United Airlines is one of the three major airlines in the United States, with a fleet of more than 900 planes that fly to more than 300 destinations around the world. Part of Star Alliance, United is headquartered in Chicago, and it maintains a hub at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, plus other airports including Denver International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.
Cabin classes, seats & legroom
United has three cabins, with several fare types in each. United Polaris, United Business and United First are in its top-tier cabin, while Premium Plus is the second-tier cabin. In the economy cabin, there are three fare types.
United Polaris and United Business
United Polaris is the airline's premier cabin with lie-flat seats. You'll most commonly find this cabin on long-haul international flights. When this cabin flies short-haul international or transcontinental routes, it's called United Business. The seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 or 1-1-1 layout where every seat has aisle access.
In the window sections, odd-numbered seats are closest to the window and are accessed by a tiny hallway of sorts, while even-numbered seats are tilted at an angle toward the aisle. I always opt for odd-numbered window seats, as they provide the most privacy and the best views from the windows. The even-numbered seats open directly into the aisle, and they're farther from the windows.
In aircraft with two seats in the middle section, the odd-numbered seats are adjacent to one another but separated by a divider that can be lowered. I pick these seats when I'm travelling with someone, as you can easily talk with your seatmate. The even-numbered seats are better for solo travellers, as they are spaced farther apart from the neighbouring seat.
United First
United First is found on short-haul international and most domestic flights. These seats are larger recliners, usually configured in a 2-2 or 1-2 layout. They provide ample legroom, up to 18 cm more than the economy cabin. I find that in the bulkhead row (the row facing a wall that divides one section of the plane from another), there's usually enough room for the person in the window seat to get to the aisle without climbing over their seatmate.
United Premium Plus
Premium Plus is United's premium economy cabin, and you'll usually find them on the same aircraft that have Polaris seats. As such, you'll find them on long-haul international or transcontinental flights. Seats in this cabin are upright like in economy, but they can recline further (up to 7.5 cm more than economy) and have more legroom (up to 18 cm more than economy).
Some aircraft have 2-4-2 seating, while others have 2-2-2 seating. As a solo traveller, I would avoid the middle seats in the 2-4-2 configuration, as that means you'll have to disrupt your neighbour to get out of your seat. But if you're travelling as a duo, it's not a terrible option, since it would be your companion in the aisle seat.
Economy Plus, Economy & Basic Economy
Economy Plus seats are found in the front rows of the economy cabin, and they have up to 15 cm more legroom than standard economy seats. Economy seats, found in the middle and the back of the economy cabin, have the least amount of legroom at an average of 79 cm. Basic Economy fares are seated in standard economy seats, but they are a restrictive fare class that does not permit seat selection or free carry-on bags.
Check-in
United check-in desks are split into two groups: Premier Access and standard. Premier Access is granted to passengers booked in United Polaris, United First and United Premium Plus; MileagePlus Premier members (elite status); and MileagePlus Club and Presidential Plus credit card members. Premier Access checked bags receive special tags for priority treatment.
If you don't have Premier Access through one of these channels, you can buy it separately, unless you're booked in Basic Economy. But I personally don't see much benefit in doing so, as purchased Premier Access does not include priority bag tags. It simply allows you to use the Premier Access check-in desk.
Boarding
United boards its flights in seven groups: pre-boarding and six numbered zones. Preboarding is reserved for passengers with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, families travelling with young children, active-duty military, Global Services members and Premier 1K members (both are tiers of elite status). The numbered zones are split by cabin class and fare type.
If you are in a higher number zone, the aircraft may run out of space in the overhead bins. One way to circumvent this is to purchase Priority Boarding, which automatically puts you in Zone 2. I would recommend this upgraded service over Priority Access at check-in, particularly if you're worried about having to gate-check your carry-on bag.
Lounges
United has two types of airport lounges: United Club and United Polaris Lounge. United Clubs are open to passengers travelling in premium cabins, as well as United Club members. You can also buy one-day passes to a United Club. United Polaris Lounges, however, are only open to United Polaris passengers and provide a more luxurious experience, from interior design to amenities.
If you're a Polaris passenger, I'd recommend visiting a United Polaris Lounge over a United Club, as it will likely be far less crowded. United Polaris Lounges also have restaurants in addition to buffets, so you can have a seated meal free of charge. The burger is particularly worthwhile.
Wi-Fi
Most United flights offer Wi-Fi. While messaging is free, surfing and streaming typically cost a nominal fee. That said, T-Mobile customers usually get free streaming Wi-Fi on United flights. I've found that the quality of United's Wi-Fi varies pretty dramatically. In some cases, the internet is very slow, while in others, the connection goes in and out. Before your flight, I would check United's Wi-Fi coverage map, available online, to determine whether or not it's worth purchasing Wi-Fi.
Entertainment
United planes have varying equipment when it comes to entertainment. Some aircraft have seatback screens loaded with movies and TV shows, plus a flight map. Some also have DirectTV that streams live TV. Other aircraft do not have seatback screens, so if you want to access United's entertainment, you'll have to download the United app onto your personal device. I always ensure my app is updated before a flight to be sure I'll have access to entertainment.
Dining
In-flight dining options vary across cabin class and routes. Premium cabins typically have plated multi-course meals on longer flights; on shorter ones, they have free premium snacks. The economy cabin has limited free snacks available on most flights, with some flights offering upgraded snacks for purchase. Meals are free on long-haul international flights in economy.
Non-alcoholic drinks are always free, while alcoholic beverages are only free in premium cabins and in economy on long-haul international flights. They are otherwise available for purchase.
Amenities
Premium cabins receive amenity kits with mini toiletries, eye masks, earplugs and socks. United Polaris passengers also receive bedding from luxury New York retailer Saks Fifth Avenue for their lie-flat seats (though you can't take it home with you). On flights longer than 14 hours, Polaris passengers can request pyjamas, subject to availability. I recommend asking for the pyjamas before takeoff, as availability is often limited.
Loyalty program & miles
United has a free loyalty program called United MileagePlus; attach your membership number to your bookings to receive award miles redeemable for free flights and upgrades. For every US dollar you spend (or equivalent in Canadian dollars), excluding taxes and fees, you will receive between 5 and 11 miles, depending on your status level. Since the program is free, I recommend that all United passengers sign up for an account; miles never expire.
Elite status
Elite status for frequent flyers is known as Premier status on United. Each tier of status is unlocked by either flying a certain number of segments (Premier Qualifying Flights or PQFs) with spending a certain number of dollars (Premier Qualify Points or PQPs) or solely meeting a higher threshold of PQPs. Benefits range from free checked bags to complimentary upgrades.
Credit cards
United has four co-branded Visa credit cards, each of which earns you free miles for every U.S. dollar spent (or equivalent in Canadian dollars). They range from no annual fee to high annual fees of several hundred dollars; the more premium cards offer more benefits. For example, the United Club Infinite Card comes with a United Club membership and bonus PQPs for meeting spending thresholds. Before applying for one of these cards, I suggest doing the math to ensure the annual fee is worth it.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
