UA Economy Plus (E+) - Questions/Worth It?/Experiences [Archive]
 

I need to ask people a question.. Is United Economy Plus all worth the money? I'm flying from SEA-SFO-SEA.. Just wondering if it's worth upgrading for..

Some people may disagree with me, but if you are only flying from SEA to SFO, then I personally do not believe it is worth the money to upgrade.

E+ is most useful on longer flights such as transcontinental, TPAC, TATL etc...

I agree. I paid for E+ on PDX-ORD flights before I made 2P, but I wouldn't have bothered for a shorter flight. If you're really tall, you might benefit enough to merit paying, but otherwise I wouldn't bother.

They're using the A320, and B757-200.. I was wondering if the seat could easily fit me, I'm around 5'10, weights about 240 lbs.

You may not value the cost of upgrading for the relative short trip, but I'd suggest doing it at least for one leg of your trip to give it a try... Then you'll have the answer...

i can live on 32" pitch for <2 hr (5'10")

The difference between E- being tolerable vs dreadful is generally beyond your control, unless you have the power to prevent the person in front of you from moving their seat back. Realistically, this is less-likely to occur on a shorter flight, so I think that's the reason most find shorter flights in E- tolerable.

From a cost standpoint, it's pretty much charged on a per-mile basis, so technically I don't think it's a better deal on a longer vs shorter flight.

I was on my first US segment this year (unfortunately not my last). I'll be flying DEN-XXX-MSY the rest of the year and will need XXX to make 1k, whether it be IAD (hopefully), PHL or CLT.

I will jokingly tell you to not get hooked on E+ unless you will be 3P+ soon, because once you have it on a regular basis, you have a hard time understanding why you can't pull your laptop bag out from under the seat without contorting your legs into a yoga postion, or stretch your legs out all the way (I am also 5'10").

But seriously, as a GM I used to regularly purchase E+ on 2 hr flights to SFO, LAX, MSY... and found it very worth it.

If you have to ask, the answer is probably 'no'...:eek:

Another option if you do fly a lot - would it be worth to buy the Economy Plus membership annual option for about $349.

Have purchased it and found it good value expect on the old B733/B735 who have those disgusting old seats!!

Width might be as important to you as pitch.

320s have 18", 752s have 17", and the difference is noticable to some. Also stay out of the rows with fixed arm rests, e.g., exit and bulkhead rows, because this further detracts from seat width. Also, if you're lucky enough to have an empty middle seat, a normal row allows you to put the armrest up and enjoy the extra space.

Well, I'm a M+ member as well, but primarily uses Krisflyer to credit for my flights using Star Alliance carriers. In short I don' use M+ a lot except for their partner companies' purchases.

Now with the seats, the price for the upgrade is $ 78 dollars R/T. To be honest, if the First in Virgin wasn't so expensive (This is for another flight 1 week before thanksgiving) and their price is the same as United, I would've taken it.

One further question.. Is it worth spending 60,000 miles on First class as award ticket on this SEA-SFO-SEA segment?

I'd say it depends on your size (which you specified) and your economic situation. I am 6'1 and could easily survive in E- (as I do whenever I fly on a non-UA flight), especially on a short flight like yours. However, I'd pay up if LH or AA or whoever I am on were to offer an E+ like product as it is a lot more comfortable. But you're the only one who can truly determine whether the cost is worth it to you, so I'd concur with Zacnlinc that you should try it on one leg.

Eeek! No, not worth it to me. 80,000 miles could get you to Europe in C (which is much better than domestic F).

I disagree. I am tall and E+ is useful on any flight for me. It also gives me a chance to open up my laptop in flight when the person in front of me reclines.

No!!

As for E+, at 6-4 that is the most important benefit my status earns. At 5-10, YMMV but I'd do as suggested above - try it with E+ buy-up for one leg and without for the other and make your own judgement. It is a short flight. You will survive either way.

First of all it would be 45,000 miles, not 60,000.
Even at 45,000 it is absolutely NOT worth it.

I agree with those who say that you have to decide for yourself how much comfort is worth to you. I've done the trip probably about 40 times and find E+ to be an outstanding benefit, even on the short flight. But for one trip, i would probably save my $78 and get a nice bottle of wine to recover afterwards. I've even taken the middle seat in the last row on standby three or four times rather than sit around and wait for my delayed original flight.

My boss, on the other hand, finds it insane that i don't upgrade to first like he does. (He just pays for e-500s when he runs out of complimentary ones)

The 60,000 is mileage redemption using Krisflyer.. That's why it's that expensive.

Probably, I'll take boolean64's suggestion..

For the info, I'm just a regular M+ member, but I'm a KF Gold..

Real Simple Answer...
 

Are you planning on working on your laptop during the flight? I'm 5"10". As a 1P I always get E+. Only one time I can think of that I was seated in economy (last minute flight). Found it VERY difficlut to work on my computer in the regular economy section. It's never a problem in E+.

Good Luck

First in Virgin is actually quite reasonable. They sell it for a fixed price that actually encourages (some) people to buy into it, rather than upgrade (which really isn't part of their program yet anyway, far as I know). And if they still have seats in First available within a day of the flight, the upgrade will run as low as $50 (for SFO-LAS). UA, on the other hand, charges often astronomical and rarely reasonable prices for First.

It often seems like we expect F to be a super-premium product, but we don't expect to have to pay much for it. I think the airlines have us figured out pretty good. :(

Well, looks like I'm flying just Economy this time.. Though I'll have my revenge... I've booked UA & Virgin First for my trip from SEA-LAX-SEA, I would've liked to buy both Virgin, because it's cheaper, but I can't due to my outbound/inbound flight schedules from Asia..

You might take a look at the seat maps for the flight. That's usually a pretty crowded route. You might consider not taking a seat assignment in E- and waiting for an assignment at the airport. Good chance you'll end up with E+ anyway without paying (at least it worked for me frequently for flights out of SEA in my days before having status).

Never thought of that before.. The problem is; its not always for everyone.. I'll probably stick in E.. Even my Status in *Alliance won't matter to them...

economy plus seat questions
 

I have tried to search for the answer to these questions but I am coming up blank. I know someone here can help me. We do not have any status with United (aeroplan members only).

If a ticket is purchased by paying extra $ for economy plus seats, can someone who has elite status (not sure exactly what it is called but someone with mega miles with United) come in after and take those seats away?

If they make a change of planes and seat assignments get changed, do we still get the economy + seats automatically?

Can you book these seats on United's website and if so how? I can't seem to figure that one out!! Can you choose which leg of the journey to get the + seats or do you have to get these seats for all segments of the trip?

Perhaps this is the wrong place to ask this but are there any other airlines that allows someone to pay extra for the priviledge of securing these often coveted seats? I know BA has upgraded category called WT+ but are there any other airlines which do what United is doing? We are looking at flights from YEG to CDG and then from BUD to YEG.

THank you very much for any help you can give me to help clear this up.

When the economy plus seats are taken, they are gone. If you buy one, I can't come in and take yours. If they change equipment and there are less seats I don't know how they work that. I would think that you would be due a refund if you pay for an economy plus seat and don't get one.

Once I had chosen the itinerary and was ready to complete the transaction there is a part which asks if you'd like to upgrade to economy plus and you can then upgrade, if so desired. :) And ... I sure hope nobody (with whatever status) can take your seats once payed for, yeah, right!!! :p I'm just hoping they don't!

I'm a 1K and I'm here to tell you. If the seats are booked and I don't want to sit in a regular economy seat I have to buy a first class ticket.

You can assign seat usually on united.com
If you change your flight after purchase or stand by you will most likely lose the E+ seat.

* Customer-requested changes to the dates, board on, or board off points will result in loss of Economy Plus seats for the modified flight segments.
* Economy Plus purchase applies for flights on your receipt only.
* Valid for travel on United/Ted/United Express only (Star Alliance or marketed code share flights not permitted).
* Economy Plus purchase is nonrefundable unless Economy Plus is not available for the flights on receipt.
* For ticket changes/exchanges, only the full value of the original itinerary (excluding this additional Economy Plus charge) is applicable to new tickets (less any applicable change fees).
* Economy Plus purchase reserves a seat within the Economy Plus seating area. Specific seat assignments are not guaranteed.
* Economy Plus purchase is processed based on seat availability at time of purchase.
* This offer is subject to change without notice.
https://store.united.com/enhancement...UM_LEGRM#terms

As for other airlines there are a couple that have premium economy(if you can call e+ premium economy).

"Other airlines with true premium economy include British Airways, China Southern, EVA, SAS, Singapore, Thai (coming soon), and Virgin Atlantic. Of those, China Southern, EVA, and Singapore."
http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-....html?id=16701

If you have the seat reserved excluding an equipment change it is your seat.If there is a change you get your money back.

This is playing Russian roulette some times seats are blocked or there are no shows but to avoid ending up in E- you have to watch the seat maps, pray or find a different flight.

Seat assignments are never guaranteed - look at the threads about people losing seat assignments for no apparent reason. If you get moved to E- for some reason (rare, but it happens), you will get your money back, but you don't get any compensation if you just get moved to a different seat in E+.

oh, cool. I did not know this ... :)

Thank you for all your help with my questions.
Faye

I frankly wouldn't pay a cent more for economy plus, since it looks to me to be almost just as miserable as regular economy. Either that, or I get incredibly pissed at the upselling that UAL tries to do when I check my itineraries to protect the seats I picked. 6' even, 240lbs. I found regular economy to be tolerable. I'd save the money and take myself out to a nice dinner or comedy show. :p

Besides on transpacs I fly with Asiana anyways and that gets me 34" pitch in the whole cabin.

Well, for a little guy like you that may be true. At 6-5, 275, E+ makes all the difference between "tolerable" and quite IN-tolerable.

Do whatever you want, but I just don't see the value in paying $80 more for more legroom for an hour and a half flight.

And I'm by no means "little".

Couple of questions

1. Is it possible to see if there is availability in Economy Plus before booking?
2. When purchasing Economy Plus, do you buy individual legs of your journey or is it one purchase covering all legs?

I often fly transatlantic and can only afford economy but in the past have managed to bag the exit rows. However that's getting much harder these days so this Economy Plus sounds quite appealing.

Yes, if considering purchasing E+ Access for a segment, just start the purchase process and before committing you will be offer an opportunity to see available seats and to continue or cancel.
E+ Access can be purchase as a full year of access or as access for a segment or a group of segments

Exit rows should only be available day of flight to non-1P/1K travellers

Economy Plus
 

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry to start a new thread but my searches were fruitless.

We're traveling from SFO-DEN in February. I'm stunned to hear that the 767 and a 777 don't have economy plus seats (e.g. the planes only have standard coach seats). Is this typical? We're flying middle of the day on both segments. I assumed Economy Plus would be available on this route.

Thanks,
Thomas

All UA mainline aircraft have an E+ section.

FWIW, on a 2.5 hr flight, while E+ is nice, its not that big of a deal (remember you still receive regular economy service).


Are you a Premier with UA? or looking to buy up to E+?

All mainline United aircraft have Economy Plus seats; you were given faulty information.