Enjoy award-winning Apple TV+ shows onboard United Airlines with streaming via seatback screens and the United mobile app.
United Airlines Apple TV+
United Airlines is doubling down on its tech-first mission to make long flights feel a lot shorter. Starting this month, passengers can enjoy free Apple TV+ streaming on United Airlines seatback screens and in the United app.
No Apple TV+ account, no sign-ups. Just pick a show and press play. It’s the latest in a series of United Airlines in-flight entertainment upgrades that make time in the air far more enjoyable.
Apple TV+ launches on United Airlines seatback screens with full seasons of Severance, Shrinking, Ted Lasso, Slow Horses and Silo. September brings The Morning Show and Bad Sisters, with a growing library of more than 250 episodes plus films and documentaries.
United has been quietly building a technology portfolio that makes each stage of the journey smoother. Regular readers will remember the Spotify partnership that brought free music streaming on board, the Apple Share Item Location feature that simplified luggage tracking, or the day Starlink Wi-Fi went live for free.
Even AirPods Pro users have benefited, with Bluetooth tweaks that keep spatial audio working perfectly mid-flight.
Tech at the core of United’s strategy
Adding Apple TV+ access for free is a significant next step. It delivers award-winning shows to all United travellers, no matter if you are in Economy or a new Polaris seat. It’s also part of the broader United Airlines United Next in-flight content strategy, which blends hardware upgrades with premium content partnerships.
One of the most passenger-friendly details is that you don’t need an Apple TV+ subscription. You can binge-watch Apple TV+ on United flights without ever entering a password. Tap the Apple TV+ icon on the seatback or open the United app. Didn’t finish? Resume your episode or season on your next United flight.
Good content needs good screens. United already has over 130,000 seatback displays, with a target of 300,000+ as part of United Next. In premium cabins, United Airlines’ 4K OLED seatback screens stretch to 27 inches, are Bluetooth-enabled and are the largest offered by any U.S. airline.
Economy still gets sharp, responsive displays with the same interface, so whether you’re watching Ted Lasso on United Airlines flights in row 3 or row 33, the experience is equally polished.
The free Apple TV+ channel is now live on United Airlines’ aircraft, offering in-flight entertainment, and is also available in the United app. New content will be added monthly, starting with Emmy-winning titles in August 2025. Hardware upgrades, including the giant 4K OLED screens, will continue through 2026 as the United Next cabin refresh gathers pace.
