United has completed its first US mainline service offering Starlink's high-speed wifi, with connectivity already active on more than half of the airline's regional fleet. Olivia Palamountain reports

On October 15, United Flight 2940 from Newark to Houston made history as the first mainline US flight to offer Starlink wifi across both personal devices and in-flight entertainment screens

The airline expects to install Starlink on up to 15 mainline 737-800 planes each month; more than half of United's regional fleet already offers Starlink. By the end of the year, the airline expects to have an additional aircraft type certified to offer the service.

More than 170 customers onboard the Boeing 737-800 will enjoy the same kind of high-speed, low-latency internet experience they have at home. Starlink wifi is free for United MileagePlus members, and customers will receive a notification before their flight if it's equipped with Starlink.

"We're committed to raising the bar when it comes to the onboard experience, and with Starlink, we're changing how people fly," said David Kinzelman, United's chief customer officer. "Whether it's catching a live game, streaming an award show or working, United customers won't miss a beat when they're onboard a Starlink-equipped flight."United's Starlink unlocks a new way to travel with experiences such as live streaming of sports events or shows without buffering, real-time work collaboration with document sharing and editing capabilities, gaming at 30,000 feet, seamless online shopping and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously.The rollout of Starlink across United's fleet aligns with the airline's plans to have 300,000+ seatback screens across its fleet - more than any other US airline - as it takes delivery of hundreds of new airplanes and retrofits existing aircraft. Over the last several years, United has invested billions of dollars in enhancing the customer experience, and by providing more value for customers, the airline aims to earn stronger brand loyalty.