Oct 29, 2018, 2:14 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
UA has started installing Premium Plus / Premium Economy seats in 772s and 773s. Other long haul aircraft will also be receiving these new seats.
For 77x it is a 2-4-2 (vs economy 3-4-3) with 3 rows - 24 seats
For 76x it is believe it will be 2-2-2 (vs 2-3-2) with 3 rows ( and maybe a partial row) - 22 seats
For 78x it is believed it will be 2-3-2 (vs 3-3-3) with 3 rows - 21 seats
UA has not yet started selling this new cabin but has restructured its fare class -- which appears to be in preparation of selling the new cabin (and removed 3-class F)
In the meantime, the Premium Plus cabin is being treated as an extension of E+ and those with E+ access can select the new seats.
In many cases UA is initially using an interim seat maps, such as https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/1926142-interim-772-seat-map-polaris-potentially-premium-economy-2018-a.html
Things start to firm up about 2 days prior but last minute changes can happen
For 77x it is a 2-4-2 (vs economy 3-4-3) with 3 rows - 24 seats
For 76x it is believe it will be 2-2-2 (vs 2-3-2) with 3 rows ( and maybe a partial row) - 22 seats
For 78x it is believed it will be 2-3-2 (vs 3-3-3) with 3 rows - 21 seats
UA has not yet started selling this new cabin but has restructured its fare class -- which appears to be in preparation of selling the new cabin (and removed 3-class F)
In the meantime, the Premium Plus cabin is being treated as an extension of E+ and those with E+ access can select the new seats.
In many cases UA is initially using an interim seat maps, such as https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/1926142-interim-772-seat-map-polaris-potentially-premium-economy-2018-a.html
Things start to firm up about 2 days prior but last minute changes can happen
Real Premium Economy is Coming [Update: UA studying "Real" Prem Y in domestic market]
Jan 22, 2018, 10:11 am
#286
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K 1MM (finally!), IHG AMB-Spire, HH Diamond
Posts: 60,169
It isn’t realistic to assume 100% of P+ bookings will be upsells from Y.
it will make GPUs more difficult, which for UA is probably a feature not a bug.
i too believe they will keep a reasonable size E+ cabin as those are easy margin boosters via E+ upgrades at $100-$200
Jan 22, 2018, 10:51 am
#288
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Former 1k, Lifetime UA Gold, Starwood Gold; Avis Preferred; Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,731
since some Star Alliance airlines with premium economy do not allow double upgrades from regular E to business class, is it safe to assume that UA will probably do the same?
Only those with premium economy tickets can upgrade with miles+copay or SWU to upgrade to Polaris? (no double upgrade directly from regular economy to Polaris)
Only those with premium economy tickets can upgrade with miles+copay or SWU to upgrade to Polaris? (no double upgrade directly from regular economy to Polaris)
Jan 22, 2018, 10:52 am
#289
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,428
Jan 22, 2018, 11:11 am
#291
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Former 1k, Lifetime UA Gold, Starwood Gold; Avis Preferred; Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,731
Seriously. UA has made some improvements on their PR strategy but they continue to deliver half-baked announcements that leave their more loyal flyers (at least temporarily) in the dark.
Jan 22, 2018, 11:44 am
#293
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1P-1MM, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 3,930
It gets complicated. On LH, I think that you can do Y->PE or Y->, but I don't think that you can do PE->C after you have already upgraded Y->PE. Thus, you can't do a "double-upgrade" as in upgrade twice, but you can do a "double class upgrade" as in skip PE when going from Y to C.
Jan 22, 2018, 12:34 pm
#294
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
As for the 772, presumably they would put PE in the front of the economy cabin and probably make the rest of the cabin E+. Not sure what kind of divider they'd use - presumably not a full bulkhead though (although if the seats are the shell type that creates an effective bulkhead.)
Jan 22, 2018, 1:21 pm
#295
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MBS/FNT/LAN
Programs: UA 1K, HH Gold, Mariott Gold
Posts: 9,630
I have no specific insight, but it seems like fit would be to have Premium E where E+ currently is and move E+ to the remaining area in front of exits 3L/R
Another rough thought: but would be to put the Premium E in pairs on the windows, but the middle 5 stay as E+ (yes, could be awkward when Premium is served food meals different from E+... but hey... just kicking it around).
Another rough thought: but would be to put the Premium E in pairs on the windows, but the middle 5 stay as E+ (yes, could be awkward when Premium is served food meals different from E+... but hey... just kicking it around).
Jan 22, 2018, 1:54 pm
#296
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,386
Keep in mind, UA densified in the first place because they found that people were willing to put up with very tight quarters for a sufficiently low fare. If there were an incredible, pent-up demand for higher-priced economy seats in exchange for more room, they never would have gone 10-abreast in the first place. They would just have raised prices and said "fly us because we're only 9 across." I don't think we're going to see massive P+ cabins. I think it'll be a handful of rows, which is in line with the way its offered on other carriers.
Jan 22, 2018, 2:11 pm
#297
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,318
What an industry leader. 
Horrible news.
Horrible news.
Jan 22, 2018, 2:29 pm
#298
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: BART Platinum, AA Plat Pro
Posts: 1,158
AA announced their PE product in December 2015, and they still haven't clarified what their long-term plan is for how SWUs will interact with PE, nor have they made PE bookable with award tickets yet. I wouldn't hold my breath.
Jan 22, 2018, 4:32 pm
#299
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA, LH, BA
Posts: 294
I've seen people upgrade themselves from E- to E+ on ORD-NRT flights. I thought the flight attendants were supposed to charge them the self-upgrade fee... but I've never see it happen. Although I have seen people being asked bluntly to"move back to your seat, SIR!"
I wonder if people will attempt to self-upgrade from regular E to PE on UA in the future?
Jan 22, 2018, 4:39 pm
#300
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Francisco Penninsula
Programs: Bear Backers
Posts: 931
Great news. I have been flying LH to Europe in PE and love it.Would have flown United if they had it. Also have lotsof miles . Unable to book LF PE through United website so I paid for it. I know the was a convulated way but choose not to go there.