Live TV & football on United flights: which planes have it

The answer

Needs a United mainline jet with Starlink and a seatback screen (DISH OnStream, through Super Bowl LXI, Feb 2027). United Express E175/CRJ-550 have Starlink WiFi but no seatbacks — stream on your own device.

Sources: DISH/United release, GlobeNewswire, Sep 17, 2026 · United release, PR Newswire

Likely eligible aircraft today

234 United mainline aircraft have Starlink (20% of 1,152). That makes them likely eligible, not guaranteed: we track Starlink per tail, not seatback screens.

United expects Starlink on nearly 700 aircraft by February 2027. Every tail is on the fleet page.

Check your flight

Questions

Can I watch live football on my United flight?

Yes, if the aircraft is a Starlink-equipped United mainline jet with a seatback screen. DISH streams nine live channels (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, NFL Network and TNF on Prime Video) to Starlink-enabled seatback screens, starting on more than 200 mainline aircraft, on domestic flights through Super Bowl LXI in February 2027.

Does United Express have live TV?

No. United Express regional jets (E175, CRJ-550) have Starlink WiFi but no seatback screens, so there is no screen to show live TV on. You can still stream on your own phone, tablet or laptop over the Starlink WiFi.

How do I know if my flight has live TV?

Check your flight number and date. If the assigned aircraft has Starlink and is a mainline jet, live TV on the seatback is likely. Aircraft are assigned about two days before departure, and some older 737-800 and 737-900 cabins have no seatback screen, so those count as possible rather than certain.

Is the Starlink WiFi free?

Yes. United says Starlink is free for MileagePlus members in every class of service, and MileagePlus is free to join.

More on the WiFi itself: is United Starlink free?