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]
#782
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
Posts: 2,117
It's possible that they won't have a separate booking class for upgrades into Premium Plus. They already have the ability to award miles, etc. based on the underlying fare (e.g. some of the buy-up offers), and it's possible that they may not feel compelled to manage inventory for upgrades to Premium Economy as a separate class of inventory from discount Premium Economy like they do with business class.
#783
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,359
It's possible that they won't have a separate booking class for upgrades into Premium Plus. They already have the ability to award miles, etc. based on the underlying fare class (e.g. some of the buy-up offers), and it's possible that they may not feel compelled to manage inventory for upgrades to Premium Economy as a separate class of inventory from discount Premium Economy like they do with business class.
#784
Moderator: United MileagePlus
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Clinging to the edifices of a decadent past from the biggest city in America nobody really cares about.
Programs: (ಠ_ಠ)
Posts: 9,077
I wonder if "domestic first" will also be rebranded as "Premium Plus" too to harmonize the brand across the carrier.
Current:
Polaris (international only)
First ("domestic" only)
PremiumPlus (international only)
Economy Plus (fleet-wide)
Economy (fleet-wide)
New:
Polaris - lie-flat, international long-haul top end product
PremiumPlus - recliner seat for "domestic" first and the new UA international P+ product
Economy Plus - standard Y seat, extra legroom
Economy - standard Y seat
(And yes, I called it "domestic" first even though this is the same product that flies to Canada, Mexico, Central America, etc.)
#785
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,300
An awful lot of changes for a small number of seats relative to UA's overall long-haul capacity.
#786
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP (AC), DL G (SC), Bonvoy LTP, & IHG AMB
Posts: 1,798
Very interesting.
I wonder if "domestic first" will also be rebranded as "Premium Plus" too to harmonize the brand across the carrier.
Current:
Polaris (international only)
First ("domestic" only)
PremiumPlus (international only)
Economy Plus (fleet-wide)
Economy (fleet-wide)
New:
Polaris - lie-flat, international long-haul top end product
PremiumPlus - recliner seat for "domestic" first and the new UA international P+ product
Economy Plus - standard Y seat, extra legroom
Economy - standard Y seat
(And yes, I called it "domestic" first even though this is the same product that flies to Canada, Mexico, Central America, etc.)
I wonder if "domestic first" will also be rebranded as "Premium Plus" too to harmonize the brand across the carrier.
Current:
Polaris (international only)
First ("domestic" only)
PremiumPlus (international only)
Economy Plus (fleet-wide)
Economy (fleet-wide)
New:
Polaris - lie-flat, international long-haul top end product
PremiumPlus - recliner seat for "domestic" first and the new UA international P+ product
Economy Plus - standard Y seat, extra legroom
Economy - standard Y seat
(And yes, I called it "domestic" first even though this is the same product that flies to Canada, Mexico, Central America, etc.)
#788
Moderator: United MileagePlus
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Clinging to the edifices of a decadent past from the biggest city in America nobody really cares about.
Programs: (ಠ_ಠ)
Posts: 9,077
Just my opinion, but not a fan of "premium plus". Why not just got with "premium" or perhaps "premier" class. As I write the latter, I suspect that might cause confusion, but Premium Plus makes me think of AA's big swing and a miss with "platinum pro" or Hyatt's misadventures with labeling us Globalists, Explorists, etc. I do like the idea of consistent branding and service standards between UA's premium economy service and UA's domestic first service though.
Seriously though my back-of-the-napking thinking is the new P+ seat will be comparable to the domestic F seat (excepting the leg rest) and if this "level" of product is simply rebranded as PremiumPlus fleet wide, it knocks out the awkward "first" nomenclature.
Could be. "Plus" has been in the marketing DNA since the beginning of MileagePlus.
#789
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 312
Random tidbit that could have interesting implications: United's sales department is saying that the new Premium Economy booking classes are going to be O, A, and R. This is significantly different than Lufthansa (G, E, N) and ANA (G, E).
Possibly related is that ANA has started publishing R availability to Sabre (ordered in-between P and G). Sabre seems to be categorizing it as business class at the moment, but it's all 0'd out right now.
A makes a lot of sense, but it'll be interesting if using O and R implies any sort of policy change aside from a simple booking class realignment.
Possibly related is that ANA has started publishing R availability to Sabre (ordered in-between P and G). Sabre seems to be categorizing it as business class at the moment, but it's all 0'd out right now.
A makes a lot of sense, but it'll be interesting if using O and R implies any sort of policy change aside from a simple booking class realignment.
#790
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,885
UA thinks that its Premium economy is better than anyone's Premium economy. This is why PremiumPlus was chosen. Seriously, I would choose Economy double plus (E++) or Business lite..
#791
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,324
I really doubt "United First" as a cabin name is going anywhere. No impetus to downgrade the fanciness of the cabin name once it's established.
Probably just stop selling it, although that's a good question. They could also just stop codesharing, or force you to call to book the native A inventory.
Probably just stop selling it, although that's a good question. They could also just stop codesharing, or force you to call to book the native A inventory.
#792
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
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Posts: 56,300
I don't doubt Sykes has accurately passed along what was received, but have to wonder whether UA is really changing its fare classes so they will no longer match up with its key JV partners, LH and NH.
#793
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
Posts: 2,117
I can see good reason for doing it, at least temporarily. By the time they launch, they'll have no tickets for United flights in those underlying fare classes (even O). Moving upgrades to a new fare class and revalidating the ticket is a quite a bit less heavy of a lift than switching to G, E, and N (which are all in very wide use right now). That's not to say that switching to an in-use fare class is impossible (as I mentioned, AA has done it), but it would probably be a pain.
#794
Join Date: May 2008
Location: WAS
Programs: AA Ex Plt
Posts: 1,630
Hey ---
Any updates on an actual sales roll out date?
Cheers
Any updates on an actual sales roll out date?
Cheers
#795
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
There are two issues with this. (1) 99% of the public will have no idea what "premium plus" is. Confronted with buying that flight from their home in Florida to see the grandkids and offered "First Class" on DL/AA or "PremiumPlus" on United for the same price, the known name will often win out; (2) then UA would need to map PE flights to domestic F, which I don't think is what they are going to do, my guess is that they copy DL and map PE international flights to domestic E+ (DL does it to C+). If they are called the same name, UA will need to connect to domestic F, which will raise the price point, and make it look noncompetitive with OALs that don't do this.