CHICAGO – November 05, 2026 -- United Airlines passengers can now log in to their personal Spotify accounts on seatback screens and stream their own playlists, video podcasts, music videos and audiobooks in flight. United says it is the first airline to offer the feature.
A QR code replaces the sign-in hassle
On eligible flights, customers open the Spotify app on the seatback screen and scan the displayed QR code with their phone's camera. If they are already logged in to Spotify on their phone, the account pairs through a single-click verification. If not, they log in securely on the phone, and their library appears on the screen.
Once connected, travelers can resume content where they left off, control playback, browse recommendations and save new favorites to their library. The phone can also serve as a remote, so passengers do not have to lean forward to touch the screen. Customers can log out at any time and are logged out automatically when the flight ends.
Starlink Wi-Fi powers the streaming
The integration runs on Starlink Wi-Fi. Spotify says the catalog includes more than 100 million tracks plus millions of podcasts, playlists, videos and albums, although available content and features vary by Spotify plan and market. Examples named by United include On Purpose with Jay Shetty and To All the Boys I've Loved Before: Full Cast Graphic Adaptation by Jenny Han.
Andrew Nocella, United's Chief Commercial Officer, said personalization should not stop when customers board a plane. Ian Geller, Spotify's VP of Business Development, called the launch a major milestone for experiencing Spotify in flight.
Spotify rollout reaches half the fleet by next spring
The Spotify rollout will expand across half of United's fleet by next spring. United first added an exclusive Spotify collection to its seatback screens in June 2025, with more than 450 hours of audiobooks, video podcasts and music playlists. Since then, more than 2.3 million customers have streamed more than 1.9 million hours of Spotify content onboard.
Beyond Spotify, United offers more than 2,500 hours of premium entertainment content, including Apple TV, HBO Max, A24 and Peacock.
Screens and Starlink expand through 2027
Starlink Wi-Fi is now available on more than half of United's daily flights, and the airline expects to complete installations by the end of 2027. United currently offers more than 181,000 seatback screens, about 85% of its mainline fleet and more than any other major U.S. airline. It expects more than 219,000 screens, nearly its entire mainline fleet, by the end of 2027.