United Airlines debuts in-flight tracker as Starlink Wi-Fi reaches half of daily departures

United Airlines has launched a tracking tool on its website and app to let passengers check whether their upcoming flights feature Starlink satellite internet. More than 635 planes in United's fleet now feature the equipment, covering roughly half of its daily departures across more than 2,500 daily flights. The service is free for MileagePlus account holders as United continues retrofitting approximately 20 aircraft per week, aiming for full fleet coverage across its 1,492 planes by the end of 2027. [1][3][2]

Passengers can enter their flight number and departure date starting two to three days before takeoff to monitor availability and catch last-minute aircraft swaps caused by maintenance or delays. The tool also provides systemwide fleet breakdowns by aircraft model and airport hubs like Chicago, Denver, and San Francisco. While United Express regional jets have seen substantial rollouts, mainline aircraft and long-haul international flights lag behind, with only five wide-body planes connected so far. [1][3][2]

The rapid deployment gives United a significant lead in the domestic race for high-speed in-flight internet. Competitor American Airlines will not begin installing Starlink until early 2027, while Delta Air Lines opted for Amazon Leo and does not plan to start installations until 2028. To capitalize on the gap, United has extended a status-match promotion through October 22 to lure rival frequent flyers. [3]