United and Spotify bring entertainment to big screens at 35,000 feet | News Desk Report
United and Spotify today announced a first-of-its-kind way for travelers to enjoy their favorite Spotify content in the sky: streaming directly from their personal Spotify account on the seatback screen. Customers can scan a QR code to securely log in to access the full Spotify catalog, including over 100 million tracks, along with millions of podcasts, playlists, videos and albums directly from their screens*. Passengers can pick up their favorite content right where they left off and save new favorites to enjoy long after their flight.
United is the first airline to let customers access their own Spotify account directly from a seatback screen, creating a more personal and connected entertainment experience built around the content they love. Powered by Starlink Wi-Fi, the integration allows travelers to watch performance videos like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: Full Cast Graphic Adaptation by Jenny Han and On Purpose with Jay Shetty – streamed directly from their own Spotify account. Once logged in, customers can access their personalized recommendations, playlists and saved content, and discover new recommendations tailored specifically to their listening and viewing habits, delivering a seamless listening experience that moves with them wherever they travel.
“Our customers are used to streaming entertainment that’s tailored to them, and that level of personalization shouldn’t stop when they board one of our planes,” said Andrew Nocella, Chief Commercial Officer at United Airlines. “Now, thanks to Starlink, they can watch and listen to their own Spotify content right on their seatback screen and pick up their favorites right where they left off. From video podcasts and live performances to music and audiobooks, our collaboration with Spotify gives customers more of what they love onboard and is helping us create an elevated experience for everyone who chooses to fly United.”
“Bringing personal Spotify accounts to United seatback screens is a major milestone, creating a new way to experience Spotify in flight,” said Ian Geller, VP of Business Development at Spotify. “With a quick QR code scan, passengers can bring their personalized Spotify experience to the screen in front of them — their recommendations, saved library, and favorite songs, podcasts, audiobooks, and videos — and enjoy it all on a big screen at 35,000 feet.”
United introduced an exclusive collection of Spotify content on its seatback screens in June 2025, including more than 450 hours of audiobooks, video podcasts and music playlists. Since then, more than 2.3 million customers have enjoyed more than 1.9 million hours of Spotify content onboard. This new functionality builds on that by giving customers access to their personal Spotify account – from their saved playlists to tailored recommendations and more – directly from the seatback screen. The launch of the Spotify app integration builds on United’s continued investment in personalization and the inflight experience.
United continues to invest in the inflight entertainment experience, in addition to Spotify, the airline gives customers access to more than 2,500 hours of premium entertainment content including Apple TV, HBO Max, A24 and Peacock.
United is also elevating the onboard experience with Starlink. Starlink Wi-Fi is now available on more than half of United’s daily flights and enables MileagePlus® members to stream, work, shop and stay connected across multiple devices in the air. The airline expects to complete Starlink installations by the end of 2027, bringing a faster, more connected and increasingly personalized experience to more customers. In addition, United currently offers more than 181,000 seatback screens across its fleet – more than any other major U.S. airline and about 85% of its mainline fleet – and expects to have more than 219,000 screens, nearly its entire mainline fleet, by the end of 2027.
How It Works
Customers on eligible flights can open the Spotify app from the seatback screen and scan the displayed QR code with their phone’s camera. If already logged in to Spotify on their phone, their account pairs seamlessly with the seatback screen through a single-click verification. If not, they can log in securely on their phone and their personal library will appear on the seatback screen, allowing them to:
- Resume music, videos, audiobooks and playlists where they left off and control playback
- Browse their library and personalized recommendations
- Save new favorites to their library
- Enjoy Spotify directly on the seatback screen, bringing them even more of the content they love
- Optionally use their phone as a companion remote, allowing them to browse, select titles and adjust playback right from their seat without leaning forward to touch the screen
Customers may log out at any time during the flight and will be automatically logged out of their Spotify account at the end of the flight.
*Available content and features vary by Spotify plan and market.
