During my recent trip to the United States, I traveled with United Airlines in their Premium Plus cabin. Every flight choice I make comes down to price, and when comparing airfares, United Airlines was the cheapest. Initially, I was looking at United Airlines economy class, but knowing I would be leaving exhausted and returning on a flight departing San Francisco at 11pm, I decided to upgrade to United Airlines Premium Plus. It was a good choice, but in hindsight, I might have just been able to book seats with extra legroom. I’ll let you decide after reading my review of United Airlines Premium Plus.
Seat Comfort and Space
Space is the thing I value most when flying on long-haul flights and it’s what ultimately convinced me to book United Airlines Premium Plus. I was flying from Sydney to Los Angeles with a flight time of about 13.5 hours and returning from San Francisco to Sydney with a flight time of 15 hours. The ability to stretch out and not arrive at my destination looking like a pretzel with a stiff neck and back pain was crucial. I booked my flights about 30 days before departure and seat selection was limited. For my Sydney to Los Angeles flight, there was no option to book bulkhead seats in Premium Plus, so I chose an aisle seat so I could get up and move freely during the flight without disturbing another passenger. The seat configuration was two seats on the side, three seats in the middle, and two seats on the other side.
The flight was not full and I was lucky enough to have no passenger next to me at the window, so once airborne, I switched to the window seat. I was glad to be able to switch because the legroom of the aisle seat was somewhat reduced by a leg of the seat in front. A footrest is provided and I used it from time to time, but I found the pedal-style less comfortable than a solid footrest. Walking down the aircraft aisle to get some exercise and observing the seats in regular economy class, I was grateful for the extra legroom provided in Premium Plus. I would give the United Airlines Premium Plus seat a 10/10 for comfort.
Dining and Entertainment
Shortly after takeoff from Sydney, pretzels and a drink were served. The flight was departing Sydney at 9:30am, so my body clock was trying to catch up when a meal was provided shortly after. The option was chicken or a vegetarian meal. I’m always wary of eating chicken in flight, so I chose the vegetarian meal which was quite tasty. I found it was a good-sized portion and we were offered a variety of beverages to accompany our meal. I chose bubbles based on the theory that it was five o’clock somewhere in the world!
Later in the flight, we were offered a snack consisting of a bread roll that calmed my hungry stomach, along with chips and cookies. The bread was average, but okay. Breakfast was welcome as it was not only hearty but also tasty. I chose the hot breakfast which was a frittata, a sausage, baked potatoes, and a cooked tomato. It was accompanied by a fruit muffin and a fruit bowl. United Airlines does not offer a separate tea or coffee service, so I learned to order my juice and tea during the first round.
The United Airlines entertainment system offers a good variety of movies, TV series, and family programs. The touchscreen system measures 13 inches (33 cm) and despite the passenger behind me who felt the need to tap his selection loudly with every show change, it only requires a light touch to use. I watched the romantic comedy “Anyone but You” which was filmed in Australia and was light enough to entertain me for the entire duration of the movie. I absolutely loved the documentary “David Holmes: The Boy That Lived”, which highlights the story of Daniel Radcliffe’s (Harry Potter) stunt double who suffered a spinal cord injury during the filming of one of the Harry Potter movies. It’s moving and a true tribute to positivity, perseverance, and friendship. I highly recommend this documentary.
The United Airlines Premium Plus pitch touts the Saks Fifth Avenue amenities, including a pillow and a light blanket. While they are comfortable, I’m not sure they particularly enhanced my experience any more than the usual airline amenities. They were nice though.
Bulkhead Seats
On my return from San Francisco to Sydney, I was lucky enough to sit in the Premium Plus bulkhead row on United Airlines. This took Premium Plus to the next level with so much space to stretch out. Slouching in my seat, I could barely touch the bulkhead pocket in front of my seat, but it was a real effort, so I was thrilled with the space offered in this position. I would happily settle into the window seat of this row because you can easily get up without disturbing your neighbor.
There was a footrest that came out from under the seat, but unfortunately, mine was broken, so it just lay flat on the floor. Not a problem considering the generous space I had to keep my blood flowing.
There are downsides to sitting in the bulkhead row at any position on the aircraft, but for me, it’s worth it. Keep in mind that in these seats, all bags, including purses, must be stowed in the overhead bins for takeoff and landing. The entertainment system, which is positioned on an arm that unfolds from the armrest, must also be stowed at these times. So if you’re in the middle of a movie, too bad, but I would simply switch to entertainment downloaded on my phone. For me, the space offered by these seats is well worth any minor inconvenience. You’ve probably gathered that space is paramount to me!
Service and Overnight Meals
Departing San Francisco at 11pm, the service was quick. Before we had even taken off, the flight attendants were taking meal choices from passengers restaurant-style. I chose the butternut squash ravioli over the chicken offered. It was tasty and accompanied by a salad, a bread roll, and a small cake.
A snack was offered in the middle of the night, but I slept through the service. The flight attendants left what I assume was a warm chicken roll next to me, but again, chicken! United seems to really favor chicken for its meal services.
Breakfast was served about 90 minutes before landing in Sydney and was once again hearty. I chose the eggs which were accompanied by spinach, sausage, mushrooms, and potatoes. It was quite filling when accompanied by a croissant, fruit, and yogurt. I certainly did not land hungry.
I noticed during the night that cups of water were offered to passengers, but everyone received a bottle of water at the start of the flight, so I didn’t need any extras.
Accessibility on United Airlines
United Airlines boards its passengers in groups, but like other airlines, passengers with disabilities or those with young children board first.
In Premium Plus, there is a button at the front of the aisle seat armrest that allows it to be lowered (see the photo above where the armrest is at full height and below where it is lowered). Although the armrest lowers, without a transfer board, this would be quite uncomfortable for a person transferring from an aisle wheelchair to the aircraft seat. Something to keep in mind.
It’s nice to see accessibility features on the entertainment system, including subtitles, text size adjustment, and contrast settings.
There is an accessible restroom on the aircraft with a wider door of about 10 cm (about 4 inches) for entry. The door also opens outward rather than pushing inward. Inside the accessible restroom, there is#My Experience with United Airlines Premium Plus
During my recent trip to the United States, I traveled with United Airlines in their Premium Plus cabin. Every flight choice I make comes down to price, and when comparing airfares, United Airlines was the cheapest. Initially, I was looking at United Airlines economy class, but knowing I would be leaving exhausted and returning on a flight departing San Francisco at 11pm, I decided to upgrade to United Airlines Premium Plus. It was a good choice, but in hindsight, I might have just been able to book seats with extra legroom. I’ll let you decide after reading my review of United Airlines Premium Plus.
Seat Comfort and Space
Space is the thing I value most when flying on long-haul flights and it’s what ultimately convinced me to book United Airlines Premium Plus. I was flying from Sydney to Los Angeles with a flight time of about 13.5 hours and returning from San Francisco to Sydney with a flight time of 15 hours. The ability to stretch out and not arrive at my destination looking like a pretzel with a stiff neck and back pain was crucial. I booked my flights about 30 days before departure and seat selection was limited. For my Sydney to Los Angeles flight, there was no option to book bulkhead seats in Premium Plus, so I chose an aisle seat so I could get up and move freely during the flight without disturbing another passenger. The seat configuration was two seats on the side, three seats in the middle, and two seats on the other side.
The flight was not full and I was lucky enough to have no passenger next to me at the window, so once airborne, I switched to the window seat. I was glad to be able to switch because the legroom of the aisle seat was somewhat reduced by a leg of the seat in front. A footrest is provided and I used it from time to time, but I found the pedal-style less comfortable than a solid footrest. Walking down the aircraft aisle to get some exercise and observing the seats in regular economy class, I was grateful for the extra legroom provided in Premium Plus. I would give the United Airlines Premium Plus seat a 10/10 for comfort.
Dining and Entertainment
Shortly after takeoff from Sydney, pretzels and a drink were served. The flight was departing Sydney at 9:30am, so my body clock was trying to catch up when a meal was provided shortly after. The option was chicken or a vegetarian meal. I’m always wary of eating chicken in flight, so I chose the vegetarian meal which was quite tasty. I found it was a good-sized portion and we were offered a variety of beverages to accompany our meal. I chose bubbles based on the theory that it was five o’clock somewhere in the world!
Later in the flight, we were offered a snack consisting of a bread roll that calmed my hungry stomach, along with chips and cookies. The bread was average, but okay. Breakfast was welcome as it was not only hearty but also tasty. I chose the hot breakfast which was a frittata, a sausage, baked potatoes, and a cooked tomato. It was accompanied by a fruit muffin and a fruit bowl. United Airlines does not offer a separate tea or coffee service, so I learned to order my juice and tea during the first round.
The United Airlines entertainment system offers a good variety of movies, TV series, and family programs. The touchscreen system measures 13 inches (33 cm) and despite the passenger behind me who felt the need to tap his selection loudly with every show change, it only requires a light touch to use. I watched the romantic comedy “Anyone but You” which was filmed in Australia and was light enough to entertain me for the entire duration of the movie. I absolutely loved the documentary “David Holmes: The Boy That Lived”, which highlights the story of Daniel Radcliffe’s (Harry Potter) stunt double who suffered a spinal cord injury during the filming of one of the Harry Potter movies. It’s moving and a true tribute to positivity, perseverance, and friendship. I highly recommend this documentary.
The United Airlines Premium Plus pitch touts the Saks Fifth Avenue amenities, including a pillow and a light blanket. While they are comfortable, I’m not sure they particularly enhanced my experience any more than the usual airline amenities. They were nice though.
Bulkhead Seats
On my return from San Francisco to Sydney, I was lucky enough to sit in the Premium Plus bulkhead row on United Airlines. This took Premium Plus to the next level with so much space to stretch out. Slouching in my seat, I could barely touch the bulkhead pocket in front of my seat, but it was a real effort, so I was thrilled with the space offered in this position. I would happily settle into the window seat of this row because you can easily get up without disturbing your neighbor.
There was a footrest that came out from under the seat, but unfortunately, mine was broken, so it just lay flat on the floor. Not a problem considering the generous space I had to keep my blood flowing.
There are downsides to sitting in the bulkhead row at any position on the aircraft, but for me, it’s worth it. Keep in mind that in these seats, all bags, including purses, must be stowed in the overhead bins for takeoff and landing. The entertainment system, which is positioned on an arm that unfolds from the armrest, must also be stowed at these times. So if you’re in the middle of a movie, too bad, but I would simply switch to entertainment downloaded on my phone. For me, the space offered by these seats is well worth any minor inconvenience. You’ve probably gathered that space is paramount to me!
Service and Overnight Meals
Departing San Francisco at 11pm, the service was quick. Before we had even taken off, the flight attendants were taking meal choices from passengers restaurant-style. I chose the butternut squash ravioli over the chicken offered. It was tasty and accompanied by a salad, a bread roll, and a small cake.
A snack was offered in the middle of the night, but I slept through the service. The flight attendants left what I assume was a warm chicken roll next to me, but again, chicken! United seems to really favor chicken for its meal services.
Breakfast was served about 90 minutes before landing in Sydney and was once again hearty. I chose the eggs which were accompanied by spinach, sausage, mushrooms, and potatoes. It was quite filling when accompanied by a croissant, fruit, and yogurt. I certainly did not land hungry.
I noticed during the night that cups of water were offered to passengers, but everyone received a bottle of water at the start of the flight, so I didn’t need any extras.
Accessibility on United Airlines
United Airlines boards its passengers in groups, but like other airlines, passengers with disabilities or those with young children board first.
In Premium Plus, there is a button at the front of the aisle seat armrest that allows it to be lowered (see the photo above where the armrest is at full height and below where it is lowered). Although the armrest lowers, without a transfer board, this would be quite uncomfortable for a person transferring from an aisle wheelchair to the aircraft seat. Something to keep in mind.
It’s nice to see accessibility features on the entertainment system, including subtitles, text size adjustment, and contrast settings.
