United Airlines works with the Spotify team to provide passengers with free on-flight content
Flights on United Airlines will become even more interesting thanks to a new partnership with Spotify, which will provide passengers with more than 450 hours of free content.
Looking ahead, United Passengers will be able to listen to dozens of audiobooks and video podcasts, the first time Spotify has offered these products on airlines. These include popular podcasts such as “Good Hook to Amy Poehler” and “Dave Chang Show”, which Manchester United shares with TPG.
“Spotify has a lot of audiences and people love their content. Now our customers can enjoy it in a simple and easy way (35,000 feet),” Richard Nunn, CEO of United Mileageplus, said in a statement shared with TPG. “Together we offer millions of customers a whole new way to experience and explore the quality content of the world’s most popular artists, writers and podcasts while flying with the latest technology in the sky.”
First, Spotify will be available through seatback screens for more than 680 Manchester United aircraft. Travelers flying on Starlink-equipped aircraft (airlines launched last month) will also be able to play Spotify from their personal devices by logging into their MireagePlus account.
On the backrest screen, the streaming service will replace the “Audio” category under the main menu and will include options for podcasts, video podcasts, audiobooks, and playlists. Manchester United said most of its aircraft will also get dedicated Spotify channels in the coming months.
In 2026, Manchester United plans to introduce a feature that allows passengers to log in to the Spotify app on the onboard entertainment screen using their personal devices.
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Ian Geller, vice president of business development at Spotify, said the planned update will be “a backrest next year for a more personalized app streaming experience.”
To celebrate the new partnership, United offers new members of the Spotify Premium personal subscription the opportunity to sign up and earn up to 1,000 miles. Premium personal subscription costs $11.99 per month.
Entertainment updates follow Manchester United’s decision to add more backrest screens at 4K resolution, testing new control tower view options with onboard images and more information.
In addition to Manchester United, Delta Airlines offers Spotify-curated playlists and featured podcasts. However, the airline told TPG that the partnership will end as the carrier introduces its ad-free streaming partnership with YouTube.
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