The Complete Guide to United Airlines' Inflight Wi-Fi Service [2023]

U.S. carriers began rolling out inflight internet services nearly a decade ago and have been slowly improving the experience. Now, it is almost expected that airlines will have Wi-Fi on their flights.

Like many other airlines, United Airlines does not use a consistent Wi-Fi provider. Instead, the Wi-Fi provider used depends on the type of aircraft.

Let’s dig into the details of United’s Wi-Fi, including its providers, what kind of Wi-Fi service you can expect, and how much you may (or may not!) have to pay for it.

Table of contents

Which United Aircraft Have Wi-Fi and Who Provides It?
- United Wi-Fi Coverage Maps
Is United’s Wi-Fi Reliable?
Can You Stream Video?
How Much Is Wi-Fi on United?
Best Ways To Save On United’s Wi-Fi
Is Buying Wi-Fi Worth It?
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

Which United Aircraft Have Wi-Fi and Who Provides It?
- United Wi-Fi Coverage Maps
Is United’s Wi-Fi Reliable?
Can You Stream Video?
How Much Is Wi-Fi on United?
Best Ways To Save On United’s Wi-Fi
Is Buying Wi-Fi Worth It?
Final Thoughts

Which United Aircraft Have Wi-Fi and Who Provides It?

United has fitted almost all of its aircraft with Wi-Fi capability and has 4 Wi-Fi providers across its fleet:

Wi-Fi Provider	Select Aircraft
Gogo	Embraer 170 Embraer 175 Bombardier CRJ-700/550
Panasonic	Select Airbus 319 Airbus 320 Select Boeing 757-200/300 767-300ER/400ER 777-200/200ER/300ER 787-8/9/10
Thales	737-700/800/900 737-900ER Select 757-300s
Viasat	Select Airbus 319 Select Boeing 737-900 Boeing 757-200 with premium transcontinental service 737 MAX 9

United Wi-Fi Coverage Maps

United Airlines Wi-Fi Coverage. Image Credit: United

Note that coverage is limited when traveling over polar regions and some countries with regulations restricting inflight Wi-Fi access.

Is United’s Wi-Fi Reliable?

Reliability has long been an issue for inflight internet services, but things are certainly better than they were a few years ago. While providers have been working with airlines to improve speed and reliability, you shouldn’t be surprised if you find slower speeds (if not failing Wi-Fi) on some of your flights.

If you have important work that can only be done with Wi-Fi, we don’t recommend planning your day around doing it in flight.

Can You Stream Video?

Yes — but not on all flights. Currently, streaming services are only available on aircraft equipped with Viasat Wi-Fi service.

How Much Is Wi-Fi on United?

United Airlines Wi-Fi Fees

Option	Fee	Details
Inflight messaging	Free	Available on select Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft and works with iMessage, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp
T-Mobile customers	Free	Messaging and streaming available on domestic and short-haul international flights, including 737 and select 757-300 aircraft, and A319s supported by Viasat and Thales
Purchased on board	Varies from ~$8-10	Prices depend on the flight duration and aircraft Wi-Fi provider
Pre-purchased 1-hour pass	$7	Valid for 1 hour of continuous use from activation. Expires 30 days after purchase. Valid on Gogo-equipped aircraft.
Pre-purchased 24-hour pass	$19	Valid for 24 hours of continuous use from activation. Expires 30 days after purchase. Valid on Gogo-equipped aircraft.
North America monthly pass	$49 per month	Monthly unlimited use on North American Wi-Fi-equipped flights
Global monthly pass	$69 per month	Monthly unlimited use on North American and international Wi-Fi-equipped flights
North America annual pass	$539	Monthly unlimited use on North American Wi-Fi-equipped flights
Global annual pass	$689 per year	Annual unlimited use on North American and international Wi-Fi-equipped flights

Hot Tip: United recently teamed up with T-Mobile for its customers to get free inflight Wi-Fi on all United domestic and international flights. United plans to add this service on flights operated by United Express in the future.

Best Ways To Save On United’s Wi-Fi

Purchase a Pass

If you’re a frequent traveler, buying a monthly or yearly subscription pass can be a good way to save on Wi-Fi.

For example, if you fly 6+ times per month and spend $8 to $10 per flight, a monthly pass can present decent savings. The savings are more significant the more frequently you fly.

Have a Credit Card With Free Gogo Passes

One option for frequent travelers to save on Wi-Fi is with the U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card, which comes with 12 free Gogo Wi-Fi passes per year. The passes are valid on domestic and international flights, per segment. But, this will only be of benefit if your United flight offers service with Gogo, not any of the other 3 internet providers.

Use a United Credit Card

If you’re a United credit card holder, you can use your card to purchase Wi-Fi onboard and get a 25% statement credit. That’s because all of the United credit cards come with 25% back on inflight purchases.

Use an Eligible American Express Credit Card

If your United flight offers Wi-Fi through United’s Wi-Fi portal, you could use an eligible American Express card to get United Wi-Fi for free.

American Express cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offer airline incidental credits. And if you select United as your airline of choice for the year, the credits can offset the cost of Wi-Fi.

Redeem United Miles for Wi-Fi

Flights equipped with United’s new Wi-Fi portal allow you to redeem MileagePlus miles to purchase Wi-Fi access. However, this is a terrible use of your hard-earned United miles!

At a minimum, we value United miles at 1.3 cents per mile. If you redeem miles for Wi-Fi, you won’t even get 1 cent per mile. You’d definitely be better off saving your miles for future flights.

Is Buying Wi-Fi Worth It?

Whether buying Wi-Fi is worth it to you is going to be a personal decision. If staying connected to friends during flights makes the flying experience more enjoyable, then it might be worth it.

If you’re hoping to get a little extra work done (or your employer is paying for it), it might also be worth it.

Final Thoughts

Inflight internet has come a long way over the last number of years, with more coverage options and more airlines, including United, offering free service to eligible customers on select flights.

Luckily for United fliers, United has fitted almost all of its aircraft with Wi-Fi capability. So regardless of when and where you’re flying, you’ll have the option to purchase Wi-Fi access.

The information regarding the U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Featured Image Credit: United

Frequently asked questions

Which United aircrafts have Wi-Fi?

United has fitted almost all of its aircraft with Wi-Fi capability. The exceptions are 737 aircraft operating in Guam and Micronesia.

How much does United Wi-Fi cost?

The cost for United Wi-Fi varies depending on the flight, but usually ranges from ~$8 to ~$10. There are also monthly and annual subscription options. And T-Mobile customers have access to free messaging and streaming on most domestic and short-haul international flights.

How do you sign on to United Airlines Wi-Fi?

With your wireless device in airplane mode with only Wi-Fi enabled, locate the “United_Wi-Fi” wireless network, then launch a browser. If you aren’t redirected to the Wi-Fi portal, type unitedwifi.com in the URL. You can then purchase a plan and begin using it.

How do I purchase Wi-Fi on United before a flight?

You can purchase a United Wi-Fi Day Pass when you are booking your reservation. You can also select your trip from My Trips and view the Wi-Fi Day Pass option above your flight information.

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About Spencer Howard

Always a fan of flying, it was only natural that Spencer was drawn to finding a way to improve the travel experience. Like many, he started this journey searching for cheap flights to take him around the world. This was fun for a while, but Spencer was intrigued by the idea of flying in business and first class! Throwing himself into what became an extensive research project, Spencer spent 3-4 hours per night learning everything he could about frequent flyer miles over the course of several months (he thinks this is normal).

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

22 comments

Matt Leppala August 26, 2018

Slightly inaccurate information in your comment of:
“Unfortunately, travel credits and airline fee credits provided by cards such as The Platinum Card® from American Express will not cover inflight Wi-Fi costs”

You will be reimbursed by AMEX automatically (up to $200/year) if for example you selected United as your preferred airline and are using United WiFi. If you did not receive a credit just live chat/call and they will take care of you.

Reply
- Alex Miller August 29, 2018
  
  Hey Matt – If the WiFi provider is “Gogo”, Amex won’t reimburse you for charges made to them. But yes, if it’s United WiFi they will – I’ll clarify that point. Thank you!
  
  Reply
Michael Davies August 28, 2018

Any idea on the pricing for an international flight?

Reply
- Christine Krzyszton August 29, 2018
  
  A global monthly subscription for United Wi-fi is $69 or you can purchase with 10,500 miles. The pricing for Wi-fi per flight will vary as the pricing for internet access is determined and charged by flight segment. You can access United Wi-fi FAQs here: https://www.united.com/web/en-us/content/travel/inflight/wifi/faqs.aspx?POS=US
  
  Reply
Jason November 25, 2018

Does United block audio streams (Spotify, TuneIn, etc.) as well as video streams? Flying during a sporting event and was thinking about buying wifi to listen to the radio call, if it would work.

Reply
- Stephen Au November 25, 2018
  
  Hey Jason,
  
  On 737 MAX aircraft with Viasat, you might have better luck. Streaming is blocked on other aircraft due to the huge bandwidth requirements.
  
  Reply
- John w July 7, 2019
  
  I would bet if you get an SSL VPN like pia(private internet access) you can bypass blocks assuming the VPN connects. VPN connects over ports normally used for secure payment forms /SSL websites. It forms an encrypted tunnel to a specific server then routes all your traffic through that. So as long as VPN connects you are then good to go. There are several types but the one I suggested is ideal due to it using normal web connection ports. I.e. harder to block without cutting off parts of the web.
  
  Reply
  - Dan January 5, 2023
    
    Just saved me a 3 hour flight without kids being able watch content that was already downloaded to tablets but with a stale-dated authentication. It didn’t occur to me to VPN home to bypass streaming blocks until I saw your post. Strange path for my packets to take, but it worked!
    Thanks!
    
    Reply
TW May 3, 2019

I spent nearly an hour on the phone with a United call center person and the supervisor, trying to find out the cost of wifi access per flight, which is not listed on the United website. Both wasted a lot of time checking and then admitted they didn’t have the prices, because “it varies depending on the length of the flight.” FYI, I flew EZE to IAH and IAH to NRT in April, 2019. One was a 10-hour flight and the other was a 13-hour flight, and the prices were the same: $9.99/hr, $13.99/2hrs., or $26.99 for the full flight. On the IAH to NRT flight, wifi worked for the first 2 hours or so, then was down for the remainder of the flight.

Reply
- Erin Miller May 15, 2019
  
  Hey TW, yep – it’s true that United wifi pricing it is variable, depending on route and usage so two flights of the same length can have different prices.
  
  Additionally, it’s generally very common for wifi to go out over an ocean since there are two types airlines usually use: air-to-ground (or tower based, like Gogo) and satellite. Only the satellite version allows for over-ocean wifi.
  
  Reply
John July 7, 2019

Any plans in the works to get on Starlink or a similar leo service? Seems like it could alleviate both bandwidth and latency issues of current geosync systems. Also I’m not sure it’s a technical invitation of the author or style choice but you could do the public a favor by introducing to them that it’s not a Wi-Fi satellite. Not expecting you to talk about frequency bands but you could at least call it the data link that connects to Wi-Fi. You went to great lengths to dumb this down. Would argue it’s not a great thing when we live in a society control and dominated by technology, almost no one understands it. But you can’t hope they would when everything is PR and or marketing spew for the target audience of new adult Child Left Behind. It’s kind of disturbing to me that a good portion of people I’ve met think cell phones connect to satellites (for calls and data) and true, they technically receive one way space to ground GPS… but that’s not what’s going on in these people’s heads.

Reply
- Christine Krzyszton July 14, 2019
  
  Hi John. We are not affiliated with United or their Wi-Fi providers so do not have insight as to upcoming changes. This article was written for our average reader and you certainly have knowledge of this technology far beyond that of the average reader. It’s true that most travelers just want the Wi-Fi to work well during the flight and do not generally care about the underlying technology. They’re also interested in how they can offset the cost of in-flight Wi-Fi, therefore the tone of the article. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
  
  Reply
Denver September 15, 2019

I have not been able to connect to wifi on my last two flight in 2019, even just to look at the free stuff. It just won’t connect. I have a Samsung Note 8, which is still pretty up to date and has the United app gets updated regularly. I just can’t figure out why it won’t connect. Is it something that is missing in the software of my phone? I do connect to wifi all the time at home and at places that offer wifi. I did connect on an Alaska flight back in March.

Reply
- Jarrod West September 16, 2019
  
  Hi Denver,
  
  Have you tried contacting United’s service team about this issue?
  
  Reply
Gary McCready March 1, 2020

I’m on a flight today (737-900, #3886) with WiFi provided by viasat, and for my $7.99 got premium WiFi my Speedtest app told me was downloading at 60Mbps (six-zero!). Streamed 60 minutes from Comcast just fine. Of course, still a ping of 600ms, and only .5 Mbps upload.

Reply
Austin H September 16, 2021

There appears to be an error in the “Gogo In-flight Subscription Plans” table. For the annual memberships it lists as “per month” when I believe it should be “per year”.

Reply
- Jarrod West September 17, 2021
  
  Hi Austin,
  
  I believe the post is correct that those are the per month costs. You can see the fees here on the gogo website.
  
  Reply
B. Cook October 15, 2022

I paid $10 (on my recent flight from Pittsburgh to San Diego) to get WiFi, but it didn’t work, even when a flight attendant tried to help me. He told me that “you” would refund my $10. Please do so.

Reply
- Jarrod West October 17, 2022
  
  Hello,
  
  Please be advised that we are not United Airlines. We are Upgraded Points, an informational travel website. To receive your refund you’ll need to contact United directly.
  
  Reply
Sybille english November 14, 2022

Do mileage plus members get free wifi on international flights?

Reply
- Jarrod West November 15, 2022
  
  Hi Sybille,
  
  Unfortunately not, you would still need to pay for WiFi.
  
  Reply
J March 6, 2023

I am on a Viasat flight – which has the T-Mobile access as well. Unfortunately, United no longer supports VPN – which is a problem for my company, where all access requires VPN. Means only mobile device support or non-company laptop. Boo.

Reply

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The Complete Guide to United’s Inflight Wi-Fi Service [2023]