United today announced the FAA has approved its first Starlink-equipped aircraft type and that the first commercial flight is planned for May, less than eight months after the deal was first announced.
The FAA issued a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the Embraer 175 and the airline expects the first commercial flight to be onboard a United Express Embraer 175. United’s roll-out of this new technology continues to accelerate with approximately 40 regional jet installs planned monthly and the expectation that the entire two-cabin regional fleet – more than 300 planes – will be completed by end of year.
In addition to securing the STC, United will also run a beta test of the new technology on select flights between now and the first customer flight in May to ensure all aspects deliver an incredible onboard experience for passengers.
“We know customers are going to love this experience, and we think it will give them yet another reason to choose United,” said Grant Milstead, United’s Vice President of Digital Technology. “We’re working closely with Starlink and the FAA to finish installs on our regional fleet this year and bring the best inflight experience in the sky to more and more people.”
United will work with Starlink to secure an FAA STC to install Starlink on every United aircraft type getting the new equipment (e.g. Embraer 175) — more than 16 total regional and mainline aircraft models. According to the FAA, the process to secure each STC can include design, installation, testing and submitting the package for FAA approval.
Earlier this month United unveiled the Starlink install process, underscoring the technical operations benefits associated with the equipment, including size and weight as well as the ease of install and maintenance. The Starlink system, when compared to non-Starlink equipment, allows for a faster and simpler install, is lighter requiring less fuel to operate and is more reliable and weather-proofed.
Starlink access will be free for all MileagePlus® customers and include game-changing inflight entertainment experiences like streaming services, shopping, gaming and more, thanks to Wi-Fi speeds up to 250 megabits per second (Mbps), which is 50 times faster than current regional aircraft speeds. Membership to MileagePlus is also free and people can sign-up now at united.com/starlink.