United Airlines (UAL) passengers will get to enjoy free Starlink Wi-Fi service starting in 2025, the company said Friday.

The airline signed a deal with Starlink, a division of 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Elon Musk's SpaceX, to bring satellite internet acce𝓡ss to its more than 1,000 planes over the next several years. Testing will begin early next year, with the first passenger flights 🐼featuring Starlink Wi-Fi expected later in 2025. 

United is the first major U.S. airline to offer Starlink, which will offer passengers "the same high-speed, low-latency internet service in the air that they enjoy on the ground," the carrier said.

The Growth of Free Wi-Fi

The days of paying for Wi-Fi on flights may b💜e numbered.

United's rival Delta Air Lines (DAL) currently offers free internet service from T-Mobile US (TMUS) "on the majority of domestic U.S. flights and global routes will be coming by the end of 2024, with the remaining routes available in early 2025."  

JetBlue Airways (JBLU) also offers free Wi-Fi on domestic flights and a portion of its international offerings.  

American Airlines (AAL) and Southwest Airlines (LUV) do not currently offer free Wi-Fi.

United shares ✤rose 2% to $50.63 in early afternoon trading Friday. They are up about 23% this year.