What is standard legroom on United Airlines?
If you plan to fly with United Airlines, expect a 31-inch pitch in most of its Boeing airplanes. The exceptions are routes operated on Airbuses as well as some 737 aircraft, which have 30 inches of legroom.
Economy Plus seats feature up to 6 inches (15 cm) of extra legroom and are located near the front of the United Economy cabin, helping to get you on your way when you reach your destination. Economy Plus seating is available on all United flights and most United Express® flights.
Economy Plus seats include up to 6 inches (15 cm) of extra legroom and are situated close to the front of the United Economy cabin. United Airlines Seats in the Economy class have a width of 17.3 inches and 31 inches of legroom.
Legroom: United Premium Plus seats, located at the front of the economy cabin, feature up to seven extra inches of legroom over a standard economy seat, while the Economy Plus seat offers travelers six inches of extra legroom. Premium Plus seats also recline up to three inches more than a standard seat.
In economy class, a good seat pitch is considered 32 inches or more. Many major U.S. airlines have reduced seat pitch on much of their domestic fleet to a tight 30 to 31 inches. Meanwhile, ultra-low-cost carriers — like Spirit and Frontier — typically have only 28 to 29 inches of pitch.
The best U.S. airlines for legroom in economy
Jet Blue fares well in economy in the U.S. with distances ranging from 32 to 34 inches. Its more expensive seat options also fare well (offering up to 41 inches).
Extra legroom seats are located closer to the plane's entrance and exit. This means less time spent on the plane after arriving at the intended destination. For some airlines (including Delta), Extra legroom customers enjoy priority seating before the flight.
Extra legroom
An extra 3 to 4 inches doesn't sound like much but if you are over 6 feet tall, you know that those extra inches can add a good amount of comfort, especially if the passenger in front of you decides to recline the chair.
JetBlue Airways and Silver Airways: 18 inches
In straight measurements, JetBlue Airways takes the top spot for widest seats just as they do for average economy legroom among U.S. domestic airlines.
Interior elements | United Business® | United Economy® |
---|---|---|
Standard seat pitch | 38" (96 cm) | 30" (76.2 cm) |
Standard seat recline | 5" (12.7 cm) | 2" (5 cm) |
Seat width | 20.4" (51.8 cm) | 16.1" – 17.1" (40.8 cm – 43.4 cm) |
Movable aisle armrests | Rows 1-3BE | Rows 11-15CD, 24-32CD |
Does United have smaller seats?
They get as narrow as 16 inches. And this isn't just a thing with low-cost airlines. Today, United can slot you into a seat with 30 inches of pitch and a tiny 16-inch-wide plot for your butt. In terms of seat width, United is actually worse than Spirit, where the narrowest seat is 17.75 inches.
So which airlines have the most legroom? Don't look for the real budget carriers like Spirit, Frontier and Ryanair. They can have as little as 29 inches of space. That's almost suffocating.
When it comes to the seats, both airlines offer the same amounts of space (which is to say not much), with roughly 17 inches for seat width and 31 inches for pitch across Economy class in most planes. Delta's midrange product (Comfort+) narrowly beats United's Economy Plus in our book, however.
Exit rows, aisle or window seats, and anywhere close to the front are typically considered the best seats on a plane. On a short business trip, you might want an aisle seat near the front of the plane so you can debark as quickly as possible on arrival.
Preferred seats don't receive any extra legroom, but they are in better locations of the Main Cabin that are closer to the front of the plane, allowing you to access your seat quicker when boarding and exit more quickly when getting off.
Tall individuals should first determine whether it's their torso or legs (or both) that are longer than average. If one's legs are particularly long, it's good to look for a vehicle with at least 48 inches of legroom. If one's torso is lengthy, 38 inches of headroom is an ideal minimum.
Air Asia has the shortest seat pitch in economy, at 29 inches. Forty years ago, seat pitch was 31 to 35 inches. Seat width was approximately 18.5 inches.
Overweight passengers should avoid United Airlines. What is this? In Economy Class, the vast majority of the airline's fleet offers seats no wider than approximately 17 inches.
What is the average legroom on a plane? Reviewing a list of seat pitch measurements, you'll see the typical range is roughly 30–31 inches.
JetBlue. Among all US carriers, JetBlue probably stands out for the most spacious seats. These vary between aircraft types, but the airline offers up to 34-inches of seat pitch. Out of its fleet of 130 Airbus A320 aircraft, 12 are currently configured with a 34-inch seat pitch.
How is legroom calculated?
Driver's legroom: Measure the distance from the heel of the driver's accelerator foot to the backrest. Rear legroom: Measure the distance between the rear and front backrests while keeping the front legroom at a standard 40 inches.
Typically, premium economy will provide about 5-7 extra inches of legroom, plus 1-2 extra inches of seat width and 2-3 extra inches of recline. On a 12+ hour flight, every inch counts, and you're likely to have more room than you would on a short regional flight.
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.
Simply choose a window seat in a row where the aisle seat is already taken and the middle seat is empty. (Or an aisle seat in a row where only the window seat is already taken.) This way, you may not have to share an armrest with anybody.
Economy Comfort
EC seats are distinguishable by a different color for the headcover and a small divider between EC and Economy. Economy Comfort is available on every longhaul aircraft type. The extra legroom is 4 inches and the seatback reclines twice as much compared with a regular seat.
Preferred seating includes United Economy seats that have standard legroom but are closer to the front of the aircraft in the first few rows behind Economy Plus®.
It offers roomier seats, free alcohol, upgraded meals and free checked bags, but may come at a cost when booking with miles. Additionally, flights that offer this class of service can be tricky to find. But if Premium Plus is available, it's worth checking to see if you can score a good deal for long flights.
The main differences between United and Delta are: Delta charges lower carry-on bag fees on basic economy tickets. United is a member of Star Alliance (largest network with 26 airlines) while Delta is part of SkyTeam (smaller alliance with 18 airlines).
The good news is that Southwest offers more legroom than most other domestic carriers. However, if you're really tall, that still might not cut it. Sure, there's more legroom in the bulkhead and (some) exit rows, but there's 1 coveted seat that you'll really want to find — The Money Seat.
Keep in mind that upgrading to Economy Plus will only net you more legroom, guaranteed in-seat power access and a seat closer to the front of the plane; it will not get you an additional baggage allowance.
Are United seats bigger than American?
United Airlines
Economy Plus seats cost more, but get you more legroom in seats, ranging from 34 to 37 inches in pitch. Upper-class cabin seats vary by plane and by route, with United's Polaris Business Class offering restaurant-quality dining and perks like Saks Fifth Avenue bedding on long-haul international flights.
In general, obese passengers on airlines who require a seatbelt extender and/or cannot lower the armrests between seats are asked to pay for a second seat on their flight, unless there are two empty seats together somewhere on the plane. Overweight passengers have little to no choice when it comes to this rule.
A seat's pitch refers to the measurement of space between one point on an aircraft passenger seat to the same point on the seat in front of it. It's measured in inches/centimeters and the higher the number, the more legroom and space you'll have between your seat and the one in front of you.
- JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines: 32 inches. ...
- Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines: 31-32 inches. ...
- Delta Airlines: 30-32 inches. ...
- American Airlines, Silver Airways, and United Airlines: 31 inches. ...
- Avelo Airlines and Breeze Airways: 30 inches.
Seat dimensions | Seatback screens | Power outlets |
---|---|---|
Pitch: 32 to 34 inches Width: 17.8 to 18.4 inches | All flights | Power and USB outlets on most flights |
At What Size Do You Need Two Airline Seats? There isn't a specific size at which you will suddenly have to purchase two airline seats. Generally, all airlines will require passengers to comfortably fit within one seat with the armrests down. If you can do this, you will not have to purchase an additional seat.
- Singapore Airlines. ...
- Emirates. ...
- Etihad Airways. ...
- Porter Airlines. ...
- Air New Zealand. ...
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. ...
- Qatar Airways. ...
- JetBlue. JetBlue offers the most legroom in its economy cabin for an American-based airline.
- Spirit.
- Hawaiian. ...
- JetBlue. ...
- American. ...
- Alaska. ...
- United. ...
- Southwest. Stealing second place in The Points Guy's 2021 analysis of best airlines, Southwest is probably the best budget airline out there. ...
- Delta. If you're going to fly economy, Delta is the way to go. ...
If legroom is your number one priority, you can rest assured: Both airlines feature comparable seats with equal amounts of sprawl. Ditto with checked luggage: Both Delta and United allow you to check two free bags to most destinations, with expedited delivery of them at Baggage Claim.
The airlines with the widest seats among US airlines are JetBlue Airways and Silver Airways. 18 inches wide. Spirit Airlines' average economy seat has a width of 17.75 inches. Breeze, Delta, Hawaiian has a seat width of 17.6 inches.
What are the smoothest seats on a plane?
The best seats on a plane
Best seat for minimizing the effects of turbulence: A seat over the wing. Best seat for peace and quiet: A seat near the front. Best seat for legroom: A bulkhead or exit-row seat. Best seat for sleeping: A window seat in a bulkhead row.
We can thank physics and the wonders of aeronautical engineering. “The smoothest place to sit is over the wings, nearest to the plane's centers of lift and gravity,” explained Patrick Smith on the Ask the Pilot site.
Passengers who prefer the aisle seats say it's better because they have easy access to the restrooms, the possibility of a little extra legroom, and they're first to exit the aircraft. Window proponents say a view and a fuselage to sleep against make theirs the superior choice.
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.
Premium transcontinental service
You have two options: the Economy Plus® experience, which includes a complimentary hot entrée as well as free alcoholic beverages, or the United Business experience, which features a premium flat-bed seat, special bedding from Saks Fifth Avenue and enhanced dining and beverages.
The main difference between main cabin and basic economy is cost. For cheaper airfare and more money in your pocket, you trade flexibility for flight changes and/or cancellations, seat selection options and the ability to earn miles at a high rate.
- JetBlue Airways (32” – 34”) ...
- Southwest Airlines (32”) ...
- Eurowings (30” – 32”) ...
- Japan Airlines (33” – 34”) ...
- Alaska Airlines (32” – 34”) ...
- TUI UK (33” – 34”) ...
- Aerolíneas Argentinas (32” – 33”) ...
- United (30” – 34”)
Overall, if you are fortunate enough to have access to EconomyPlus for free, it's a no-brainer and you should choose those seats. If you are faced with a charge for the seats, it depends on your needs. If you are as tall as me, it might be worth the extra fee for a little more legroom.
Preferred seating includes United Economy seats that have standard legroom but are closer to the front of the aircraft in the first few rows behind Economy Plus®.
Extra legroom seats are just standard seats with slightly more seat pitch. Anyone can sit in them. Extra space seats are generally exit seats, and as such come with seating restrictions. Do the extra space seats have more legroom than extra legroom seata because they're by an exit?
Which is better extra legroom or extra space?
Extra space seats are usually the emergency exit seats. The extra legroom are new, and are rows with more legroom.
Interior elements | United Business® | United Economy® |
---|---|---|
Standard seat pitch | 38" (96 cm) | 30" (76.2 cm) |
Standard seat recline | 5" (12.7 cm) | 2" (5 cm) |
Seat width | 20.4" (51.8 cm) | 16.1" – 17.1" (40.8 cm – 43.4 cm) |
Movable aisle armrests | Rows 1-3BE | Rows 11-15CD, 24-32CD |
Depending on the airline and airplane configuration, bulkhead seats—seats located in the first row after a dividing wall or galley—typically have the most legroom than any other seat on the plane, though be aware you won't have access to underseat storage.
United Airlines just joined American Airlines and Delta Air Lines in this by introducing “Preferred Seats.” These seats will be in the rows directly behind “Economy Plus” and while they will have standard legroom, they will incur a surcharge, except for Premier level frequent fliers.