Spotify Takes Off With United: 450+ Hours of Free Inflight Content

United Airlines has partnered with Spotify to enhance seatback entertainment options. This collaboration will provide over 450 hours of curated content, including playlists, video podcasts, and audiobooks, at no additional cost on United’s in-flight entertainment systems across more than 680 aircraft.

This marks the first instance of Spotify offering both audiobooks and video podcasts on an airline, expanding the types of content available to passengers during flights.

What Flyers Can Expect on Board

Travelers aboard United flights will now find a new “Spotify” category on seatback screens—many of which offer vibrant 4K displays and Bluetooth support. The section features subcategories, including Podcasts, Video Podcasts, Audiobooks, and Playlists.

Photo: Courtesy of Spotify

Available content ranges from The Dave Chang Show and Good Hang with Amy Poehler to The Comment Section with Drew Afualo, alongside curated music mixes and a growing audiobook library.

“Spotify has a huge audience and people love their content,” said Richard Nunn, CEO of MileagePlus. “And now our customers can enjoy it all in a simple and easy way, at 35,000 feet. Together, we’re giving millions of customers an entirely new way to experience and explore premium content from the world’s most popular artists, authors, and podcasters—all while flying with the latest technology in the sky.”

Personalized Streaming Coming in 2026

The partnership will deepen in 2026, when passengers will be able to log into their personal Spotify accounts via seatback screens—resuming podcasts, playlists, and audiobooks exactly where they left off on the ground.

Photo: Courtesy of United Airlines

“As a frequent United flyer myself, it’s incredibly exciting to see Spotify now available on the world’s largest airline,” said Ian Geller, Vice President of Business Development at Spotify. “At Spotify, we’re dedicated to being everywhere our users are, giving creators opportunities to reach new platforms and engage different audiences. I’m especially looking forward to bringing an even more personalized app streaming experience to seatbacks next year.”

Stream Spotify Gate-to-Gate with Starlink Wi-Fi

On Starlink-equipped United aircraft, the Spotify experience extends to personal devices. Passengers can log into their MileagePlus accounts, connect to Starlink Wi-Fi, and stream Spotify content seamlessly—gate to gate.

Whether on the seatback screen or your smartphone, the experience is designed for today’s traveler who expects uninterrupted, high-quality entertainment throughout the journey.

Photo: Courtesy of United Airlines

To celebrate the launch, Spotify and United are offering MileagePlus members up to 1,000 bonus miles for signing up for a Spotify Premium Individual subscription (new users only). The promotion will run across United’s Kinective Media network, appearing in seatback ads, mobile app notifications, United Club lounges, and email campaigns.

Offers will be tailored based on MileagePlus status, giving frequent flyers access to more personalized and compelling incentives.

For frequent flyers—especially business travelers who spend long hours in transit—this isn’t just an upgrade in entertainment; it’s a shift toward flexibility and personalization. Whether you’re flying long-haul to Tokyo or hopping between cities in the U.S., having instant access to premium audio content without needing to preload devices adds measurable convenience.

The ability to stream, resume, and even earn rewards turns downtime into opportunity—whether that’s to relax, stay informed, or simply pass the time your way.

Spotify’s Expanding Presence in the Skies

United joins a growing list of carriers integrating Spotify content into their in-flight entertainment offerings.

Emirates, for instance, launched Spotify-curated playlists and podcasts last year through its ice entertainment system. Mixtapes like RapCaviar, Viva Latino, and Peaceful Piano are refreshed monthly, while 140 podcast episodes cover true crime, business, sports, and culture in multiple languages—including English, Portuguese, Tagalog, and German, with Spanish and Hindi set to debut in 2025.

Photo: Courtesy of Emirates

Flyers can also create their own playlists in the Emirates mobile app before takeoff and sync them once onboard. A QR code option allows passengers to continue listening where they left off after landing.

Meanwhile, also in the U.S., Delta developed a deeper creative collaboration with Spotify. Since 2021, Delta has featured Spotify-curated boarding music, mixtapes, and podcasts in its in-flight entertainment. In 2024, the two launched The Passport Sessions, a docuseries exclusive to Delta flights that pairs musicians from “twin cities” across the Americas to explore culture and create music together.