You can now watch the MLB playoffs live on United flights, but only on about 900 of them a day

Baseball fans flying United this October may not have to miss a pitch. In an Oct. 9 announcement, United said it has added TBS to the live TV lineup it streams from DISH. That means passengers can watch nearly every MLB postseason game live, including the ALCS, NLCS and World Series.

There is a big catch. The live TV only works on planes that have both Starlink Wi-Fi and seatback screens. United says that is more than 200 planes, or about 900 flights a day. On every other United flight, the playoffs are not on the screen in front of you.

What you can watch, and where

TBS joins a lineup that United says already includes ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, FS1, ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network and Thursday Night Football on Prime Video. The channels play on the seatback screen, so you don't need your own phone or laptop.

United says the playoffs are covered "nearly" in full. It did not say which games, if any, are left out. If you are flying on a big game day, check before you board whether your plane has Starlink and seatback screens.

The service is new. United says live streaming launched onboard last month, and passengers have already watched more than 170,000 hours of live TV. That includes pro and college football, reality competitions and awards shows.

The Starlink numbers United is bragging about

The release leans hard on Starlink, the satellite Wi-Fi service from SpaceX. United says more than 5.4 million people flew with Starlink in September. That is about a third of its customers. It also says satisfaction scores run more than 40 points higher on Starlink planes than on planes with other Wi-Fi. United did not explain how it measures those scores.

Starlink Wi-Fi is free for MileagePlus members in every cabin, according to United. United expects to finish installing Starlink across its fleet in 2027.

Screens are spreading too. United says up to 1,000 aircraft should have seatback screens before the end of 2027. Its new planes get 27-inch 4K OLED screens, which United calls the largest among U.S. airlines.

The status match pitch

United is using all this to poach flyers from rivals. The release repeats its status match offer for Delta and American loyalty members. United says you must meet a spend requirement on United flights that you both buy and fly within a 90-day window. If you qualify, United says you get Premier status benefits through Jan. 31, 2028. Details are at United's switch-to-better-Wi-Fi page.

We covered the status match itself when it launched. The new playoff lineup is the latest piece of the sales pitch.

How Delta compares

Delta is not standing still. In an Aug. 31 announcement, Delta said it was teaming up with Sport 24, IMG's live sports channel, to show 24/7 live sports on international routes through its Delta Sync Wi-Fi. And on Oct. 9, the same day as United's news, Delta said fast, free Delta Sync Wi-Fi would begin rolling out on its trans-Pacific routes this month.

So both airlines now sell live sports in the air. The difference is in the details. United is streaming U.S. broadcast and cable channels to seatback screens. Delta says its Sport 24 deal is aimed at international routes.

Our take

Live playoff baseball at 35,000 feet is a real perk. It is also a reminder of how uneven the product still is. By United's own count, only about a third of its customers had Starlink in September, and the live TV needs seatback screens on top of that. Until both reach the whole fleet, getting the game on your flight is partly luck.

For lounge regulars, it changes the math on a big game night. On the right plane, you can leave the United Club at boarding time and keep watching in your seat. On the wrong one, you will want to catch as much of the game as you can on the ground first.