By Townhall Chicago News Staff
Chicago-based United Airlines on Thursday announced passengers can now stream music, podcasts, videos and audiobooks from their personal Spotify accounts directly on seatback screens equipped with the airline’s Starlink satellite Wi-Fi.
United is the first airline to allow passengers to log in to their own Spotify accounts on seatback displays, creating what the airline described as a more personal entertainment experience. The feature is available on Starlink-equipped aircraft and will expand to half the fleet by next spring.
“Our customers are used to streaming entertainment that’s tailored to them, and that level of personalization shouldn’t stop when they board one of our planes,” Andrew Nocella, United’s chief commercial officer, said in a news release. “Now, thanks to Starlink, they can watch and listen to their own Spotify content right on their seatback screen and pick up their favorites right where they left off.”
Passengers on eligible flights can scan a QR code displayed on the seatback screen to securely log in to their Spotify account. Once connected, they can access their personalized recommendations, saved playlists and full library, including more than 100 million tracks, millions of podcasts and audiobooks, according to the announcement.
The integration builds on a partnership United and Spotify announced in June 2025, when the airline introduced a curated collection of Spotify content on seatback screens. Since then, more than 2.3 million customers have consumed more than 1.9 million hours of Spotify content onboard, according to United.
“Bringing personal Spotify accounts to United seatback screens is a major milestone, creating a new way to experience Spotify in flight,” Ian Geller, vice president of business development at Spotify, said in the release. “With a quick QR code scan, passengers can bring their personalized Spotify experience to the screen in front of them.”
The feature is powered by Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellite network, which provides Wi-Fi connectivity even over oceans and polar regions. Starlink Wi-Fi is now available on more than half of United’s daily flights. The airline expects to complete installations across its entire fleet before the end of 2027.
United currently offers more than 181,000 seatback screens across its fleet, more than any other major U.S. airline, according to the company. The airline expects to reach more than 219,000 screens by the end of 2027.
Both Spotify Free and Premium subscribers can use the feature, though available content and functionality vary by plan. Customers are automatically logged out of their Spotify account at the end of each flight, and login details are never entered on the seatback screen, according to the airline.
United, headquartered in Chicago, is the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. The Starlink and Spotify integration positions the carrier at the forefront of an industry shift toward streaming-based in-flight entertainment as several other airlines pursue similar satellite Wi-Fi installations.
Source: United Airlines
