Economy Plus on UNITED Dreamliner flight 840 SYD-LAX

[KLS2010]

Flying tomorrow on UA840 SYD-LAX. Plane listed as 787-9 Dreamliner. Haven't flown on a UA flight since 2009, after which I vowed never to fly UA again, but given this was a last-minute trip home for my grandmother's funeral, I took the cheapest option I could get.

Seat selection shows economy is pretty much full, only 3 or 4 open seats. Wondering if it's worth the bump up to Economy Plus for $109-$142, which looks a fair bit more open right now. Possibility of having a row to myself, although United's page only says the aisle seats armrests are moveable? If true, it almost defeats the point of having a whole row as you can't lay down anyway.

Would appreciate any input. TIA

 

[dfcatch]

Flying tomorrow on UA840 SYD-LAX. Plane listed as 787-9 Dreamliner. Haven't flown on a UA flight since 2009, after which I vowed never to fly UA again, but given this was a last-minute trip home for my grandmother's funeral, I took the cheapest option I could get.

Seat selection shows economy is pretty much full, only 3 or 4 open seats. Wondering if it's worth the bump up to Economy Plus for $109-$142, which looks a fair bit more open right now. Possibility of having a row to myself, although United's page only says the aisle seats armrests are moveable? If true, it almost defeats the point of having a whole row as you can't lay down anyway.

Would appreciate any input. TIA

Economy Plus is totally worth it.

Having completed 7 (soon to be 9) TPAC trips on UA in the last 6 months - DON'T COUNT on having a row to yourself, or even a shadow.

UA are notorious for filling the plane with non-revs from the Standby list.

 

[robtemt]

Economy Plus is totally worth it.

Having completed 7 (soon to be 9) TPAC trips on UA in the last 6 months - DON'T COUNT on having a row to yourself, or even a shadow.

UA are notorious for filling the plane with non-revs from the Standby list.

I agree. Having been a non-rev on UA several times (but thankfully only once not in J), you should have seen the look on the face of the couple in economy plus as they were sorting all of their stuff into the middle seat and I walked up at doors closing.

But I would pay (almost) anything for just a bit more legroom in UA economy. Or pop an ambien and wake up when you land.

 

[UP4014]

Extra leg room is luxury on any airline, if the opportunity is there I would always pay the extra if in Y. (regardless of airline, UA is no worse than others in regards to Y legroom)


Matt

 

[dajop]

Extra leg room is luxury on any airline, if the opportunity is there I would always pay the extra if in Y. (regardless of airline, UA is no worse than others in regards to Y legroom)


Matt

I never work in absolutes. Last year could have paid about $300 for UA comfort plus across the (north) pacific but only centre seats available whereas in the normal cabin I had an aisle seat. On long flights I prefer aisle seat to centre seat with extra legroom .... Nothing worse than being stuck in a centre seat next to someone who has popped an Ambien and is asleep for whole flight ... Extra legroom or not. YMMV.

 

[Buzzard]

For a mere $109-$142 it's a no brainer. Every inch counts.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

...although United's page only says the aisle seats armrests are moveable? If true, it almost defeats the point of having a whole row as you can't lay down anyway.

Aisle seats with a moveable armrest are a particular 'feature' - useful for example for people with reduced mobility to be able to get in and out of their seats. Not all aisle seats on all airlines will be moveable.

Other seats have retractable armrests, it's just not advertised in the same way as it's fairly standard (some exceptions such as bulkhead seats).

(The matter is more fully outlined here: https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/specialneeds/disabilities/uaaccess.aspx)