Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we may receive financial compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.

United’s First Transatlantic Flight With Starlink Wi-Fi Takes Off for Europe Tonight

Ryan Smith's image
Ryan Smith
Updated: 
Edited by: Nick Ellis
United’s First Transatlantic Flight With Starlink Wi-Fi Takes Off for Europe Tonight
Jump to Section
Table of Contents

We may be compensated when you click on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Click for Card Offers (Up to 300k!)

Top Partner Offers

BEST OFFERPlatinum Card® from American Express

Platinum Card® from American Express

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)
As High As 175,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.
Terms Apply / Rates & Fees
NEW CHATGPT BENEFITThe Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)
Your Offer Could Be As High As 300,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.
Terms Apply / Rates & Fees
NEW CHATGPT BENEFITAmerican Express® Business Gold Card

American Express® Business Gold Card

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)
Your Offer Could Be As High As 200,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.
Terms Apply / Rates & Fees
TOP PICKAmerican Express® Gold Card

American Express® Gold Card

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)
As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.
Terms Apply / Rates & Fees
See Best Credit Cards

United’s free Starlink Wi-Fi has been a game-changer for domestic travel since its launch last spring. Starting tonight, it’s crossing the Atlantic.

United flight 14, operated by a Boeing 777-200, departs Newark (EWR) for London (LHR) tonight, marking the airline’s first wide-body transatlantic customer flight equipped with Starlink. For frequent flyers who’ve suffered through sluggish legacy Wi-Fi on long-haul routes, this is worth paying attention to.

Advertisement

The aircraft operating tonight’s Newark-London flight is the first of nearly 60 United wide-body aircraft expected to get Starlink this year, with the entire wide-body fleet slated to follow by next summer. United currently has Starlink on more than 400 aircraft and expects to reach nearly 1,000 by year-end.

» Related: United’s First Starlink-Equipped Mainline Jet Flies Tomorrow. I Got To Test It Out Before It Does.

International routes out of United’s hub airports — Newark, Washington D.C. (IAD), Houston (IAH), and San Francisco (SFO) — are first in line. That means flights to London, Paris (CDG), Frankfurt (FRA), Zurich (ZRH), Amsterdam (AMS), Buenos Aires (EZE), and Tokyo (HND and NRT) will progressively gain access to Starlink as more wide-bodies are outfitted.

Here’s what travelers actually need to know:

Is it free? Yes, but only for MileagePlus members. MileagePlus enrollment is free, so there’s no reason not to sign up before your next United flight.

How fast is it? Fast enough to stream, video call, game in real time, and collaborate on documents simultaneously across multiple devices. United reports Wi-Fi satisfaction scores on Starlink-equipped planes have nearly doubled since the rollout began, across 18.6 million passengers and more than 311,000 flights.

United Starlink Speed Test Computer
Speed test on a United flight. Image Credit: Speedtest.net

How do you know if your flight has it? United sends a notification before departure if your plane is Starlink-equipped. You can also check united.com/starlink.

When will the whole fleet have it? The entire wide-body fleet is targeted for next summer. Narrowbody expansion is already well underway with 400+ planes live today.

The practical upside for award travelers is real. If you’re burning 80,000+ MileagePlus miles on a transatlantic business class redemption, having reliable, fast, free Wi-Fi materially improves the experience you receive in exchange for those points.

How United Stacks up Against Its Competitors

United isn’t alone in the Starlink race. This has become an industry-wide push. Delta offers free Wi-Fi to SkyMiles members via Viasat, and American Airlines is in the middle of its own Starlink deployment, though its rollout is less uniform, with some aircraft still on AT&T’s older system. United currently has the largest Starlink-equipped fleet of the 3 and the clearest timeline for full-fleet completion.

Hot Tip:

For a deeper look at which airlines have Starlink and how they compare, see our full Starlink airline guide.

Advertisement

Final Thoughts

This is a meaningful step forward for international travelers, not just another incremental rollout update. Transatlantic and transpacific flights are exactly where legacy inflight Wi-Fi has always fallen short — due to spotty coverage, slow speeds, and steep prices. Starlink changes all 3 of these.

If you’re flying United, make sure you have a MileagePlus number attached to your reservation before you board. That’s the way to get free Starlink access if your plane has it.

Featured Image Credit: Ehsan Haque
Ryan Smith's image

About Ryan Smith

Ryan completed his goal of visiting every country in the world in December of 2023 and is now revisiting some favorites. Over the years, he’s written about award travel and credit cards for publications like AwardWallet, The Points Guy, USA Today Blueprint, CNBC Select, Tripadvisor, Point.me, Forbes Advisor, and more.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE™

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy  and terms of service  apply.

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse

We Recommend

Platinum Card® from American ExpressTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

Platinum Card® from American Express

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Platinum Card® from American Express

Welcome Offer: As High as 175,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
Show more
  • $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. Effective January 1, 2027, Fine Hotels + Resorts® bookings will require a minimum two-night stay to be eligible for the $600 Hotel Credit.
  • With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. *As of 08/2026.
  • $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
  • $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
  • $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights™ by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. As a Platinum Card® Member you have special access to reservations on select nights at participating sought after Resy restaurants through Platinum Nights™ by Resy. Simply add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to book your reservation.
  • $219 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 60+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to The Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
  • Whatever the occasion, choose from our two signature collections of premium hotels, curated to inspire and excite you when you book through Amex Travel™: Fine Hotels + Resorts® is a collection of over 1,900 luxury hotels that are destinations unto themselves and the Hotel Collection includes over 1,400 upscale hotels in desirable destinations.
  • $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
  • Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
  • $895 annual fee.
  • Terms Apply.

Upgrade your travel experience

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube

© 2026 Upgraded Points™, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

DMCA.com Protection Status
Disclaimer: 

Upgraded Points, LLC and its website, UpgradedPoints.com, provides information on credit cards, reward programs, travel information and ancillary information concerning travel and credit cards. The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, tax or legal advice.

Upgraded Points, LLC uses reasonable efforts to maintain accurate information on the site — and prior to applying for any credit card offers found on UpgradedPoints.com, all visitors should review other features of such credit cards including but not limited to interest rates, annual fees and transaction fees, and should determine the suitability of such credit cards considering their own individual financial position.

Advertiser Disclosure: 

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we may receive financial compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. For more information on our advertisers and how we make money, see our advertising policy here. In addition, as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Editorial Disclosure: 

The content featured on UpgradedPoints.com has not been influenced, provided, or reviewed by the credit card companies mentioned. Any and all options, reviews, comments and analyses are the responsibility of the author(s) and not any Advertiser or credit card issuer.