CHICAGO, November 5, 2026 — United says it now expects to finish installing Starlink Wi-Fi in about 18 months, much sooner than its original two-to-three-year plan. CEO Scott Kirby is also pushing for electronic boarding gates like the ones American uses at DFW.
Starlink by the numbers
United’s VP and chief information security officer, Deneen DeFiore, gave the shorter timeline at the CyberSat conference on Monday, November 2. The date the 18-month clock started is TBA.
| Fleet | Equipped |
|---|---|
| Aircraft with Starlink (total) | 676 |
| Regional aircraft | 352 |
| Mainline narrowbodies | 317 |
| Widebodies | 7 |
| CRJ-550 / Embraer E175 | 100% |
| Airbus A321 | 88% |
| Boeing 737 | 60% |
| Boeing 777 | 5% |
| Boeing 787 | 2% |
United’s own tracker shows 45% of the fleet equipped. The service is currently passenger-only. United is working on hardware that could eventually connect the cockpit too.
Kirby wants electronic boarding gates
After flying American through DFW, Kirby asked his team why United didn’t have the same electronic boarding gates. They told him similar gates are already planned for Houston. Dates and the number of gates are TBA. American opened nine gates with the system, dormakaba’s Argus Air XS, when its new DFW Terminal C pier opened in September 2026. Passengers scan their boarding pass to open a glass barrier.
What it means for non-revs
- Better Wi-Fi on regional flights. Every United Express CRJ-550 and E175 now has Starlink, so you can check loads and your next listing from the air when you’re connecting through a hub. Widebodies are still mostly unequipped, so plan to sort out connections before a long-haul flight.
- E-gates at Houston (date TBA). Aviation A2Z notes that automated gates don’t fix the slow parts of boarding, and it names standby processing as one. Until United explains how standby passengers will clear the gates, keep your boarding pass ready and stay near the podium when you’re cleared.
Sources
- Drive Tesla — United Airlines Cuts Starlink Installation Timeline to 18 Months as Rollout Accelerates
- Aviation A2Z — United CEO Loves American Airlines’ New Boarding Gates, But Passengers May Hate Them
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