Flying from Chicago to Beijing is a 13 hour journey, so getting to sit in United’s new Premium Plus section was a real treat. And to make it even better I only paid for a regular economy ticket. In the days leading up to the flight, several aircraft equipment changes turned into a premium experience on United’s 777-200 aircraft.
For Annie, China was a business trip, so her economy ticket was paid for by her employer. I was just tagging along for fun and had to purchase my own ticket in economy. As it turned out, being on different itineraries is the key to how we were able to get bumped to Premium Plus for free.
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The Upgrade
Two days before our trip, we were notified by United of an aircraft change. When we looked at the seat map, we noticed that we were no longer sitting together and there were no available seats together in economy.
So I called United to see what could be done to get us seats together. The representative was very accommodating and gave us a free upgrade to economy plus so that we could sit together.
Then on the day before the trip, the aircraft changed again, and while our seats were still in economy plus and in the same row, we were separated again. Annie was in 21G and I was in 21E, and I could see on the seat map that there were two seats available in economy plus in row 31. I was about to call United again to move us back when I noticed something.
The plane configuration in economy plus was 3-4-3, but there were three rows in the front of that section that were different. The configuration for those rows were 2-4-2. I couldn’t find anything on Seatguru.com that had this configuration, so I wasn’t sure if there was really any difference between the first three rows of economy plus and those behind them.
Finally I found an article on the web that talked about United’s new Premium Plus cabin. With this information in hand, I knew we should stay in Premium Plus and see if the person between us would swap seats so we could sit together.
I was beyond excited to get the extra leg room and seat width and experience this new United product especially on a long haul flight.
Check-in and Boarding
We arrived at O’Hare Airport a little less than three hours before our flight. This was my first flight with TSA PreCheck® and the experience was excellent. We were through security in less than 5 minutes. No taking off shoes, taking out laptops or liquids. It really takes the anxiety out of the getting through security.
We decided to stop in the United Club in Terminal 1, Concourse C, near Gate C16. I had two annual passes that I get as a perk from the United Explorer Card. The club was modern and clean and since I don’t spend a lot of time in airport lounges it was fun to be there.
The club was busy but we found a little table between the two main rooms. They were serving breakfast items like toast, cereal, banana bread, yogurt, and fruit. We got a little something to eat and a couple mimosas! After about an hour we headed to the gate to wait to board.
Boarding was smooth and I was able to swap seats with the solo traveler in between Annie and I.
The only negative prior to takeoff, was that the aircraft had what they called “a minor mechanical issue”. Somehow it didn’t need to be fixed, but instead they’d need to change the aircraft route which would add a little bit of time to the overall flight. We ended up delayed for 1.5 hours because they had to add more fuel and lose some cargo to ensure the plane had enough fuel for the longer trip and wasn’t exceeding the maximum weight. The crew did come by a few times with water and people were allowed to de-board if they wanted, which was nice.
Cabin and Seats
The Premium Plus cabin on the United 777-200 consists of three rows laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration. The section is separated into its own mini-cabin, making it feel more upscale and private.
The seats stand out due to the purple color and it’s obvious how much more spacious they are then even the Economy Plus seats. The seats are 18.5 inches wide, making them about 1.5 inches wider than the Economy and Economy Plus seats.
I’m 6′ 1″ and there was enough room for me to comfortably stretch or cross my legs when I wanted.
The seat recline seemed pretty standard and there was also a button to bring up a leg rest. Underneath the seat in front of me were footrest pedals that you could pull down manually for added comfort.
Overall, these seats were pretty amazing, especially if you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on business class seats. They really made the 13-hour flight not just bearable, but enjoyable. They were so nice that it’s going to be much more difficult flying home in economy. Sadly, the aircraft for the return trip hasn’t been retrofitted yet, so there will be no Premium Plus cabin.
Amenities
We received the standard blanket and pillow that you get on any international flight. Each seat in Premium Plus had a 13.3 inch seat-back entertainment system with lots of movies and TV shows to choose from. The touchscreen was very responsive as there was no lag effect at all when making a selection. Even though it was a touchscreen, there was a handheld controller in the armrest if preferred. Noise-cancelling headphones were provided and were already at our seat when we boarded.
Each seat also was equipped with a USB outlet, universal power outlet and headphones jack located underneath the armrest.
Food Service
Since the Premium Plus cabin isn’t officially operating yet, we did not get the premium dining experience. But the economy meal service was good nonetheless. United says that Premium Plus passengers will receive upgraded dining options and cocktails when the product is officially launched. I’m not certain what that actually means but they say that meals will be served on china, instead of plastic trays, like in premium economy on other carriers.
About an hour into the flight, the crew came around with pretzels and drink service. I ordered an IPA from Breckenridge Brewing since alcohol is free on international flights.
Shortly after they served lunch. Airplane food is never going to be great but this one was pretty decent. I had fried rice, salad and a roll. For dessert they served a little cup of Italian ice.
A few hours after lunch, they served a “snack” sandwich. Annie and I got a chuckle out of the one slice of turkey and one piece of cheese sandwich. If you like bread, you’ll love this!
When we got closer to Beijing, they served breakfast. For this meal, I chose the French toast over eggs because airplane eggs just don’t sound appetizing to me. Additionally, the meal came with fresh fruit and choice of drink.
Bottom Line
I was impressed with United’s new Premium Plus cabin. The seats were roomy and were a clear upgrade over what you’d get in economy and economy plus. I loved the large, high-definition IFE screen that had a huge library of movies and TV shows.
Since the Premium Plus product isn’t officially live yet, we’ll have to wait to see how United prices these seats to really make a judgement one way or another. But if the prices are reasonable, I would definitely consider flying in Premium Plus with United on future international flights.
