I don’t have a lot of details on this but what appears to be an internal company memo indicates that United Airlines will (finally) launch a premium economy product in 2018. The Premium Plus product is expected to launch on the company’s new 787-10 deliveries.
Introducing United® Premium Plus
International premium economy is coming.
Later this year, we’ll begin to introduce United’s Premium Plus. Available on select international flights, United® Premium Plus will give you more space, comfort and amenities. The seats will be more spacious and you’ll enjoy upgraded dining on china dinnerware, free alcoholic beverages, a Saks Fifth Avenue blanket and pillow, an amenity kit and more.
While further information – including which aircraft types and rollout schedule – is scant the one photo I’ve seen so far suggests that the seat looks a lot like the Delta Premium Select offering. Add in a Saks pillow/blanket combo similar to the new Polaris/business class kit and that starts to look a lot like a real premium economy offering.
Real premium economy IS coming to United in 2018. H/t @WandrMe pic.twitter.com/mFsBTwhqZk
— Edward Russell (@ByERussell) January 18, 2018
Most telling will be just how quickly United manages to get the new product rolled out. American is moving spectacularly quickly on its premium economy rollout while Delta is just as impressive in how slow it is moving. Many European and Asian airlines are ahead of the curve on this one while the ME3 are straggling. And these days United doesn’t rate much benefit of the doubt when it comes to such rollouts; Polaris has proven a stunningly slow go.
More details and an official announcement are expected from the company in the coming days. Stay tuned.
A favor to ask while you're here...
Did you enjoy the content? Or learn something useful? Or generally just think this is the type of story you'd like to see more of? Consider supporting the site through a donation (any amount helps). It helps keep me independent and avoiding the credit card schlock.
My guess is that this will occur as they reconfigure existing International fleet with the new Polaris Biz Class hard product – would make sense to do it at the same time.
First up will be the 787-10s. Unlikely that the 763s will get it during the retrofits because then the existing ones would have to go back through. And the 777-200s already started Polaris retrofit without the Plus cabin IIRC.
Not just internal anymore…received an email from UA a few minutes ago ‘Taking United further in 2018’ in which this is one of the items. Apparently no web page with further details, but looks like exactly the same message as above. Will be interesting to see how this goes (though honestly, hoping this doesn’t completely replace E+ internationally, as this product will likely be too expensive for this leisure traveller (who has a family of 4).
I’d bet not a full replacement but definitely shrinking the E+ cabin some. UA’s E+ cabins are huge relatively speaking and some who buy that (rather than comp/elite) will likely pay the PremY fares so it makes sense.
Will have to see what the prices are before deciding what I think about this. I love free economy plus seats which will obviously be greatly reduced.
It’ll be interesting to see how this pans out! I wonder if they would put the premium economy seats in at the same time as the Polaris reconfigure?
Don’t expect that for the 767s IMO. Unless the company also retrofits the existing versions very quickly that would be a tough mixed fleet operation.
Given Economy+ did nothing about the 10-across 777s I’m looking forward to trying this and being elbowed slightly less while trying to sleep.