Starlink is trending, no doubt. Metasearch site Kayak announced today that users can now filter to see which flights are equipped with Starlink.
In United’s recent earnings call, Starlink got two dozen mentions. CEO Scott Kirby said Starlink would be a significant tailwind for his business in 2027. Still, whatever deployment advantage the airline has now, Kirby conceded that Starlink could be an industry standard by 2028.
So the airline should enjoy the boost while it can. Many business travelers will be using that Starlink filter on Kayak to find United flights and those at other airlines that have Starlink on board. Other comparison sites will inevitably offer the search feature, as well.
But the aircraft retrofits aren’t cheap.
A Jefferies report puts installation at roughly $500,000 per 737-800, plus a $15,000 monthly fee. One can expect those fees will eventually rise.
When most airlines have Starlink installed, it will become just another cost of doing business, and not a differentiator. Similar to seat-back entertainment for those airlines that have it.
Still, first-mover advantage in terms of United’s deployment of Starlink at scale can be meaningful. Come for Starlink, United might say, but stick around for the premium experience.
Skift Aviation Forum
Aviation’s margin story is written by whoever controls capacity, loyalty, and labor.
On November 12 at the TWA Hotel, the people writing it take the stage: IAG’s Luis Gallego, American’s Nat Pieper, Breeze’s David Neeleman, and Sara Nelson of the AFA-CWA.
SPONSORED · HOLAFLY
Travelers move among social feeds, search, AI tools, reviews, and supplier sites — often chasing several possible trips at once. New research from Skift Research and McKinsey & Company on what that means for operators.
Headlines
PS’s CEO on Running the Private Terminal and the Power of Restraint
by Colin Nagy
October 23, 2026
Airbnb Can Now Be Booked Through Amex Travel in Its Deepest Loyalty Tie-Up Yet
by Dennis Schaal
October 22, 2026
Corporate Travel to Saudi Arabia Freezes as Riyadh Airport Stays Restricted
by Deepthi Nair
October 21, 2026
Why the Best Corporate Travel Strategy Isn’t Just About Spending Less
by American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) + Skift
October 21, 2026
Watch or Listen
How do you name a travel brand that actually stands out? Adam Lovick, founder of First Class Jerk, has a simple answer: be irreverent.
In this clip from Skift Takes Sessions, recorded live at the Skift Global Forum in New York City, Adam joins host Sarah Dandashy to explain why a name that made conference rooms nervous turned out to be the whole point and why the travel industry’s tendency to take itself too seriously is exactly the opening he walked through.
This episode is presented by ZS.
