AviationOutlook Newsletter - Jan 7, 2025

Dipesh Dhital

07 Jan 2025 — 4 min read

Dear readers,

Welcome to AviationOutlook Newsletter, your one-stop source for the most relevant Aviation & Aerospace news briefs and industry insights (minus noise).

Here are the important updates for today. Let’s get started.

United Airlines Accelerates Free Starlink Internet Rollout Across Fleet

United Airlines has accelerated its timeline for implementing SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, with testing beginning in February 2025 and the first commercial flight launching this spring on an Embraer E-175 aircraft.

This initiative represents the largest Starlink agreement in aviation history, covering over 1,000 aircraft, and will provide free high-speed internet access to all MileagePlus members.

Key Points

Testing begins in February 2025, with the first commercial flight in spring 2025
Complete rollout for the two-cabin regional fleet by the end of 2025
First mainline aircraft to be Starlink-enabled before year-end 2025
Gate-to-gate connectivity supporting streaming, gaming, and video calls
Download speeds ranging from 40 to 220 Mbps, upload speeds 8 to 25 Mbps
Free access for all MileagePlus members (membership is complimentary)

What It Means

This strategic move positions United Airlines significantly ahead of its U.S. competitors. By offering free high-speed Wi-Fi, United becomes the first major U.S. airline to provide this benefit fleet-wide, setting a new standard for in-flight connectivity.

The partnership with SpaceX not only promises to transform in-flight connectivity but also opens new opportunities for customer engagement and service offerings.

Other key Aviation and Aerospace Industry updates for today 👇

United Airlines Accelerates Starlink Rollout

United Airlines is making bold moves to redefine in-flight connectivity by fast-tracking the rollout of SpaceX’s Starlink internet service across its fleet. What’s Happening? United announced it will begin testing Starlink next month, with the first commercial flight featuring the high-speed internet service scheduled for spring 2025 on

Emirates Launches Airbus A350 on Dubai-Edinburgh Route

Today, on January 3, 2025, Emirates marked the debut of its first Airbus A350-900 on the Dubai to Edinburgh route. Why Edinburgh? The choice of Edinburgh as the inaugural destination is strategic. This route, previously served by a Boeing 777 before a multi-year hiatus, has been revived with a daily

Spirit Airlines Now Worth Less Than 2023 Executive Payouts

It’s not every day you see a company’s valuation drop below what its executives earned in a single year, but that’s exactly where Spirit Airlines finds itself as we kick off 2025. After a turbulent 2024, Spirit’s equity now sits at just $12.6 million—less

JetBlue Faces $2M Fine for Failing to Address Chronic Flight Disruptions

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has slapped JetBlue Airways with a $2 million fine for what it called “chronic flight delays.” It’s the first time the DOT has penalized a carrier specifically for repeated delays on certain routes. It’s a bold move, and one that sends