United Airlines flies to more than 300 destinations worldwide with a fleet of over 900 planes, and it’s one of the three major US carriers. As part of Star Alliance, United operates major hubs at Chicago O’Hare, Denver, Newark, San Francisco, Houston, Los Angeles, Washington Dulles and Guam. Here’s what you need to know about flying United, from cabin options to loyalty perks.
Cabin classes, seats & legroom
United splits its planes into three main cabins, but there are a bunch of different fare types within each. Think of it like good, better and best. You’ve got the top-tier cabin (Polaris, Business and First), the middle-ground (Premium Plus) and economy (which has its own three flavours).
United Polaris and United Business
United Polaris is the airline’s premium offering, featuring lie-flat seats that are a lifesaver on long-haul international flights. When you see this same cabin on premium transcontinental routes or Latin America flights, it’s called United Business. The seats are typically in a 1-2-1 or 1-1-1 layout, which means everyone gets direct aisle access.
In the window sections, odd-numbered seats sit closest to the window with a small hallway for access, while even-numbered seats 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.
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 further apart from the neighbouring seat.
United First
You’ll find United First on most domestic flights, plus Canada and Caribbean routes. These are big, comfy recliners, usually in a 2-2 setup. You’ll get a good amount of legroom, up to seven inches more than economy. I find that in the bulkhead row, 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
This is United’s premium economy cabin, and it’s a solid step up from a standard economy seat. You’ll find it on the same long-haul international and transcontinental flights that have Polaris. The seats are wider, have more recline (up to 3 extra inches) and more legroom (up to 7 extra inches) than economy.
Some planes have a 2-4-2 layout in this cabin (Boeing 777s), while Boeing 787 Dreamliners feature 2-3-2 and Boeing 767s have 2-2-2. As a solo traveller, I’d steer clear of the middle four seats on the 777 unless you enjoy being trapped. But if you’re flying as a pair, it’s not a bad choice, since you can book an aisle and the seat next to it.
Economy Plus, Economy & Basic Economy
Economy Plus seats are just regular economy seats with a bonus: up to six inches of extra legroom. They’re located at the front of the economy cabin. Standard Economy seats are what you’d expect, with about 30 to 31 inches of pitch depending on the aircraft. Basic Economy is the no-frills ticket that puts you in a standard economy seat but comes with restrictions. On most domestic flights, you don’t get a free cabin bag and can only select seats for a fee. However, on trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and South American routes, cabin bags are included even with Basic Economy.
Loyalty programme & miles
United’s free loyalty programme, MileagePlus, lets you earn award miles redeemable for flights and upgrades when you attach your membership number to bookings. You’ll earn between 5 and 11 miles per dollar spent (excluding taxes and fees), depending on your status level.
You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to MileagePlus. Since the programme is free and miles never expire, I recommend all United passengers sign up for an account.
Elite status
For the frequent flyers out there, United’s elite status is called Premier status. You climb the ranks by earning a combination of Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs) and Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs), which are based on flight segments and money spent. Or, you can just spend a whole lot and qualify on PQPs alone. The perks are worth it if you fly a lot, ranging from free checked bags to complimentary upgrades.
Check-in
At the airport, United splits check-in into two groups: Premier Access and standard. Premier Access is available to passengers in United Polaris, United First, United Business and United Premium Plus, MileagePlus Premier members (elite status), Star Alliance Gold members, and MileagePlus Club or Presidential Plus card members. Your checked bags get special priority handling with Premier Access.
You can buy Premier Access separately if you don’t qualify, but I personally don’t think it’s worth the cash. You don’t get the priority bag service with this purchase, it just lets you use a shorter check-in line.
Boarding
United boards flights in seven groups: pre-boarding and six numbered groups. Pre-boarding covers passengers with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, families with children age 2 or younger, active-duty military, and Global Services or Premier 1K members (both elite status tiers). The numbered groups split by cabin class and fare type.
If you’re in a later boarding group, you risk running out of overhead bin space. To avoid having to gate-check your carry-on, you can purchase Priority Boarding, which bumps you up to Group 2. I’d recommend this over buying Premier Access at check-in if you’re worried about your bag.
Lounges
United has several types of lounges: the United Club, the United Polaris Lounge, United Club Fly (a grab-and-go concept) and an Arrivals Lounge at London Heathrow. United Clubs are accessible to United Club members, premium cabin customers on eligible flights, one-time pass holders, active U.S. military personnel, and eligible Star Alliance Gold members on international itineraries. You can also buy a one-time pass if there’s space available.
Polaris Lounges are significantly more upscale and are for passengers flying in the United Polaris business class cabin, plus Star Alliance First and Business class customers departing on eligible long-haul international flights. If you have a Polaris ticket, definitely hit up the Polaris Lounge. It’s way less crowded and has actual sit-down restaurant dining in “The Dining Room” in addition to a buffet. Trust me on this one, the burger is really good and worth arriving early for.
Wi-Fi
Most United flights offer Wi-Fi. Messaging is free, while surfing and streaming typically cost starting at around £6 (or 1,600 miles for MileagePlus members). Eligible T-Mobile customers get free unlimited Wi-Fi on most domestic and international United flights, including streaming.
I’ve found United’s Wi-Fi quality varies quite a bit. Sometimes the internet is very slow, other times the connection goes in and out. Before your flight, check United’s Wi-Fi coverage map online to determine if it’s worth purchasing.
Entertainment
The entertainment setup on United varies by plane. Some aircraft have seatback screens loaded with movies, TV shows and a flight map, with DIRECTV live TV available on more than 200 aircraft. Others have no screens at all, so you’ll need to stream entertainment to your own device using the United app (available on more than 450 aircraft). I always make sure my app is updated before a flight, just in case.
Dining
What you eat depends on where you sit and where you’re going. Premium cabins get plated, multi-course meals on flights over 900 miles and premium snacks on shorter ones. In economy, you’ll get free snacks on flights over 300 miles, with heartier options for purchase on flights over 500 miles. On long-haul international flights, meals are free for everyone in economy, including a three-course meal plus extra food on longer routes.
Soft drinks are always free. Beer, wine and spirits are complimentary in premium cabins. In economy on long-haul international flights, house beer and wine are free but spirits cost extra. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay up for alcoholic beverages in economy.
Amenities
If you’re in a premium cabin, you’ll get an amenity kit with the basics like an eye mask, earplugs and toiletries. United Polaris passengers get the really good stuff, including custom Saks Fifth Avenue bedding for their lie-flat seats (no, you can’t take it with you). On flights to Africa, Asia, India, the Pacific and the Middle East, you can ask for pyjamas. My advice? Ask for them as soon as you board, because they run out fast.
Credit cards
United has four personal co-branded Visa credit cards (plus business options) that help you earn miles on everyday spending. They range from no-annual-fee cards to premium ones that cost up to £510 a year but come with perks like a United Club membership. Before you apply for one, I suggest doing the maths to make sure the benefits outweigh the annual fee for your travel style.
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.
