United just unveiled a new first class seat, complete with more privacy and wireless phone charging take a look
Taylor Rains
- United Airlines is retrofitting 200 of its Boeing and Airbus narrowbody planes with a new first class cabin.
- The modernized seats will feature upgraded amenities like wireless charging and privacy wings.
United Airlines announced a giant aircraft modernization project in June 2021 dubbed "United Next." The plan includes an order of 270 narrowbody planes and the overhaul of the carrier's domestic mainline cabins.
This project will touch nearly every single-aisle plane in the company's fleet, with new 737 MAX jets having already been delivered with the new signature interior.
However, the post-pandemic battle for deep-pocket customers has prompted United to further improve its most premium offerings.
On Wednesday, the Chicago-based carrier unveiled a brand new first class seat that will debut on the Boeing 737 this month. Improvements include things like more charging options and better privacy compared to its current product.
"As we evolve the onboard experience, we're upending old industry norms and anticipating future needs to accommodate the new ways people live and travel," Mark Muren, United's managing director of identity, product, and loyalty, said in a press release.
The company plans to fit the upgraded cabin onto 200 narrowbody planes by 2026, including upcoming Airbus A321neos, newly delivered Boeing 737 MAXs, and select Boeing 737 NGs currently in the fleet — take a look.
The last time United launched a significant cabin upgrade was in 2015 when it started flying its current first class design.
According to the airline, its present loungers come with amenities like extra space, six-way adjustable headrests, large tray tables, and premium drinks.
While the old cabin wasn't extremely dated, new modernizations will make it more competitive in the post-COVID market.
One of the biggest upgrades is the addition of wireless charging, which is located in the center armrest. Each seat also has an AC power outlet and USB-C.
"The wireless charger is located in a compartment of the armrest to give the passenger line-of-sight to notifications and free their hands and tray table," United said in a press release.
Another major enhancement is the addition of 13-inch seatback screens, which are Bluetooth-capable and come with a handheld remote.
According to United, its premium customers more commonly prefer "a two-screen experience where they use a personal device and a seatback screen simultaneously."
While the carrier has not yet released an image of the TVs in the new first class, the screen is already on its newly delivered narrowbody planes, like the pictured Boeing 737 MAX 8.
It was one of the adjustments made to first class during the June 2021 rollout as not all of United's existing first class cabins have seatback TVs.
Meanwhile, United has also added more space for work and leisure, including a five-inch recline and a fully-collapsable aisle armrest.
The carrier said the new tray tables come with a built-in tablet holder — similar to the current design — and are big enough to accommodate most laptops.
Moreover, the plush seat cushions sit one inch lower to accommodate taller travelers, while bottle holders and small cocktail tables are located between the armrests.
In an effort to meet the growing demand for privacy, the carrier has also added wings around the headrests, as well as a center divider.
While the divider is nice for people traveling solo, United confirmed to Insider that it is stationary — meaning those traveling together will have an unmovable obstacle between them.
The latest product will differ from the new first class design that debuted on a handful of Airbus A319 jets earlier this year.
In June, The Points Guy reported a soft launch of a separate — yet also new — first class seat.
According to United, the lounger is designed for existing Airbus A319s, Airbus A320s, and select Beoing 737s, and will be fully deployed on over 200 planes by 2025.
The version is very similar to Wednesday's announced product, minus the wireless charging and privacy divider, per TPG.
United's new and improved first class comes as airlines try to cater to more high-paying customers — especially as business travel slowly crawls its way back, albeit still below 2019 levels.
Business travel took a plunge during the pandemic as more people worked remotely, and in-person meetings were quickly replaced with teleconference apps like Zoom and Google Meets.
Corporations also saw the money they could save on office space and plane tickets by creating a virtual workplace.
The company is facing strong competition, though.
Companies like American Airlines and Delta Air Lines have been actively upgrading their business and first class products.
Delta, in particular, recently introduced a brand new first class cabin on its Airbus A321neos.
Like United, the company has added privacy wings and seatback screens. It is probably the closest competition to the new United First.
American has also upgraded its premium narrowbody cabin, but instead of first, it is introducing a new business class on future Airbus A321XLRs.
The seat one-ups United and Delta simply because it is lie-flat, though American is likely going to mostly use this plane on long-haul and international routes.
It's also possible the XLR will fly transcontinental or to Hawaii routes, meaning American could offer this lie-flat seating on narrowbody domestic flights.
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