sometimes patchy performance of in-flight Wi-Fi. That means you can access streaming services and watch TV without interruption, play online games, and connect multiple devices at once.

But first, United Airlines must get approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for the hardware used to provide in-flight Wi-Fi.

(According to Fortune)