Is United Economy Plus Worth It? (GUIDE)

United Economy Plus is worth the extra money, especially if you are a tall person who appreciates extra legroom or is on a transcontinental or long international flight.

The Economy Plus subscription is valid for all segments in the subscribed region on all United and United Express-operated flights, where Economy Plus seating provides you with the luxury to stretch out with more room to work and relax, sit near the front of the cabin so you can exit the plane easier at your destination and more.

Each flight could be between 20 USD to 80 USD or even 300 dollars more expensive if you choose Economy Plus. If so, is a United Economy Plus subscription worth the additional money, or should it be avoided? 

This is what we will be mainly covering in this article. We will also discuss how different Economy Plus is from Economy class and how much more expensive the tickets are.

How good is the Economy Plus from United Airlines?

Economy Plus from United Airlines is worth every additional charge if you wish to enjoy your flight comfortably. Suppose you are traveling transcontinental or are a tall person who needs extra legroom. In that case, it is worth spending extra money.

The Economy Plus seating allows you enough room to stretch out in your seats with more space to work or relax. The chairs feature up to 6 inches or 15 cm of extra legroom and are located near the front of the cabin, helping to get you on your way when you reach your destination. 

Economy Plus seating is available on all United and most United Express flights. You could upgrade to Economy Plus during the check-in if you selected an economy seat.

You can also choose a spot closer to the front of the aircraft by purchasing your preferred seating, allowing you to receive the service earlier and saving time when the plane pulls up to the gate.

However, you might only be able to upgrade to Economy Plus during check-in if you have selected a Basic Economy seat so check beforehand with the airline.

In the past decade, the airlines have been reducing the legroom in their never-ending quest to maximize profits. They constantly look for ways to cut corners and charge their customers more.

So technically, United Economy Plus legroom today is what was the legroom a decade ago in Economy seats.

However, if you wish to prioritize your comfort for extra legroom, especially during a transcontinental flight, it is worth every penny. 

Economy vs Economy Plus

Economy Plus provides several perks that make your flight more comfortable than the Economy seats.

Let us take a closer look at the differences right now.

1. Boarding

If you are flying Economy Plus, you can board the plane before the Economy or Basic Economy passengers.

However, as mentioned on the website, whether or not you get priority boarding depends on how full the flight is, the route, and, frankly, whether or not the gate agents bother to announce it.

2. Seat Location

United Airlines has divided its Economy sections into three different sub-sections.

The table below explains the seat locations of all three economy sections.

SECTION	SEAT LOCATION
Economy Plus	Front of the economy section
Economy	Near the middle of the economy section
Basic Economy	Near the back of the economy section

The Economy Plus passengers receive service first and are allowed off the plane earlier when it is time to descend.

3. Legroom

A standard United Economy or Basic Economy seat has legroom between 30 to 31 inches allotted to them each. However, Economy Plus has 36 inches assigned to them, allowing five to six more inches of legroom.

For a taller person, this makes a desirable option. An Economy Plus seat has about the same amount of legroom as a standard coach seat had in the year 2000.

4. Price Difference

The price difference is the most significant difference between United Airlines Economy and Economy Plus seats. 

For flights within the continental United States, an Economy Plus ticket costs at least $20 more, with an average additional charge of $80.

An Economy Plus seat might cost between 200 USD to 300 USD more for transcontinental or international flights, where extra legroom is always welcome and appreciated.

How Much Does United Economy Plus Cost?

United Economy Plus upgrade can cost anywhere between 20 USD to 200 USD, depending on the length of the flight or if it is domestic, international, or transcontinental. These costs are added to your Economy class tickets if you opt for an upgrade during the check-in.

Numerous online and offline reviews state that the Economy Plus United Airlines tickets are worth the money, especially if you are on a long flight and appreciate every ounce of comfort.

However, this might be less enticing for shorter domestic flights, and you will feel like you have been overcharged.

The upcharge varies depending on the length of the flight and destination but usually ranges from 20 USD to 200 USD. United also offers a tiered subscription program with unlimited annual upgrades, which starts at $499 for flights around the continental United States and $699 for a global pass.

United Economy Plus Alternatives

United Airlines is one of many airlines offering a slightly better version of economy seats. Doing so is trendy right now in the travel industry. 

Due to constantly decreasing space for legroom in the past decade to offset the ever-increasing cost of jet fuel and executive compensation, numerous airlines have come up with United Economy Plus equivalents that allow them to charge higher for providing extra five to six inches of legroom on their flight.

United Airlines provides Economy Plus with a seat pitch of about 37 inches, about six inches more space than their Economy or Basic Economy seats.

The table below shows the equivalents of Economy Plus offered by other airlines.

AIRLINE	ECONOMY PLUS EQUIVALENT	SEAT PITCH(in inches)
American Airlines	Main Extra Cabin	35” to 37”
JetBlue	Even More Space	38” to 39”
Delta Airlines	Comfort+	34”
Spirit Airlines	Big Front	36”
Icelandair	Economy Flex	34”
Virgin Atlantic	Economy Delight	34”

United Economy Plus provides more legroom than most airlines with their Economy Plus equivalents.

Final Remarks

In this article, we created a definitive guide if the United Economy Plus tickets are worth the money.

Let’s briefly go over this topic once again.

Is United Economy Plus worth it? United Economy Plus is worth the extra money, especially if you are a tall person who appreciates extra legroom or is on a transcontinental or long international flight.