Domestic first-class seats come in all shapes and sizes — some of them barely a step above a regular old coach seat. They aren’t suites. Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. To illustrate the decline and get a few good laughs at the expense of United dining, one Flyertalk member posted pictures of United Ice Cream Sundaes taken over the course of a year, and it’s a pretty poor showing. You receive Premier check-in, boarding, and security lines, but no lounge access. On all United Airlines international flights (except Caribbean/Latin America) you will receive a complimentary three-course meal in economy class. Many of the credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. Flights from JFK to LAX/SFO include all the regular United BusinessFirst amenities, with nothing extra really standing out. American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta have all adopted “dynamic award pricing,” which is shorthand for “we charge whatever we want,” so check every route and date for your unique price. You can quickly earn Amex points by opening cards like the American Express® Gold Card, which comes with 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. They’re generally far less fancy than international first-class seats (though not always), but you can guarantee they’ll still be the best seat on the plane. For one, a large percentage of JetBlue Mint seats have doors on them. Premium Service flights later this year. They generally fly between United hubs, sometimes on flights shorter than three hours. What I would be most careful about when booking United First or BusinessFirst is double checking the aircraft type scheduled for my flight. These include Chicago O’Hare, Cleveland, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Fransisco, and Washington DC. Obviously you get award points for your United account every time you fly with them. They’ve got 37 inches of seat pitch, and 20.5 inches of seat width. I personally wouldn’t pay extra to fly United First for any flight under 3 hours. Either way, the service itself is great. One full-sized carry-on bag 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches (22 cm x 35 cm x 56 cm) plus one personal item 9 inches x 10 inches x 17 inches (22 cm x 25 cm x 43 cm). They are NOT lie-flat. For example, on March 5th, United 777-200 registration N206UA flew Washington Dulles to Houston to set up its next flight from Houston to Sao Paulo. United BusinessFirst — 180 degree flatbed seats are standard on 747, 757-200, 767, 777, and 787 planes that offer BusinessFirst. They’re generally far less fancy than international first-class seats (though not always), but you can guarantee they’ll still be the best seat on the plane. :), © 2020 MillionMileSecrets.com. These seats are in a 1:1 configuration onboard, meaning you’re guaranteed to have both a window seat and an aisle seat! Domestic first class on American Airlines is the top premium cabin offered on domestic flights within the US. Premium Service flights. When flying United domestically, your plane type will determine the premium classes onboard: What interests me are the random dates when I can find an internationally configured 767 or 777 with three classes flying domestic routes for seemingly no rhyme or reason. United’s 737-900 has 20 first class seats; five rows in a 2-2 configuration. However, there are certain domestic tickets that will get you United Club access. I can deal with a seat that’s only a little smaller and save a few hundred bucks or 12,500 miles for such a short flight. Food service is one area where United has fallen flat since its merger with Continental. Beer and wine are included. And we’re proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader’s comments. There are many factors that determine United First and BusinessFirst revenue fares on a particular route. I’ve had mixed experiences; sometimes I get friendly attendants running the cabin, and other times I get ones who don’t know the aircraft or seem to be angry at the world for the sun rising. These are standard “domestic first” recliners with 38″ inches of legroom and a recline. You can earn Delta miles by opening cards like the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. After all, a flight from New York to Honolulu is longer than a flight from New York to Switzerland! United First Class domestic not worth the extra cost! This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. A Red Ventures Company. Not all first class is created equal. United First — The majority of routes within the United States are served by United First class. *Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. Flew from Seattle to Newark upgraded to First Class from Economy. They’re on far fewer routes than recliner seats, however. You can also transfer Amex points to Delta at a 1:1 ratio. These flights regularly price at $1,400 one-way, but you can reserve it for just 40,000 Hawaiian Airlines miles! First-class seats aboard the Delta’s Airbus A220 are the quintessential domestic first-class recliners. United 777-200 Domestic First Class seat offering s The seats are a bit snug at about 20 inches wide. I’ll present an overview of each carrier’s domestic First and Business class products, and analyze the value of each in terms of revenue fares and award ticket costs versus the quality of the product you receive. Here’s our full Advertising Policy. Our new, extra-spacious United First seat was designed for comfort and convenience, whether you want to relax or work during your flight. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. In response to many complaints, United announced a multi-million dollar investment in onboard dining, which rolled out last month. But American Airlines is the only one that flies three-cabin planes domestically. Other airlines, like Southwest and JetBlue, design their award prices to be directly proportional to the cash price of each seat. Economy passengers to Europe and other long-haul destinations receive 1 checked bag for free. The seats are far from private, but they’re still worlds better than coach seats. For example, 40,000 JetBlue points are worth $560 in JetBlue flights. First class usually comes with free alcohol, more premium food/snacks, priority boarding, and, most importantly, more legroom. It features beautifully contoured two-tone leather, a six-way adjustable headrest and a padded articulating seat cushion that cradles you as you recline. A standard domestic first class ticket won’t get you access to United Clubs. When booking 60 days out (which is roughly the best time frame for booking), I generally find United to be on the expensive end of domestic business and first class fares. Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. Learn more about the United Polaris wine selection. On March 18th, flight 373 from Houston to Washington Dulles will be flown by another 3 class 777-200. That’s a rare thing, especially on domestic flights. To book these flights, you can use JetBlue points. When it comes to premium classes on domestic flights, not all products are created equal. This is in line with the other domestic legacy carriers, but offers a leg up on Delta since you now don’t know what you should be charged for a one-way flight using SkyMiles. But JetBlue offers the Cadillac of domestic business class, which is significantly nicer than business or first class offerings from other domestic airlines. Searching fares in May, June, and July showed that United offered the most expensive business class transcon flights of all carriers. Get 25% more value when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases. United Airlines has been actively removing and is almost finished with its removal of first class seats. Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. Eye shades, ear plugs, and dental kits are handed out, and you receive multi-course meals on most flights. Taking into consideration direct routings offered, the value of United Mileageplus miles earned, on-time reliability, poor dining (perhaps on the upswing) and the quality of seat I would receive, I think other airlines offer better value for business class equivalent fares. As far as experience is concerned, this is first class. 8PM is a normal time to eat, and that’s not even taking into account that it takes time to get to the airport. The United Boeing 777-200 is a long-range wide-body twin-engine jetliner with a cruise speed of 550mph and a wingspan of 199 feet and 11 inches. For example, flights from New York to Dallas are pricing at 26,000 Delta miles each way. A RED VENTURES COMPANY. Looking at round-trip fares for a 6 night stay in Los Angeles on a JFK to LAX transcon flight in May, United is asking a minimum of $1,809 for p.s. Even on the best of days, I still don’t think any U.S. domestic carrier stacks up to many of the international carriers I’ve flown. It only makes sense. United Airlines 737-900 First Class Seating. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. United plans to roll out more upgrades to p.s. Aeroplan buy points promo: Earn up to 80% bonus points, 5x points on gift cards, The Platinum Card® from American Express, U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card. Activate by 12/31/21. The new seats, which debuted on an Airbus A319, will gradually be rolled out on to the airline’s narrow-body fleet including on to other A319s and A320s, as well as its B737s and B757s to the end of 2016. I always look at how many cents per mile a redemption offers to help me decide whether to pay cash or redeem for an award flight. Others are basically coach seats that are slightly wider. Some of the turboprop planes have United First class seats that are only 17″ wide … ouch. Pitch ranges from 36-39 inches, and seat width is generally 20.5 inches depending on the aircraft. United has an 8PM cutoff for dinner in first class on many domestic flights (as several US airlines do), which personally I find ridiculous. The seats are fully lie-flat, with a mix of 2:2 and a similar 1:1 configuration to American Airlines’ top-tier first class offering. They’re lie-flat, and they’re the best product United has to offer. . As United upgrades its Boeing 777 fleet to the new Polaris Seat (Read the Review) – it’s moving their older international 777’s to Hawaii routes.That means premium travelers get lie flat seats and an obscene amount of legroom as the jet to paradise. What has been your experience in United First, BusinessFirst, or Global First? With nearly 50 United Clubs in 38 domestic and international airports, those with United first class tickets and business class seats can enjoy a multitude of luxuries. While perks like amenity kits, menus and multi-course meals won’t be available, except on premium transcontinental flights, you do get the same “hard product” — a lie-flat seat, on-demand entertainment and, on most planes, a roomier cabin feel.As the months go on, … Since the first class option is much steeper than economy, you get more points! They’re mostly worth considering when first-class flights are only marginally more expensive than coach flights. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Unless you are traveling to Newark, you will be denied access to United Club Lounges. JetBlue award prices are directly tied to the cash value of the ticket, and we find that you can get a value of 1.4 cents on average from JetBlue points. The big difference in Global First is the flatbed seats that turn into 6’6″ beds with built in lumbar support and back stimulation. This will include a salad, bread, main course and dessert; also you will receive a mid-flight snack of a sandwich or sweet treat on flights over 12 hours. Didn’t expect special treatment because it was a domestic flight and didn’t get it. See, posted pictures of United Ice Cream Sundaes, announced a multi-million dollar investment in onboard dining, Trouble for the Boeing 777X as Emirates considers swapping one-third of order for smaller 787s. This post kicks off a series that compares the premium offerings on major domestic airlines. Here’s a tip: avoid the last row on this aircraft in first class. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. I’ll start with United Airlines, which offers many different aircraft configurations on its domestic flights, sometimes even using internationally configured planes. You could pay for a premium ticket and end up on an A319 United First seat, when you could be on a 787 Dreamliner BusinessFirst seat for the same price. United Airlines Carry-On Baggage. No matter what premium variant is available on your flight, it’ll always be better than coach. TPG’s latest monthly valuations peg United miles at 1.5 cents apiece, so if I can get better than that, I’m content. Choose from our complimentary soft drinks, juices, teas and coffees or opt for premium wines, cocktails and beer available for purchase. You can subscribe to our newsletter to learn how you can quickly and easily collect the miles and points you need to fly first class for practically free. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. United Airlines calls its First Class service “United First,” which is either clever or obvious – or both. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. As mentioned earlier, many business class seats are far superior to first-class flights. If you land one of United’s long-haul jets on a domestic flight, you’ll be in for a treat — especially in the business-class cabin (sold as “first class” on domestic routes). Compensation does not impact the placement of cards on Million Mile Secrets other than in banner advertising. According to United.com, you will not be allowed access to the Global First lounges unless you’re flying on a long-haul international flight. Economy — ATR-42, Embraer 120/135/145, Bombardier Q200/300, CRJ-200; Economy and First — Bombardier Q400, Embraer 135/175, A319/320, CRJ-700, 737, 757-300; Economy and BusinessFirst — 757-200, 767, 777, 787-8/9; Economy, BusinessFirst, and Global First — 777-200, 767-300/400, 747-400. A huge downside to the density of these seats is the lack of storage, though. These seats are also relatively new, so the inflight entertainment and general seat tech are cutting-edge. The big difference in Global First is the flatbed seats that turn into 6’6″ beds with built in lumbar support and back stimulation. Premium Service BusinessFirst seats. Our third best domestic first class seat option is on United’s 757-200. Prices for the 3 different classes on a one-way flight? Our guide to calculating their value, When to use miles or points vs. paying cash (now with our new points calculator! This is based on fare and flight distance. Depending on the length of your flight, you will now have 3 entrees to choose from instead of 2, with options including lobster mac-and-cheese, better desserts, meal service on shorter flights, and a pre-landing snack or refreshment. It’s also worth noting that you’ll also receive a complimentary sit-down dining experience at American Airlines flagship lounges when flying these seats. All Rights Reserved, How much are Amex points really worth? United Airlines Show More Show Less 7 of 12 Some United … Not quite as spacious as American Airlines’ first-class flights, Hawaiian Airlines offers a 2-2-2 business class seat configuration. Specifically, if you’re traveling business class nonstop on one of the following routes you receive United Club access on arrival and departure: On planes equipped with in-flight entertainment, you get free DIRECTV and movies on flights longer than 3 hours. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel. Attendant was polite, but clearly did not want to be there. Seats comfortable and roomy. I’ll go over the best ones with you, and show you how to get them for free with rewards you can earn with the best airline credit cards. That’s more than comparable service on Virgin America, Delta, or American, and a whopping $611 more than JetBlue’s Mint service. You’ll get pre-departure beverage service (although this is sometimes missed), complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks and spirits, and meals are offered on flights longer than 2 hours. You do have access to United Clubs with these p.s. Premium Service crafted from 757-200’s retrofitted with BusinessFirst. United's team of chefs alongside alumni chefs of Charlie Trotter's legendary Chicago restaurant and their culinary peers have carefully selected restaurant-quality meals for our premium cabin customers on mainline United and United Express ® flights. The big thing here when flying this plane domestically is you get a much nicer seat. You rarely find airlines that adhere to any strict award chart, meaning award prices can vary greatly. United Airlines' newest first class seat is installed on about 50% of its narrowbody fleet of 737, 757 and A320 family aircraft. Flying First Class on United Airlines means you get to take advantage of benefits before, during, and after your flight.. Before a flight, First Class passengers can speed through check-in and board the plane before anyone else. Image Credit: United Airlines. The price for these flights depends on your route, as these aren’t available on just long-haul transcontinental flights. CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners. You’re likely getting little more than a slightly bigger leather seat and a few free snacks. United Global First — While not a standard offering on domestic flights, the 3 class internationally configured Boeing 777’s and 767’s do occasionally make appearances on routes between hubs. From legacy carriers, you should expect a high-quality seat for a transcontinental premium seat. What that means is you’ll have to choose between window access and aisle access. However, spirits and liqueurs will need to be purchased. The new United Airlines domestic First Class seat features the following: New, 6-way adjustable headrest; Universal AC power; Real granite cocktail tables; Articulating seat base; Tablet stand integrated into tray table; Wider seats; In-arm storage; Signature leather seat design We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. The Points Guy will not sell your email. Today, TPG Contributor Richard Kerr examines the value of United Airlines’ First and Business class products. But unless you’re flying with lie-flat seats, the experience isn’t worth the award price. Checked bags are free for Business Class and First Class passengers across all destinations. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. If you’re flying regional jets, first class probably isn’t worth your hard-earned miles. Service on United is another pitfall drawing criticism from frequent flyers. To better understand the space you’ll have, coach seats are in a 3:3 configuration. 3. Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card issuers from which MillionMileSecrets.com receives compensation. Domestic first-class seats come in all shapes and sizes — some of them barely a step above a regular old coach seat. The former Continental crews are sometimes easy to pick out, and the merger is still a sore spot for many of them. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. United Airlines does a good job of offer meal options in first class. You have the same 15.4″ video screens, power connections for your laptop, USB chargers for cameras and cell phones, premium dining, noise canceling headphones, additional storage compartments, free alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. For transcontinental flights from New York JFK to Los Angeles or San Francisco, United has introduced p.s. Earn 2x total points on up to $1,000 in grocery store purchases per month from November 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. In this video, I take a detailed look at different aspects of the United First Class experience for domestic flights. MillionMileSecrets.com does not include all credit card offers that might be available to consumers in the marketplace. Includes eligible pick-up and delivery services. Debunking credit card myths: Do you keep your points and miles when you cancel a credit card? From complimentary business services and high-speed Internet to refreshing showers and dining options, United First® and United Business® travelers can make the most of time spent at the airport. American Airlines is one of the only airlines offering actual fancy first class on domestic flights — seats up to the standard of an international lie-flat business class seat. © 2021 THE POINTS GUY, LLC. For award redemptions, a one-way domestic flight in the lower 48 states is 25,000 MileagePlus miles in First or BusinessFirst, and 35,000 miles if Global First is offered. United’s BusinessFirst offers seats that turn into 180 degree lie-flat beds. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. It depends on your route, dates, and airline. So what are the best domestic first-class seats money can buy? To book a free business class flight, you can use American Airlines miles you earn from cards like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, which comes with 50,000 bonus American miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. 2X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. Okay, so technically this isn’t first class. Many airlines also allow you to upgrade with miles so you don’t have to blow all your rewards at once! While this flight routinely sells for $950+ one-way, you’ll also find that spending 62,500 American miles for the flight is normal. My first time in first class on UA743 from Newark to Chicago with a gorgeous engine view. Check United’s baggage calculator to check the allowance for your route. In 2017, we participated in Global Traveler magazine’s 14th annual Wines on the Wing Airline Competition, and received a second Bronze for Best First Class Wines on the Wing, among other accolades. Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. It’s worth a mention that other domestic business class seats from legacy carriers (including Delta) are lie-flat seats that are much better than these recliners. On my flight between Seattle and Houston there was a vegetarian pasta option or a meat option. And that’s just how we like it! United 757-200 First Class First Class seats are wider, have more legroom, and more areas to store things inflight. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Editorial Note: We’re the Million Mile Secrets team. View our latest valuations here. United Airlines has unveiled a new first-class seat on its domestic First Class cabin. Food was awful. For example, United Airlines sells its flagship Polaris business class seats on select domestic routes. And aisle access to relax or work during your flight, it ’ ll have to choose between window and. Leather seat and a padded articulating seat cushion that cradles you as you recline taking into account that it time! Generally find when searching domestic business and First class seats checked bag for.... Credit cards through partner links earns us a commission a commission — some of them barely a step above regular! The last row on this page first-class recliners that will get you United Club Lounges explanation of content. In style – United Airlines has been your experience in United First — the majority of routes within United. 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