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United Airlines Now Lets You Watch Hit Apple TV+ Shows For Free

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United Airlines today announced that select Apple TV+ shows are now available to watch for free through its in-flight entertainment system.

United-Apple-TV-Plus.jpg

The shows are available to watch on United's more than 130,000 seatback screens, and in the United app. At launch, the airline is offering the first seasons of Severance, Shrinking, Ted Lasso, Slow Horses, and Silo, with The Morning Show and Bad Sisters to be added this September. Additional content will be added each month.

United eventually plans to have 300,000 seatback screens across its fleet, as it takes delivery of hundreds of new airplanes and retrofits existing aircraft.

This latest partnership between United and Apple provides the airline's passengers with an additional entertainment perk, while giving hit Apple TV+ shows more exposure. With only the first seasons of hit shows currently available, the passengers may be inclined to subscribe to Apple TV+ to keep watching the shows.

United also supports Apple's Live Activities and Share Item Location features.

In the U.S., Apple's streaming service is priced at $9.99 per month, or $99 per year. It is also bundled in all Apple One plans.

Article Link: United Airlines Now Lets You Watch Hit Apple TV+ Shows For Free
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/08/12/united-airlines-apple-tv-plus/
WarmWinterHat said:
I usually read my Kindle or a book. I never could get into watching video during flights.
Click to expand...
TBH, in the rare case that the flight is so short that takin Xanax doesn't make sense I never use the infotainment system. This summer I had a couple of 1 hr flights between European cities and I just kept watching a show that I downloaded to my iPad — so much better and the screen is bigger :D
 
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Is this just for US flights or does it include international too?
 
How do these systems work? Are the shows/movies stored on a server locally on the plane or is the plane using a satellite connection for this?
 
attohs said:
How do these systems work? Are the shows/movies stored on a server locally on the plane or is the plane using a satellite connection for this?
Click to expand...

They are stored locally.

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I don't know, pre Netflix/Apple TV the whole In-Flight Enterntainment thingy felt more exciting.
Also, I wish you could connect your (noise-cancelling) headphones instead of using the ones the airline hands out. Do they really clean them or do they toss them? Either way, they could save a ton of money by allowing passengers to use their own headphones.
 
Godspeed8230 said:
I don't know, pre Netflix/Apple TV the whole In-Flight Enterntainment thingy felt more exciting.
Also, I wish you could connect your (noise-cancelling) headphones instead of using the ones the airline hands out. Do they really clean them or do they toss them? Either way, they could save a ton of money by allowing passengers to use their own headphones.
Click to expand...

The majority of flights I've taken over the last few years just have a 1/8 jack to plug in your own headphones. They will sell you some earbuds if you need them and you keep them, so no cleaning. I remember flights in the 90s took a weird two-plug adapter thing and were semi-proprietary...last time I saw one of these was on a 737, and the armrests still had ashtrays. You can buy adapters on amazon,

61X9ErwzAJL-1701984147.jpg


If you want to use Bluetooth headphones:

www.amazon.com

Syntech Airplane Bluetooth 5.4 Transmitter Receiver for 2 AirPods or Wireless Headphones, HD Display Low Latency 3.5mm AUX Jack Bluetooth Audio Adapter for Flying, TV, Car, Gym, Home Stereo

Syntech Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver for 2 AirPods or Wireless Headphones, HD Display Low Latency 3.5mm AUX Jack Bluetooth 5.4 Audio Adapter for Flying, TV, Car, Gym, Home Stereo Black
www.amazon.com
 
Last edited:
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Godspeed8230 said:
I don't know, pre Netflix/Apple TV the whole In-Flight Enterntainment thingy felt more exciting.
Also, I wish you could connect your (noise-cancelling) headphones instead of using the ones the airline hands out. Do they really clean them or do they toss them? Either way, they could save a ton of money by allowing passengers to use their own headphones.
Click to expand...
I don't know about the USA but in Europe sometimes they offer the system without headphones so they can sell you a pair. Sometimes with a non standard plug like those dual mono 3.5 jacks.
 
MacRumors said:
United Airlines today announced that select Apple TV+ shows are now available to watch for free through its in-flight entertainment system.
Click to expand...

"for free" = ever so slightly higher ticket price to subsidize all this fleet retrofitting and licensing costs to Apple. You will now be paying for Economy Apple+ whether you want to or not, whether you use this "complimentary entertainment service" or not
 
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alexandr said:
TBH, in the rare case that the flight is so short that takin Xanax doesn't make sense I never use the infotainment system. This summer I had a couple of 1 hr flights between European cities and I just kept watching a show that I downloaded to my iPad — so much better and the screen is bigger :D
Click to expand...
The new 787's on United will have 27-inch displays in Business Class and Economy will have 14-inch displays.
 
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ApAx said:
"for free" = ever so slightly higher ticket price to subsidize all this fleet retrofitting and licensing costs to Apple. You will now be paying for Economy Apple+ whether you want to or not, whether you use this "complimentary entertainment service" or not
Click to expand...
Probably but I can also see this as Apple trying to get their content in front of a captive audience. Like get someone hooked on the first few episodes of Slow Horses and they get the free trial when they get home so they can find out what happened.
 
ApAx said:
"for free" = ever so slightly higher ticket price to subsidize all this fleet retrofitting and licensing costs to Apple. You will now be paying for Economy Apple+ whether you want to or not, whether you use this "complimentary entertainment service" or not
Click to expand...
I'm betting Apple is offering this for free. It would be a great move, get you hook on a series, knowing that you can't binge watch the whole series for free.
 
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WarmWinterHat said:
The majority of flights I've taken over the last few years just have a 1/8 jack to plug in your own headphones. They will sell you some earbuds if you need them and you keep them, so no cleaning. I remember flights in the 90s took a weird two-plug adapter thing and were semi-proprietary...last time I saw one of these was on a 737, and the armrests still had ashtrays. You can buy adapters on amazon,

View attachment 2536794

If you want to use Bluetooth headphones:

www.amazon.com

Syntech Airplane Bluetooth 5.4 Transmitter Receiver for 2 AirPods or Wireless Headphones, HD Display Low Latency 3.5mm AUX Jack Bluetooth Audio Adapter for Flying, TV, Car, Gym, Home Stereo

Syntech Airplane Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver for 2 AirPods or Wireless Headphones, HD Display Low Latency 3.5mm AUX Jack Bluetooth 5.4 Audio Adapter for Flying, TV, Car, Gym, Home Stereo Black
www.amazon.com
Click to expand...
My modern Sennheiser Momentum 4 Bluetooth headphones came with one of these adapters for wired listening. I've never seen one of these plugs in the wild. (And should probably be concerned about the age of the plane if I do see one).
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
icwhatudidthere said:
Probably but I can also see this as Apple trying to get their content in front of a captive audience. Like get someone hooked on the first few episodes of Slow Horses and they get the free trial when they get home so they can find out what happened.
Click to expand...
Oh for sure that's Apple's aim. Especially with a longer/overseas flight, you can binge a 10-episode first season easy.
 
For free in this economy? Love to see Apple expanding and captures new audiences.

Flew United in April on a brand new A321neo and it's wonderful even with a slight delay.
 
ApAx said:
Oh for sure that's Apple's aim. Especially with a longer/overseas flight, you can binge a 10-episode first season easy.
Click to expand...

My eyes would bleed before I could watch that much video in one sitting.

bradman83 said:
My modern Sennheiser Momentum 4 Bluetooth headphones came with one of these adapters for wired listening. I've never seen one of these plugs in the wild. (And should probably be concerned about the age of the plane if I do see one).
Click to expand...

Last time I saw that plug was memorable. It was about a week after flights resumed post 9/11 and it took forever to get through security, so the plane (I think it was Southwest, and was definitely a 737) was probably from the early 90s or so...and as I said, it still had ash trays mounted in the arm rests. You couldn't smoke, as it was fully banned in the US in 2000, so they were full of gum wrappers and other trash.
 
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