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Frequently asked questions about our seating options

For all fare classes except Basic Economy, you’ll be able to pick your seat or change your seat assignment. If you have a Basic Economy ticket, you’re able to purchase a seat assignment during booking and up until check-in opens. Learn more about Basic Economy restrictions.

You can choose a seat or change your seat assignment for most United- and United Express®-operated flights on united.com , on the United app or through your travel agent. If no seat assignments are available, you can check back closer to departure to see whether seats have become available. Learn more about seating options .

Seat assignments, no matter the fare class you purchase, aren’t guaranteed and could change without notice because of schedule changes, equipment swaps or other unforeseen circumstances.

We’ll always try to assign you the same or similar seat type and location and keep you with your traveling companions when you’re booked in the same reservation, unless you’ve purchased a Basic Economy ticket without purchasing advance seat assignments. We know that your seat assignment is important, so we’ll do our best to keep your original seat preference.

We may briefly hold some seats for operational reasons, and don’t allow seat selection or changes for Basic Economy tickets. If you’re unable to choose a seat, we’ll assign you one at check-in or at the departure gate.

All customers with Basic Economy tickets, including United MileagePlus® Premier® members, are eligible to purchase Economy Plus seating at check-in only.

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United Airlines Seat Selection: What You Need to Know

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Table of Contents

United Airlines seat selection

United seat selection fees, united credit cards with travel benefits, united airlines seats for elite members, united airlines seat map, how to select a seat on united airlines, final thoughts on selecting united airlines seats.

When you take to the skies one of the most important things when it comes to preparing for your flight is knowing where you'll be seated on the airplane. Like most other airlines, United gives its guests assigned seating on its flights. The majority of customers can select from a variety of seats for free, but there are also options for preferred seating and even upgrades for those who are willing to pay. Here's a look at United Airlines seat selection and United Airlines seat assignment policies.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

Most United Airlines flights will have at least two cabin classes: economy and first class. Depending on where you’re going, you may also find business class and premium economy seating.

No matter your fare class, you will be able to choose a seat from the available selection, though how much you’ll pay and the associated fees will differ according to your ticket and various other factors.

How much is seat selection on United Airlines? Charges vary, but generally speaking, the longer and more in-demand your flight, the more expensive it will be for your seat selection.

Basic economy (most restrictive)

Basic economy tickets don't provide complimentary seat selection in any cabin. In exchange for cheaper tickets, you can either opt to pay for a seat assignment or wait until check-in and be randomly assigned a seat.

Families and groups who book basic economy tickets won't be seated together; though again, they can pay to ensure that they’re near each other.

Standard economy

You may be wondering: “How do I choose my seat on United Airlines?” Happily, those booking a regular economy class ticket will have the ability to book a seat for free, although the available options may not be desirable. In this case, customers can also choose to pay for better seats while maintaining their economy class ticket.

If you’re traveling with young children you may want to know: “Does United seat families together?” Yes, it does. If you’re booking an economy ticket or above, United’s system will automatically attempt to seat children under 15 on the same reservation together with their parents.

» Learn more: Is United Airlines good?

Preferred seating

Preferred seating features seats with better locations than standard United economy flights. The seats are the same, but they tend to be closer to the front of the cabin. Costs for preferred seating vary depending on the flight, but these are the cheapest paid seat upgrades you can find on United flights.

Economy Plus

Economy Plus seats are within the standard economy cabin, though they’re located just behind first class seating. They provide more legroom than regular economy seats and also offer free alcoholic beverages on premium transcontinental routes. These seats are more expensive than preferred seats.

Premium Plus

Premium Plus is United’s premium economy offering and is available on select flights. This is better than economy class but not as good as United’s international business class, Premium Plus seats are all free for those who book this cabin.

United first and business class

Like Premium Plus, those who book either first or business class can choose any seat within the cabin for free.

» Learn more: How you’ll earn United Premier Qualifying Points on flights

Regardless of where you sit, a United Airlines credit card can provide benefits that make your travel day a little less stressful, from priority boarding and free checked bags to airport lounge access. Among your options:

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$0 intro for the first year, then $95 .

• 2 miles per $1 on United purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants and hotels (when booked directly with hotel).

• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

• 3 miles per $1 on United purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants, select streaming services and all other travel.

• 4 miles per $1 on United purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants and all other travel purchases.

• First checked bag free for you and one companion on your reservation.

• 2 United Club one-time passes each year.

• Credit of up to $100 every four years for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS .

• Priority boarding .

• No foreign transaction fees.

• First and second checked bag free for you and one companion on your reservation.

• $125 United purchase credit per year (good on airfare).

• Two 5,000-mile award flight credits per anniversary year.

• Access to United Club airport lounges.

• Credit of up to $100 every four years for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS.

Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Loyal members of United’s MileagePlus program receive additional benefits when booking flights, including better seats.

Silver elite members and above have complimentary access to preferred seating at booking.

Gold elite members and above can pick an Economy Plus seat for free when booking their ticket. Silver members, meanwhile, can choose from available Economy Plus seats upon check-in.

United elite members are also entitled to complimentary upgrades on select flights starting as early as 96 hours before departure.

Wondering what the seats on your flight will look like? United provides a seat map that you can find when booking your flight. Before selecting a flight, you can view the seat map by selecting “Seats” on the search result page.

This will open a live preview of the seats on your aircraft that shows you the layout of the seats as well as which seats are available to select. You’ll also see the seat map during booking, when you’re prompted to select your seats.

After booking, it’s possible to change your seats by going to "My Trips" and selecting "Manage Trips." Once on your specific flight page, you’ll be able to view your seat and select a new one if you desire.

» Learn more: Delta vs. United vs. American

During booking

You’ll automatically be prompted to select a seat when booking your ticket online. Once you’ve selected your flight, you’ll fill out your passenger information and any frequent flyer programs.

Depending on your flight, United may also offer the ability to purchase discounted bundles during checkout. These may save you money over choosing extras individually, though you’ll want to take a look at the costs.

After deciding whether to add a bundle, you’ll be taken to the seat map to choose your seat. A legend on the right will show you which seats are included and the costs of any upgrades.

Once you’ve selected a seat, complete the check-out process and pay for your ticket.

After booking

If you’ve already booked a ticket and would like to select a seat or change your existing seat, you can do so from the “Manage My Trips” tab under the “My Trips” option.

Then, you’ll select “Manage Trip” from your available trips. Here you’ll find your trip information, including the option to change your seat.

» Learn more: The pros and cons of MileagePlus

United Airlines’ seating policies can be confusing, especially when you’re booking an economy class ticket. The short of it is this: If you book at least a standard economy ticket, you’ll be able to choose a seat for free during the booking process as long as you're traveling on a United-operated flight (versus a flight operated by a partner). You can also pay to have better seats, though some United elite members will receive access to these better seats for free. Basic economy customers, meanwhile, will always need to pay to select a seat.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-2x Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays and United® purchases. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

1x-2x Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, dining, at gas stations, office supply stores and on local transit and commuting. Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.

75000 Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

1x-3x Earn 3x miles on United® purchases, 2x miles on dining, select streaming services & all other travel, 1x on all other purchases

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

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United Airlines Seat Maps, Seating Charts, and Seat Reviews

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Flyer Reviews of United Airlines

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Everything you need to know about economy plus seating on united airlines.

The exclusive cabin is available throughout United's fleet.

• United Airlines offers Economy Plus with extra legroom and comfortable seating options, offering a decent product between business and economy.
• Passengers can upgrade to Economy Plus at any time, from booking to check-in.
• Flying in Economy Plus provides more legroom, priority boarding, and preferred seating options for a relaxed journey.

When it comes to long-haul travel, passengers aim to find the right balance between ticket cost and comfort. While most passengers may opt for the Economy cabin, many people aim to spend a little more on a comfortable journey. One of the world's largest airlines, United, is well aware of that need and offers a premium travel option for passengers.

United Airlines fills the extensive gap between its Polaris business class and economy class by offering United Economy Plus. This article explores the ins and outs of the Economy Plus seating on one of three big US airlines.

What is it?

• Extra legroom and a seat in front of the Economy sections with Economy Plus
• Economy Plus is available on all United flights and most United Express flights.
• Passengers can upgrade to an Economy Plus seat at any time from booking to check-in.

Economy Plus on United Airlines is a class that gives passengers a more comfortable and luxurious experience than a traditional economy class without the exorbitant price of business class seats. Economy Plus is an excellent option for travelers looking for a higher level of comfort but do not want all of the features of a full business-class seat.

The economy plus cabin debuted on United in 1999 and is now offered on all mainline aircraft and almost all United Express regional jets. These seats feature extra legroom and an increased pitch compared to standard economy class seats. This gives travelers more room to stretch their legs and relax during a flight, thus creating a more comfortable journey.

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United Airlines' Economy Plus Seats: 5 Fast Facts

Benefits of the cabin.

• MileagePlus® Premier® members can book available Economy Plus seats for free. Non-members can join the MileagePlus at no cost and earn points for flight benefits.

Premier Silver

Free access to Economy Plus at check-in for the passenger and one companion.

Premier Gold

Free access to Economy Plus at booking for the passenger and one companion.

Premier Platinum and Premier 1K

Free access to Economy Plus at booking for the passenger and up to eight companions.

Analysis: United Airlines’ Longest Routes In 2024

One advantage of flying in economy plus is the additional legroom. Seats in United's standard economy class have 31 inches of legroom and a width of 17.3 inches. Meanwhile, United's Economy Plus seats also feature 17.3 inches of width but have 37 inches of legroom, meaning six extra inches.

These seats are located in the front of the United Airlines economy cabin and offer greater recline than seats in standard economy class. Furthermore, the cabin is specifically designed with passenger comfort in mind, creating a quieter and more peaceful environment during the flight.

Another draw of Economy Plus is priority boarding, which is included with a ticket in the cabin. Passengers traveling in economy plus will board in one of the first groups , allowing them to find space to store their carry-on luggage in the overhead bins and get settled in their seats before most passengers.On top of that, passengers will have the ability to choose preferred seating options. This means when booking their ticket, they can choose a seat that meets their preferences, such as window or aisle seats, seats with extra recline, or seats located closer to the front of the cabin for faster deplaning.

As with most carriers, when flying economy plus, passengers will earn more frequent flyer miles on United Airlines' MileagePlus program as it is placed in a higher fare bucket compared to basic or standard economy. These miles can be redeemed for future upgrades to higher cabin classes or for future flights. This is coupled with economy-plus passengers' increased flexibility when making flight changes.

Top 5: These Are United Airlines' Longest Domestic Narrowbody Routes

Economy Plus tickets include more passenger-friendly change and refund policies, giving travelers peace of mind when making last-minute changes. Passengers can earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) on Economy Plus seats and subscriptions. According to United Airlines ,

"You can earn 1 point for each U.S. dollar spent (excluding taxes and fees), or 1 point for every 100 MileagePlus miles redeemed after you complete your trip. PQP are credited to the account of the member who travels, not the person who bought the seat."

Why fly Economy Plus?

Whether United Economy Plus is the right choice depends solely on your priorities and preferences. It is probably the right choice if you are looking for more space, priority boarding, increased flexibility, and a generally more relaxed environment.

Is Economy Plus Seating On United Airlines Worth It?

With that said, if you are seeking a true first-class experience, you should consider United's First Class service on domestic flights or the North American carrier's flagship product, Polaris Business Class , on long-haul international flights. Economy Plus is a compelling solution for passengers who want an upgraded travel experience without paying for first or business class.

What are your thoughts on the United Economy Plus offering? Have you traveled with United in its Economy Plus cabin? Share your experience in the comments section.

United Airlines

Are airlines required to seat families together? Guide to airline family seating policies

Editor's Note

As a mom of three, I'm no stranger to the ins and outs of flying with family .

I know how to disassemble and reassemble my double stroller with ninja-level precision so it will fit through the baggage scanner at security. I also throw screen time rules out the window on travel days. Most importantly, I don't take any chances when it comes to getting my family's seats together when we fly.

Because I know how turbulent flying with kids can be, I happily gave up my seat on a recent solo flight when a father asked if I would switch seats so he could sit with his young son.

I was also quick to say yes because he had a window seat a couple of rows in front of my own window seat. (Had he been in the middle seat, I might have needed an adult beverage thrown in to sweeten the deal, but I digress.)

Related: Should you ask to switch seats on a plane?

The crux of the issue is that it can be costly and confusing to find seats together when traveling with young kids. Some parents assume they will automatically be seated with their kids. Others may end up separated from their families if they are rebooked due to a cancellation. Regardless of the reason, airlines are not legally required to seat families together.

In November 2022, the Department of Transportation began monitoring airline seating policies to determine if federal regulation was necessary regarding family seating.

After months of monitoring, the DOT launched an online dashboard that displays, among other things, which airlines guarantee free family seating. This is part of a larger initiative by the Biden administration to improve consumer protections in the airline industry.

So far, only three airlines – American Airlines , Frontier Airlines and Alaska Airlines – comply with the DOT's guideline that airlines guarantee "adjacent seats for children 13 and under and an accompanying adult at no additional cost for all fare types."

That doesn't mean you are completely out of luck in guaranteeing your family sits together if you are flying on another major airline. Here is a guide to each airline's family seating policy and tips for ensuring your family members can sit together on your next flight.

American Airlines

Like most major airlines, American allows you to choose your seats when booking or at any time leading up to your flight.

There is no fee to choose your seats if you book a first-class, business-class, premium economy or main cabin fare. However, you will have to pay a fee to choose your seats if you choose basic economy tickets — American's least expensive (and most restrictive) fare type.

If you're traveling with children under 15 on any fare type, American's system will detect that you are a family traveling together and automatically search for seats together if you don't choose them yourself. If adjacent seats are unavailable for your entire family, American guarantees children under 15 will be seated next to at least one adult.

Related: Here's what it's really like flying business class with little kids

It's important that you do everything in your power to choose seats for your entire family at the time of booking. This is the only way to guarantee your entire family will sit together during your flight.

To do this, American advises the following :

• Book your entire party's tickets in the same reservation.
• Book your tickets as early as possible, so there are more available seats to choose from.
• It's better to skip seat selection than to choose just a few seats or seats scattered throughout the cabin.

Related: Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage

Alaska Airlines

To select your seats at the time of booking on an Alaska flight, you'll need to book either a first-class, premium or main-cabin ticket. Only a limited number of advance seating assignments are available to customers who purchase Alaska's Saver fare tickets.

If no advance seats are available, the seats will be assigned at the gate; this is not ideal for a family wishing to sit together.

The good news is that Alaska Airlines' family seating policy does guarantee that children under 14 will automatically be seated with at least one parent or guardian at no additional charge, including on Saver fares. So, even if you can't find adjacent seats for your entire family, you can rest assured that your children won't be seated separately from an adult.

To guarantee your family sits together on an Alaska Airlines flight :

• Book as early as possible and reserve your family's seats together at the time of purchase.
• Book children on the same reservation as adults.
• Confirm seat selections made through third parties on Alaska Airlines' website or by speaking with a reservations agent by phone.
• If you cannot get reserved seats together with your family during booking, call an Alaska Airlines reservation agent to review available seating options.
• As a last resort, check in online exactly 24 hours before your flight, as this is when most unclaimed seats become available (does not apply to Saver fare seats, which are assigned at the gate on the day of departure).
• Arrive at the gate at least 60 minutes prior to your departure time and speak with a gate agent. Alaska does block a limited number of seats to accommodate families and other needs on a first-come, first-served basis.

Delta Air Lines

All but one of Delta's fare types allow you to select your seats when you purchase your tickets.

If you want your family to sit together, steer clear of Delta's basic economy fares because they do not include advanced seat selection. If you purchase first class, Comfort+ or main cabin tickets, you'll have the option to select your seats during the booking process.

Delta's has other tips for getting your family's seats together :

• Book children on the same reservation as the adults in your party.
• Confirm seat selections made through third parties by calling a Delta reservations agent or going online .
• If you cannot obtain seats together with your family, contact Delta by phone to review your options or, as a last resort, speak with a Delta gate agent at the airport.

Delta does try and seat family members together but only upon request.

Flight attendants will sometimes ask for volunteers to switch seats. The airline also blocks a handful of rows in the main economy cabin on most flights to accommodate groups and families. Still, there are no guarantees unless you reserve your family's seats together before arriving at the airport (preferably at the time of booking).

Frontier Airlines

Frontier's base fares can be alluring to budget-conscious flyers. However, you'll have to pay extra if you want the luxury of advanced seating assignments.

Luckily, Frontier updated its family seating policy to be in compliance with the DOT's recommendations and guarantees that children under age 14 will be seated automatically with at least one parent or guardian at no additional charge.

Unless you have elite status with Frontier , seat selection fees run between $17 and $90 per passenger per flight segment. There are no fare types that include complimentary seat selection for non-elite members if you want your entire family to sit together.

However, you could potentially make up the extra cost by joining Frontier's Discount Den and choosing a Kids Fly Free flight .

Frontier also recommends that families:

• Book as early as possible and purchase advance seat reservations at the time of booking.
• Book children on the same reservation as adults in your party.
• If you book through a third party, visit Frontier's website as soon as possible to purchase advance seat selections.
• Check in as early as possible online or through Frontier's mobile app and Frontier will assign group seats together if any are available.
• If your family is not assigned seats together, speak with a gate agent for assistance.

JetBlue offers complimentary seat selection with all fare types except Blue Basic, meaning Blue and Blue Extra fares include free advance seat selection. However, for Blue Basic fares, there is a fee of between $5 and $40 each way to choose your seat more than 24 hours before departure (Seat selection is available for free at check-in).

With JetBlue's family seating policy , however, the airline guarantees that children ages 13 and younger will be seated next to at least one adult traveling with them on the same reservation without an additional fee. This applies to all fare types, including Blue Basic fares. At the time of booking, JetBlue's system will assign seats together for at least one accompanying parent as long as adjacent seats are still available when you book your flight.

Other tips from JetBlue :

• Book as early as possible for maximum seat selection availability.
• Confirm seat selections made through a third party on JetBlue's website.
• If you cannot obtain seats together at the time of booking, contact a JetBlue agent at check-in or talk to one at the gate. They will do their best to seat your family together.

JetBlue does its best to keep families together and blocks a limited number of rows until the day of travel for passengers with disabilities and unaccompanied minors . If any seats are available after accommodating these passengers, JetBlue may be able to use them to seat families together.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines is the one airline on this list that does not assign seats in advance, so you cannot purchase a specific seat assignment ahead of time.

With Southwest's open seating policy , you will be assigned a boarding group (A, B or C) and a position within that boarding group (1 through 60-plus) at check-in. Essentially, A1 is the best boarding position and you'll have the most seating options available to you when you board the plane.

Because of this, the strategies for getting your family's seats together on a Southwest flight differ from other airlines.

Check in on time

To get as high of a boarding group as possible, you'll need to check in exactly (like, to the second) 24 hours prior to your flight. This should land your family in an A or B boarding group, and most of the time, you won't have an issue getting your family's seats together. You may have to venture to the back of the plane to find those seats, though.

Utilize family boarding

If you have a B or C boarding group and are traveling with a child 6 years old or younger, you will have the option to board between the A and B groups during "family boarding."

Southwest's policy states that up to two adults can board with a child age 6 or younger during family boarding. If you have more adults than this in your party, speak with a Southwest gate agent to determine your best strategy for finding seats together once on board.

Related: Southwest Airlines offers expanded family boarding ages on some flights

Purchase EarlyBird Check-In or Upgraded Boarding

You can also purchase EarlyBird Check-In , which gives you the convenience of automatic check-in 36 hours before your flight. (Southwest's regular check-in process begins 24 hours prior to your flight.) This means you'll automatically receive an earlier boarding position and more available seats to choose from than if you'd done it yourself.

EarlyBird Check-In pricing starts at $15 per passenger per flight segment, and you must purchase it for everyone in your party. Depending on availability, you may also be able to purchase Upgraded Boarding at the gate for between $30 and $50 per person per flight segment to secure an A1-A15 boarding position.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card holders can receive two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year, which can bring the total cost for your family down a bit. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card also has a benefit of four Upgraded Boardings per year.

Rapid Rewards A-List and A-List Preferred members (and those traveling on the same reservation) automatically receive a boarding position 36 hours prior to departure, though you will still need to check in within 24 hours of your flight to receive your boarding pass.

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Buy a Business Select fare

Finally, you have the option to purchase a Business Select fare, which, among other perks, includes priority boarding in the A1-A15 group.

Speak with an agent

If you don't heed our advice and find yourself at the airport with a less-than-desirable boarding group, Southwest advises that you speak with a gate agent or flight attendant. They will see if any passengers are willing to move to accommodate your family if you aren't able to get seats together.

Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines keeps its family seating advice plain and simple: The only way to guarantee you'll be able to sit with your family is to purchase your seat assignments ahead of time.

Seat assignments start at $5 per person per segment and vary by route and seat location in the aircraft. You can purchase your seat assignment when you book your flight, during check-in or anytime in between. However, the earlier you choose the seats, the better chance your entire family will be able to sit together.

Spirit currently has no official family seating policy. It only states that it "can't guarantee that you'll sit with your friends and family" if you don't purchase seat assignments; it says that gate agents will work to provide adjacent seats for guests flying with children aged 13 and under whenever possible.

There are ways to save money when purchasing your seats, though. Spirit Saver$ Club members receive low fares and discounted prices for add-ons like bags and seats. There is an annual fee, but if you have a large family or plan on flying Spirit Airlines often, the cost may be less than purchasing seats for your entire group.

Speaking of frequent flying, members of Spirit's Free Spirit loyalty program at the Gold level receive, among other perks, free seat selection at the time of booking. Unlike Frontier's program, Spirit's elite status perks, such as seat selection, do not confer to other members on the reservation.

United Airlines

United is also among the few airlines committed to helping families sit together on flights. United's family seating policy guarantees families with children under age 12 in certain cabins can sit together for free, regardless of fare type.

Now, United's new "dynamic seat map feature" will enable passengers to book two seats together for travelers under 12 and an adult companion for free, including on basic economy fares.

You'll probably want to avoid basic economy on United if you want your party to stay together. United explicitly states on its website that it's not able to guarantee your entire party will be able to sit together if you purchase a basic economy fare and do not purchase advance seat assignments.

Here are a few more helpful tips for families flying United :

• Book your tickets as early as possible and reserve your family's seats together when booking.
• Confirm seat selections made through a third party.
• If only scattered seats are available at the time of booking, you are better off letting United's system automatically choose seats for you because it will attempt to seat families on the same reservation with unassigned seats together.
• If you do not select seats in advance, United's system will attempt to find adjoining seats for you and your children under 15 on the same reservation, regardless of fare type.
• If you cannot obtain seats together, arrive early at your departure gate and speak with a gate agent. They will ask for volunteers to move seats and help accommodate your family.

General tips

There is a lot of overlap with the guidance for getting your family's seats together on most U.S. airlines (with Southwest being the exception).

You want to do everything possible to:

• Book early and select seats when you book. Do not wait until the last minute to check your seat assignments.
• Avoid saver or basic fares because they often do not offer complimentary seat selection.
• Choose your family's seats when booking, whether it's included with your fare or you have to pay an additional fee.
• If you are unable to get your family's seats together at the time of booking, call the airline and speak with a reservations agent to determine the best course of action.
• Keep checking seat availability in the months and weeks leading up to your flight, especially in the final week before your trip and again 24 hours before your flight. These are the times when people make last-minute changes or elite flyers receive automatic seat upgrades, freeing up space on the seating map.
• If you arrive at the airport and still haven't been able to secure your family's seats together, politely ask a gate agent or flight attendant for help. You may still have the option to pay for an upgrade, or they can assist you by finding open seats. It may be too late to do anything official, but they'll be much more willing to help if you approach them with kindness.

Related: Where to sit on a plane with 2 small kids

Bottom line

Sometimes kind travelers will help parents who end up in a bind onboard, but there's no guarantee. Luckily, airlines are falling in line and making it easier for families traveling together to sit together.

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United Airlines Review – Seats, Amenities, Customer Service, Baggage Fees, & More

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United Ticketing Options

United frequent flyer program, baggage fees, united’s other fees & add-ons, how to avoid paying excess fees & travel expenses, united inflight amenities, most common complaints, consumer rankings, ratings, etc. , safety and performance, charity partnership, final thoughts.

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There’s no doubt you know United Airlines (and may have even flown with them before), but are you aware of their different fare types, the ins and outs of their baggage allowances, and all of their extra fees/add-ons? What about their seat specs and their consumer satisfaction ratings?

This helpful guide covers all you need to know about this large U.S. carrier so you hopefully won’t be caught unaware on your next flight.

In this post you’ll find a general company overview, ticketing/fare options, extra fees/add-ons (including baggage allowances ), cabin class amenities, seat specs, and more.

Airline: United Airlines

Alliance:  Star Alliance

Category:  Legacy domestic and international airline

Frequent Flyer Program: MileagePlus

Tag Line:  “Fly the Friendly Skies”

About/Mission Statement: “We are committed to providing a level of service to our customers that makes us a leader in the airline industry. We understand that to do this we need to have a product we are proud of and employees who like coming to work every day….” (source)

Daily Flights:  4,700

Main Hub:  Chicago-O’Hare International Airport ( ORD )

Destinations:  356 (including 125 international)

United’s fare types are pretty standard for a large U.S. carrier. But with stiff competition from lots of low-cost airlines, United recently introduced a Basic Economy fare — which pretty much just gets you a seat on the plane.

Handy for those traveling light, this reduced and restricted fare does not include any standard carry-on or checked luggage.

And for anyone part of United’s frequent flyer program (covered later on in this article), you won’t be eligible for premier qualifying miles that go toward your elite status when flying in this class.

Below are the additional differences in fare types and cabin classes, with inflight amenities covered later on in this article:

Basic Economy (most restrictive fare): 

• Pre-assigned seat before boarding
• Family or group seating not possible
• First checked bag costs an additional $120 (round-trip)
• Upgrades not available
• Changes or refunds not permitted

Economy (standard): 

• Seat selection at time of booking (if available)
• Customize your booking with other options

Economy (flexible):

• Refundable ticket (subject to cancellation fees)

Premium Plus:

• Spacious, larger seating with extra legroom
• Complimentary food and beverage
• Enhanced dining with complimentary food and beverage

The availability of certain cabin classes is dependent on the route and plane type. We’ve also covered how you can upgrade to business or first class on United Airlines .

Economy Plus

If you’re looking for a little extra legroom, you can upgrade your booking to Economy Plus. This will also seat you closer to the front of the aircraft so you can disembark quicker.

You can upgrade as a one-off, or subscribe to yearly upgrades when booking a regular economy ticket (where Economy Plus is available).

MileagePlus is United’s frequent flyer loyalty program where you can earn miles to redeem against reward flights and work your way up membership tiers to gain elite benefits, such as priority check-in and additional luggage.

These reward miles can also be used against flights with other Star Alliance members. You can earn miles through flying, shopping, dining out, and spending on certain credit cards.

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our article on United’s MileagePlus frequent flyer program .

United Airlines Baggage Fees & Other Fees/Add-Ons

United Airlines Carry-On Allowance:

1 personal item: FREE 1 standard carry-on bag: FREE (including Basic Economy Transatlantic flights but excluding all other routes for basic economy)

United  Airlines Checked Allowance:

Max weight: 50lb (23kg) for all economy and premium plus fares and 70lbs (32kg) for business and first class fares.

Max size: 62 inches (158cm) linear

United recommends that passengers check their official baggage fee calculator tool to view baggage costs associated with their specific fare type.

We ran some basic route searches, and the fees appeared as the following (do a check on your specific fare before booking to confirm):

Domestic U.S. & Canada

• Economy (Basic, plus and standard): 1st bag $30, 2nd bag $40, 3rd+ bag $150
• Business and first: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $150

U.S. to/from Mexico

• Economy (Basic, plus and standard): 1st bag $30, 2nd bag $55, 3rd+ bag $180
• Business and first: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $180

U.S. to/from Europe

• Economy: 1st bag $0 (£60 for Basic Economy), 2nd bag $100, 3rd+ bag $200
• Premium Plus: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $200
• Business: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $200
• First: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd bags free; 4th+ bag $200

Additional and Excess Baggage Fees:

Oversized Fee: $200 per bag (up to 115in/292cm)

Overweight Fee (route dependent):

• Bags 51-70lb: $100-$200 per bag
• Bags 71-100lb: $200-$400 per bag

MileagePlus Status weight allowance:

• Silver, Gold, Platinum, 1K: 70lb
• Star Alliance Gold (traveling in first, business or  United Polaris Business ): 70lb

Hot Tip: See our post on United Airlines baggage policy  which details specific baggage allowances for all types of cabin class, status and personnel such as the military. 

Service Fees

All reservations on United.com can be made without incurring a service fee. For other methods of booking made within the U.S. or Canada, the service fees are as follows:

By Phone: $25

City Ticket Office:  $30

At the Airport: $50

Reservations Made Outside of the U.S.: Fees vary according to country

Cancellation and Change Fees: (Cash Tickets)

• Domestic Cancellation Fee: $200
• International Cancellation Fee: Up to $400
• Waived for Gold, Platinum, and 1k members
• Cancellation : If you cancel a non-refundable ticket, no refund will be issued – but you can use the cost of the flight against a new ticket within 12 months.
• If your departure or arrival time changes by more than 30 minutes (due to a schedule change), you can change your flight at no extra cost or request a refund.

We’ve also gone into detail on United’s  award flight change & cancellation fees .

Seat Selection Fees

There is no charge to select a seat with United (where available), but you can opt for “Preferred seating” (closer to the front of the economy section) from $9 each way.

Economy Plus Upgrade: $16-$169 each way

Unaccompanied Minor Fee: $150 each way

Pet in Cabin Fee: $125 each way

Fare Holding Fees

If you’re not ready to book at the time of searching, then you can pay to reserve your fare using “Farelock.”

The fee varies by destination, but ranges from $5-$20 with the ability to hold a fare for either 3 or 7 days.

United Airlines Annual Subscription Fees

Economy Plus: From $499

Benefit from additional leg room and being closer to the front of the plane for quicker exiting when you reach your destination.

United Bundle Options

Bundles are offered during the reservation process combining different options, such as an Economy Plus upgrade and United Club trip pass. Prices vary per route, but United states that savings can be had by buying these bundles.

Wi-Fi: From $49

United Club Membership: From $550

Get access to all of the  United Club locations and select partner lounges.

Onboard Refreshments

For flights over 3 hours (within the U.S. and to/from Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America) customers can order from the “Bistro on Board” menu serving items such as a chorizo breakfast sandwich, pepperoni deep dish pizza, or a mezze sampler with prices ranging from $6.99-$9.99 . Menu choices depend on the flight route.

On flights over 1.5 hours (within North America, including select Latin American destinations and the Caribbean, in addition to Singapore , Australia , and New Zealand ) customers can order from the “Snack Shop” serving sweet and savory nibbles and snack boxes. Prices range from $3.99-$9.59 .

Beer and wine are $8, while premium spirits range from $8-$9 and specialty cocktails will run you $10.

Onboard entertainment

Available on select Boeing 737 and 757-300 aircraft, customers can purchase access to DIRECTV with more than 100 TV channels plus movies.

This is complimentary for United first passengers, and $5.99 for United economy passengers on flights less than 2 hours ($7.99 for flights more than 2 hours).

Many travel rewards cards come with an annual airline credit and can be used to offset fees such as baggage fees, such as The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  come with an annual $300 travel credit that can be used to offset almost  any  travel expense.

The cards below allow you to redeem Capital One miles for 1 cent each as a statement credit for previous travel purchases (within 90 days):

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
• $395 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ®
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None
• Credit Card Reviews
• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Sign Up Bonuses

Capital One Miles

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card   is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• $95 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Limited elite benefits
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.

But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?

• No annual fee ( rates & fees )
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates & fees )
• Weak earn rate at 1.25x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
• No luxury travel or elite benefits
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
• No Annual Fee Cards

In addition, if you have the United Explorer℠ Card  you can get 1 free checked bag for you and a companion on your itinerary.

United Seat Specs & Inflight Amenities

United Airlines has 14 different types of aircraft with varying cabin classes and seat specs.

United Express operates a further 5 aircraft through its partner airlines. You can view the aircraft and seat specs here .

United Business & First

• Premium leather seat with extra space and comfort, featuring a headrest that adjusts 6 ways
• Storage space for personal items
• Universal AC power plug
• Mobile device holder
• United Wi-Fi (fee applies)
• Complimentary inflight beverages including beer, wine, spirits, and illy coffee
• DIRECTV with more than 100 TV channels plus movies
• Dining options in partnership with The Trotter Project

Polaris Business & First

• Saks Fifth Avenue bedding
• Sleep-inspired amenities (cotton pajamas on flights over 10 hours)
• Soho House’s Cowshed Spa skincare items
• Lie-flat beds
• 16″ HD monitor

Premium Plus

• Larger seat with more legroom, leg and footrests
• Complimentary beverages
• 13″ monitor
• Power and USB sockets
• Noise-reducing headphones

• Extra legroom
• Situated nearer the front of the plane for quicker disembarkation
• Eligible to earn Premier qualifying dollars
• All standard economy benefits

Economy (Basic and Standard)

• On domestic flights and to/from the Caribbean and Latin America, customers receive complimentary soft drinks (including illy coffee) and can purchase snacks/meals and alcohol.
• On international flights, customers receive complimentary food and beverages including house beer and wine
• Entertainment varies by aircraft (details can be found on the Inflight Amenities tab on United’s Flight Status page )

Hot Tip: Check out our post on United Airlines’ boarding policy so you’ll know what to expect from the boarding process as almost all airlines have a different procedure!

United Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is a real mixed bag with United Airlines. Their social media channels and Tripadvisor reviews seem to attract many compliments from loyal customers, which is unusual as these outlets are often utilized to rant and rave about poor service!

Additionally, their PR team is pretty genius, sponsoring a number of great causes and shouting about their good deeds on social media — so even if the service was only mediocre for a customer, their philanthropic ways may improve consumer brand impression.

Lost baggage is a real gripe for United customers, being one of the most prominent issues on review sites. Also, inconsistencies of aircraft age can lead to disappointment in inflight amenities.

One customer complaint we found said they had experienced a seat-back entertainment system on once international flight and not on another. That’s going to disappoint any traveler.

United prides itself on their personal device entertainment, but this does rely on the customer having a smartphone/tablet at their disposal.

United Airlines had 1,169 complaints lodged against them from January-September 2018 according to the  September 2018 Air Travel Consumer Report . The chart below represents the complaints by category.

• Flight problems (cancellation, delay, or misconnection): 292
• Baggage: 185
• Customer service: 174
• Reservation, ticketing, boarding: 110
• Disability : 86
• Refunds: 45
• Oversales: 34
• Discrimination: 8
• Advertising: 5

There are a number of different review websites out there when it comes to airline ratings. Here are a few of the most popular so you can see the general consumer opinion for United Airlines.

Skytrax Ranking: 3 Star Airline (out of 5)

Skytrax Customer Rating:  3/10 (average from 2,594 reviews)

TripAdvisor Airline Review Rating:  3/5 (average from 36,791 reviews)

Kayak Customer Rating: 7/10 (average from 61,414 reviews)

AirHelp.com Overall Rating: 7.59/10 (departure/arrival performance, service, and satisfaction of claims processing)

Airlineratings.com Safety Rating :  7/7 (takes into consideration whether the airline has an IATA Operational Safety Audit Certification, government and crash records, plus information from the World’s Aviation Governing Body).

United Airlines supports numerous charities across their main hub locations and across the globe. It strives to be a more sustainable airline supporting environmental charities and operations such as Clean the World and Conservation International.

United also supports many youth projects, including Youth Guidance with the goal of inspiring future leaders.

Overall, customer satisfaction seems to be somewhere in the middle for United — and as with other legacy U.S. carriers, there will always be a place for the airline with reasonable fares and route availability.

United will never have the sass and style of Virgin Atlantic or the service and luxury of the Middle Eastern airlines, but it serves its purpose and does have a loyal customer base (although this may be dwindling slightly, with many referencing the “good old days” when United was great).

Their current focus seems to be on revamping their premium cabins, with their Polaris offering in business and first — but we’re hoping they don’t neglect economy for too much longer either.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What alliance is united apart of.

United is apart of Star Alliance partnership.

What is the United carry-on baggage allowance?

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An experienced points hacker, Erin is Alex’s partner-in-crime and contributes to Upgraded Points with in-depth guides and relationship management. Erin’s work has been cited in multiple major publications.

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United (UA)

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Airline overview.

United Airlines (UA), headquartered in Chicago, is one of the world's oldest airlines. The carrier was founded in 1926. It flies to more than 300 destinations in 60 countries spanning North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. About one-third of its destinations are US domestic. Major hubs in the network include Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Denver International (DEN), Guam (GUM), Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), Los Angeles International (LAX), Newark Liberty International (EWR), San Francisco International (SFO), and Washington Dulles (IAD). United Airlines is a founding member of the Star Alliance. Star Alliance is a collection of more than 25 airlines that provide airline service to more than 190 countries. United also has codeshare agreements with 13 other carriers. United Airlines flies with a fleet of over 700 aircraft including versions from Airbus, ATR, Boeing, Bombardier, and Embraer.

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SeatGuru was created to help travelers choose the best seats and in-flight amenities.

United Airlines offers new service to avoid the middle seat on flights

United Airlines has an easy trick to avoid the middle seat on flights.

The middle seat on an airplane can be the worst seat on a plane , as there's little leg room and you can't easily get up to use the restroom.

Well, one airline now has a tool to avoid that uncomfortable area.

United Airlines mobile app now allows travelers to sign up for seat notifications, which will let them know if their preferred seat becomes available, according to The Points Guy.

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It works like this: when you go to book your flight, you can request a specific seat while browsing the seat map.

If you desperately want a window seat, but there's only middle and aisle seats left, just fill out that your desired seat is by the window. Then if a window seat opens up, you can be automatically reassigned and notified of the change.

The ability to be reassigned seats is on a first come, first serve basis. It does this up to 12 hours before the flight.

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United has yet to reveal how frequently it checks the seat map to see updates.

The new feature in the app launched in March. It first became available to a small group of test customers, then brought in more in the weeks following.

The service is free to all 3 million flyers that use the United app. United is the only major airline to offer this service so far.