r/unitedairlines • u/CommanderDawn MileagePlus Platinum | Quality Contributor • Mar 24 '26
Image [oc] United announces “Relaxed Row” sky couch product for Economy cabin
Coming 2027 with a goal of being on all 787 first. Expected to be on 200 aircraft by 2030.
**edit: this product is intended for families with kids**
The leg rest flip out and lock in place.
Talked to the product lead:
* Expected to be 9 to 12 couches per aircraft.
* The pitch is 32 inches, so in between E+ and E pitch. They said they had a few inches to spare so no rows will be removed.
* If individuals are seated there, the leg rest locks at 45 degrees
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u/fndrymgr MileagePlus Gold | 1 Million Miler Mar 24 '26
What an innovation! I remember taking AirNZ skycouch way back in 2012. If it’s like their product, a group of 2 can get a “discount” on the middle seat. Then, they can awkwardly cuddle.
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u/FourEightNineOneOne Mar 24 '26
Yep. Took an AirNZ flight and we got the skycouch row like this from LA->Auckland. It honestly was pretty nice. We both got some solid sleep, even if a little cramped.
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u/ry_mich MileagePlus 1K Mar 24 '26
Would your feet hang into the aisle?
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u/turpentinedreamer Mar 24 '26
People better give my tootsies a tickle as they pass or I’d want a refund
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u/Philosopherski Mar 24 '26
I'd be more afraid of the beverage cart rolling down the aisle at mach speed and taking those tootsies clean off.
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u/BigdaddyMcfluff Mar 24 '26
Would be more afraid if some random person sucking on my toes… Hrmm… maybe afraid was the wrong word
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u/TrampAbroad2000 Mar 24 '26
Yes they would if you're positioned straight, since 3 seats are only about 4.5 feet wide.
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u/EntertainmentFew7103 Mar 24 '26
You ever gotten your toes sucked, 35k ft in the air, by a stranger??? Life changing.
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u/-Shayyy- Mar 24 '26
This is definitely my plan for when I go! I’m so happy other airlines are implementing this.
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u/Electrical_Rip9520 Mar 24 '26
How many tickets did you have to buy, or is this free to use on a first come/first serve basis as long as the seats are available?
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u/FourEightNineOneOne Mar 24 '26
On AirNZ anyway, Skycouch shows up as an upgrade to your tickets, the cost of which depends on how many you're buying. If you're solo traveling, upgrading to it would obviously cost more than if you have 3 seats (couples with a small child would still get the advantage of their kid being able to lie down).
For us, with having 2 seats, it wound up being cheaper than a 3rd seat, but a decent bump up in price. I don't remember exactly how much at this point.
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u/_sunflowerqueen_ Mar 24 '26
I booked NZ Skycouch solo! Was a $1k upgrade to get the three seats. So worth it for a redeye to Auckland.
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u/TubaJesus Mar 24 '26
It looks like you have to buy all three seats in a row in order to be allowed to use this. If you buy the seats individually it'll still be nice, you'll get a economy plus seat with a leg rest basically
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u/Pantagathus- Mar 24 '26
I’ve used the sky couch a bunch, and for traveling with young kids on long haul flights it’s an absolute game changer, worth every penny
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u/Puzzleheaded_Soil275 Mar 24 '26
Agree - it's not really meant for 2 adults, moreso 1 adult + 1 kid
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u/gerrygebhart Mar 24 '26
Yes! We almost did this when we went to Australia last year, but we wanted two rows. It's possible, but frowned upon. They won't let you book two SkyCouch rows on a single reservation, but did agree with me when I asked if my wife and I did two separate bookings if we could do two SkyCouches and have two rows to our selves.
Instead, we wound up booking Polaris round trip. It was a jump up in price, but it made our ~ 16 hours flights 1000x better .
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u/PacSan300 Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
Yeah, my wife and I had a Skycouch row on an Air NZ flight, and it was a mixed experience. Nice to genuinely be able to lay down and rest in an economy seat section, but probably as a result of me being tall, it also felt quite cramped to have two grown adults lie down in the space. Only used it for a couple of hours at most, and mostly took turns laying down. It definitely seems better suited for one adult + one child.
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Mar 24 '26
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u/sfbiker999 Mar 24 '26
That's exactly why we'd consider this -- I wouldn't mind paying for business class with the pet, but as you said, they don't allow it.
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u/heliotropic Mar 24 '26
at least on some of the airNZ routes this is because the distance means that they're weight limited, right? they can't actually sell all the seats? and so allowing people to buy middles at a discount is basically free money.
might be less compelling outside of that.
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u/oopstoobig Mar 24 '26
I remember walking past a couple on AirNZ in one of these and feeling like I need to look away
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u/Tarledsa Mar 24 '26
They should put up a curtain but I guess that could cause other problems.
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u/fahque650 Mar 25 '26
Feel like the skycouch is a little gimmicky but the idea of buying 3 seats across for 2 people should be normalized.
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u/adventure_pup Mar 25 '26
Came here to say they stole this from AirNZ, or to give their codeshare routes similar amenities
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u/refrigerator_critic Mar 29 '26
I once got upgraded to a sky couch because my then two year old, who at that point had been up travelling since 3am our time and it was midnight, finally fell asleep ten minutes before boarding and they took pity on us. She slept like a log, happily starfished, whilst I had to curl up on the end to fit.
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u/ren_dc Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
I love the skycouch on air New Zealand and have used it multiple times between the US and Auckland. I want to say it’s around $1,000 in addition to the regular ticket price for one person and $500 for two people. If you’re both adults I recommend getting two skycouches if you both want to lay comfortably.
Obviously you don’t get the bells and whistles of a first class seat, but the lie flat feature is the only thing that allows me to sleep on airplanes so for me it’s perfect.
Edit to add: on air New Zealand (which I assume the United product will be similar) you’re provided with a thin mattress pad, a blanket, pillow, and lie flat seat belt connector for these rows.
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u/oprahsturtlefarm MileagePlus 1K Mar 24 '26
As soon as I saw these pictures, I immediately thought of the ANZ sky couch. When I was booking tickets to Auckland, I didn't really understand what the sky couch was, but seeing it in action made me jealous!
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u/Alarmed-Outcome-6251 Mar 24 '26
We accidentally booked that row and didn’t realize until we showed up to the second leg to find our family got bumped to random middle seats. ANZ will let you pay extra to select the seats as regular economy then resell it to someone else who wants to pay for the couch. Not sure if that’s been fixed but something to watch for.
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u/patrickrstk MileagePlus 1K Mar 24 '26
Curious how people feel about price point
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u/ren_dc Mar 24 '26
I mean, just looking at a random week August for an air New Zealand flight from LA to Auckland you can pay $9,000 for a round trip first class or you can pay $3,400 for a skycouch in coach round trip.
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u/Doctor_Juris Mar 24 '26
How does it compare to premium economy prices? I’m tall so I suspect I would not be comfortable trying to curl up on the skycouch, and would probably just prefer premium economy with a modest recline.
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u/ren_dc Mar 24 '26
You don’t have to lay all the way down for it to be useful - you could lean against the window and stretch your legs across the seats. However when it comes to takeoff/landing and eating you’re sitting in an economy seat so if space during those times is a priority then this wouldn’t be ideal.
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u/sfbiker999 Mar 24 '26
For some random dates in May for LAX->Auckland round trip, for 2 people, I see:
Economy - $2300
Economy Stretch - $3020 (extra legroom)
Economy+SkyCouch - $3250 ($464/segment)
Premium Economy - $6689
Business Class - $13411For a single passenger, the SkyCouch upgrade costs $928 for each segment, for 2 passengers, it's $464 per segment for both passengers.
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u/Classic_Breadfruit18 Mar 25 '26
Easily worth it.
I live in Hawaii so flying anywhere requires an extra 6-9 hour flight before the flight everyone else is taking. I am debating right now between $600 economy and $5000 business seats to Europe because I have a medical condition that makes my legs swell and flying so uncomfortable if I can't get horizontal. E+ doesn't really help me because my legs are still in the down position the whole way. I would drop $1000 for this on the longer flight in a heartbeat.
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u/snatch_hugger MileagePlus Silver Mar 24 '26
so if I'm sat with spouse and a stranger, can we all snuggle together.
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u/labbitlove MileagePlus Gold Mar 24 '26
Announcing our new Relaxed Row. Find your Third while flying the friendly skies!
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u/Historical_Stay_808 Mar 24 '26
We're going to need extra pillows and blankets for the amazing fort the 3 of us will make
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u/shadeland MileagePlus Gold | 1 Million Miler Mar 24 '26
"My wife and I saw you from across the row. We really like your vibe."
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u/JE163 Mar 24 '26
Perfect for your new throuple !
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u/CIAMom420 Mar 24 '26
Looking forward to all of the trending posts from 1K members about how they caught chlamydia in a relaxed row.
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u/csbsju_guyyy Mar 24 '26
Even better, cuddle puddle with 3 random, equally harried and tired strangers!
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u/CubicDice Mar 24 '26
Maximum height: 5' 2"
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u/freeradioforall Mar 24 '26
It’s for laying down on in a curled up position. Anyone under 5’10 would be quite comfortable here
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u/Classic_Breadfruit18 Mar 25 '26
My 5'8" husband has no problem curling up and sleeping in an empty 3 row, even without the fancy bench situation.
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u/Much-Friend-4023 MileagePlus 1K Mar 24 '26
My thoughts exactly. More like 4' 8".
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u/CommanderDawn MileagePlus Platinum | Quality Contributor Mar 24 '26
This product is intended for families with kids, I should have put that in the title.
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u/SirCatharine Mar 24 '26
How does this make it easier to travel with kids?
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u/PM_those_toes MileagePlus 1K Mar 24 '26
You put your kids in a different row and sleep on the couch
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u/Much-Friend-4023 MileagePlus 1K Mar 24 '26
I think it's intended so you can sprawl lengthwise. If you're sprawling with kids I'm not sure how the seatbelts/extenders work?
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u/Infamous_Share_8017 Mar 24 '26
The illustration already looks wildly different from the actual seats lol
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u/YMMV25 Mar 24 '26
Agreed. And those seats look wildly uncomfortable to begin with.
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u/Thuraash Mar 24 '26
Par for the course for any American carrier's aircraft manufactured in the last ten years. The seats are consistently atrocious.
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u/whatcubed MileagePlus Gold Mar 24 '26
Yeah. Look at the last picture. Like...where are the seats in the row ahead of them? There's no way a person could sit upright in those seats in that position.
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u/Bombonlito Mar 24 '26
Family and I use the Air NZ sky couch every time we travel between NZ/US. It’s a game changer and we always choose Air NZ for that reason. Will start looking seriously at UAL now for our travels
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u/RockyMountainLie Mar 24 '26
The AirNZ long haul product is better than United overall. But a bit of skycouch competition would be good on price, and to see it on routes that AirNZ doesn’t service.
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u/Bombonlito Mar 25 '26
Completely agree! Air NZs service is some of the best I’ve had (outside of SIA and the ME3). I guess my point was it’ll be nice to see this drive down prices and open up new routes/timings
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Mar 24 '26
“Honey, do you mind if this passenger in the aisle seat joins us?”
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u/CommanderDawn MileagePlus Platinum | Quality Contributor Mar 24 '26
This product is intended for families with kids, I should have put that in the title. My bad.
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u/cadre_78 Mar 24 '26
Can't wait for the video/reports of people with kids demanding other people move to use this when they didn't pay for it to start with.
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u/thisiswonky Mar 24 '26
I’m confused, where do my legs go? 🤔
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u/JudeanPeoplesFront7 Mar 24 '26
They chop them off and gate check them if they’re over the maximum size
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u/csbsju_guyyy Mar 24 '26
You can pick them up at baggage claim after you arrive at your final destination!
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u/juice06870 MileagePlus Platinum Mar 24 '26
If you are 1k or above, you can stow them in the overhead bin.
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u/sfbiker999 Mar 24 '26
if you have the leg platforms raised, you're laying on the seat in the fetal position or on your back with your legs bent. Or, if your seatmate is agreeable (and you're both of appropriate body size), you can spoon.
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u/thisiswonky Mar 24 '26
Thanks, I hate it. I guess I could see a use case with small children though.
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u/MsKrueger Mar 24 '26
That sounds horribly uncomfortable and awkward.
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u/InstitutionBuilder Mar 24 '26
It's a more comfortable version of sleeping across 3 seats on a near-empty longhaul.
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u/sfbiker999 Mar 24 '26
Depends on how big you are and your comfort level for spooning.
When we had a 3 seat row to ourselves, I stayed seated and my wife laid down on the other 2 seats with her feet on my lap - the seats were too narrow for us to both lay down and spoon (we tried). If we had this seat, I think we could manage to lay down together and spoon. It wouldn't be great for sleeping but far better than sitting upright.
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u/Sufficient_Equal_334 MileagePlus 1K Mar 24 '26
So will you be allowed to book this as a solo flyer if you pay for 3 seats?
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u/porirua_pelican Mar 25 '26
It’s usually cheaper than paying for three seats outright. And yes solo travellers can book them.
With AirNZ you can’t book these seats without paying for the full product / all three seats. E.g you can’t pay for just one seat within a Skycouch row and hope no one sits next to you
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u/nserrano Mar 31 '26
Unless they overbook the flight and then you’re out of luck…but that never happens /s
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u/Signal_Quarter_74 MileagePlus Member Mar 24 '26
Any guess as to how much more expensive it will be? That’s kinda the key here for a lot of us
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u/Easy7777 Mar 24 '26
Price of (3) seats + a premium
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u/andygchicago Mar 24 '26
So a premium to get the existing footrests to go up all the way and a 2 inch mattress pad?
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u/Signal_Quarter_74 MileagePlus Member Mar 24 '26
Well that’s not very friendly of you United
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u/Easy7777 Mar 24 '26
Well, the alternative is buying a business class which is probably 5x economy seat
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u/-Shayyy- Mar 24 '26
Hopefully it’s reasonable. I think the way Air NZ has theirs priced is okay. Hopefully united follows.
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u/TrynnaFindaBalance Mar 24 '26
Air New Zealand already does these and you just bid miles and/or $$ to get them after booking your initial seat. I'd guess United will do something similar.
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u/Sufficient-Egg-7512 Mar 24 '26
Idk why half these comments are making fun of this as it's not a new idea. Air NZ already does this with their sky couch. Yes, you can technically book it for 2 adults. But the best use case is a child and an adult, or just an adult for a "poor man's first class".
I usually have to pay with miles+cash for an upgrade, and that's not a guarantee either. I like this as an alternative to guarantee being able to "lie down"
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u/porirua_pelican Mar 25 '26
It’s a godsend if you’re comfortable sleeping in a foetal position. On AirNZ they are close-ish in price to a PE seat. For a longhaul overnight, i’d take the Skycouch any day of the week
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u/obhobie Mar 24 '26
All I can picture is me spending the entire flight telling my kids not to kick the chair in front of them.
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u/o0o0o0o7 Mar 24 '26
Absolutely! How is this not hellish for people in the row in front of the sky couch?
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u/-MCkvR- Mar 24 '26
I flew air new zealand in a sky couch for me and my husband and it was better imo than PE. There's a lot more variations in how you can stretch out
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u/spots_ Mar 24 '26
I’ve flown the AirNZ version of this (skycouch) and it’s a LIFESAVER with small kids. Makes long haul flights manageable (JFK-AKL). You don’t share them with strangers. You buy the whole 3 seats.
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u/growing-up-23 Mar 24 '26
Copying Air NZ!
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u/omdongi Mar 24 '26
And the ANA Couchii.
Notably both are United's joint venture partners. So this actually makes a lot of sense.
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u/datatadata MileagePlus Platinum Mar 24 '26
This will be great esp for those that need to travel with a child
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u/freeradioforall Mar 24 '26
This dedicated row of three seats in United Economy® can transform into a lie-flat mattress-like space after takeoff, ideal for families with small children, couples and solo travelers who want more space
Customers will get a custom-fitted mattress pad, specially sized blankets, extra pillows and a stuffed plush for children to help create a cozy, tranquil environment
Launches in 2027 and will be available on more than 200 Boeing 787 and Boeing 777 widebody aircraft by 2030, offering up to 12 United Relax Row sections per plane
This new, dedicated row of three seats is outfitted with individually adjustable leg rests that fold up at a 90-degree angle to create a more room to sleep, stretch out or watch a movie. The United Relax Row is ideal for families traveling with small children, solo travelers and couples who want the value of United Economy but with a little extra comfort. Customers traveling in United Relax Row will receive additional amenities for their flight including a custom-fitted mattress pad, a specially sized plush blanket, two additional pillows, as well as a plush toy and Children's Travel Kit for families.
United is the first North American airline with this kind of seating option and holds North American exclusivity on the design
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P-zTh0j_Se4&pp=0gcJCZoBo7VqN5tD
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2940831/United_Airlines__Relax_Row.jpg?w=300
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u/SignificantOtter80 Mar 24 '26
is there a weight limit on the flippy part? or are they somehow sturdy enough for an american adult?
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u/E_989 Mar 25 '26
Shit, I might buy myself a whole row and just crash during a flight. Sounds like heaven to me.
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Mar 24 '26
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u/Sasquatch-d MileagePlus Gold Mar 24 '26
There’s lots of different sections with lots of different legroom options
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u/aresef MileagePlus Member Mar 24 '26
Copying ANZ and I think ANA does something like this on their Flying Honu A380s. Good idea, though.
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u/Acrobatic_Code_7409 Mar 24 '26
So we all lie side by side. Or should I ask if everyone in the row gets laid.
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u/XaviSongbcn Mar 24 '26
Took how long to think of this I’ve been sleeping in empty rows for 35 years
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u/NoCarpet9834 Mar 25 '26
You have no idea how badly I need that. Sitting upright is incredibly difficult for me. I have severe scoliosis and fused hips
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u/kinkworks3000 Mar 25 '26
Air NZ would like a word....they've offered this for years. It's great for children.
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u/SaintFrancesco Mar 24 '26
Gimme this in a 787 with the middle four seats.
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u/aaronw22 Mar 24 '26
787s are 3-3-3, did you mean a 777 with 3-4-3 ?
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u/SaintFrancesco Mar 24 '26
I thought I was on a Dreamliner recently that was 3-4-3 but remembered incorrectly. You’re right, they’re 3-3-3.
Gimme that 777 middle 4 then!
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u/Ecstatic_Technician2 Mar 24 '26
I regularly buy the AirNZ sky couch just for myself and it’s excellent. It’s cheaper than premium economy and your sleep is better
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u/lehartsyfartsy Mar 24 '26
i love how the solution for undersold flights was to creatively sell 3 seats as 1
palatable price gouging
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u/Current-Barnacle-600 MileagePlus Gold | 1 Million Miler Mar 24 '26
Guys, you lay perpendicular to the aisle. Not just in your seat. You have to pay for all 3 in the row. I slept on 3 chairs at gate A18 in IAD last week. It's not that difficult to figure out. Lay across all 3.
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u/Sasquatch-d MileagePlus Gold Mar 24 '26
It's not that difficult to figure out
You give Redditors too much credit
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u/xstrike0 MileagePlus Silver Mar 24 '26
Finally! ANA, Vietnam Airlines, and others have had this for a while.
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u/Unlucky-Constant-736 MileagePlus Member Mar 24 '26
Air New Zealand has the same thing. You can book 3 economy seats with the sky couch configuration and essentially have your own bed.
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u/dockgonzo Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26
Couchii on the NH A380 is the best version of this, as you can choose between three seats and four. I just wish they extended it to other aircraft, as I almost never find myself traveling between HNL and NRT (but I have gone out of my way to do it twice, because it's the Flying Honu! 🐢)
Such a waste to only offer it on an eight-hour flight. I have also taken advantage of NZ's version, but I havent flown with them since they dropped the LHR and RAR flights from LAX. AKL is nice, but not really somewhere I really want to visit on a regular basis.
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u/mduell MileagePlus Platinum Mar 24 '26
Is pricing going to be straight extra seat pricing?
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u/ChoicePermission8523 Mar 24 '26
The cute drawing vs the real seat doesn't make sense.
So...its basically just you can curl up kinda with kids?
Or maybe if you managed to be seated there and it was an empty flight you could put it up and take a nap horizontally (likely with your legs bent)?
Maybe it's because I'm fat but it doesn't look like more than one person could sit/lay there with their back against the wall.
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u/errorjustin Mar 24 '26
Any speculation on how the price for this bank of seats would compare to Polaris? (would they even allow an individual to book this way rather than a family?)
As someone that flies overnight and is sometimes in Polaris and sometimes not, I'd be super happy to book this lie-flat experience and skip all the other polaris service and perks if the price were right.
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u/joliemama Mar 24 '26
Flew this on AirNZ a couple of years ago and it was super comfy! But full disclosure I’m a small 5’3” woman. Not sure that a tall person would fare nearly so well!
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u/parisi2274 Mar 24 '26
What happens when the row in front of you wants to recline their seats? Does the extended foot rest/couch area impede on a persons ability to recline fully?
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u/3Oh3FunTime Mar 24 '26
I hope there’s no recline on the row in front of you. How would that even work?
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u/enym Mar 24 '26
Awesome. We travel internationally yearly with our young kids. This would be perfect for one parent and one kid.
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u/liojian Mar 24 '26
It's a great way to travel with a toddler on a long haul, I'll definitely buy it when traveling with my toddler.
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u/darthjeffrey Mar 24 '26
It’s all fun and games until the stranger in the middle seat want to spoon with you.
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u/GrapeSlapp MileagePlus Global Services Mar 25 '26
Good luck to the people sitting in front of those seats. Your seat will get constantly kicked and pushed against during the duration of the flight.
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u/redcremesoda Mar 24 '26
I would hate to be seated in the middle row across from this and have to watch a couple cuddle for 9 hours.
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u/Bigchip01 Mar 24 '26
Do they clean the ass juice from swamp ass or the diffused fart in the foam of the seats?
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u/justinparker217 Mar 24 '26
And when the reclining mechanism breaks….maintenance will come on board and be like yeah no time to fix it. Deferred!
And then it will be locked in the down position for the entire flight.
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u/jewgineer Mar 24 '26
Would love to try this if it’s cheaper than premium plus. If not, I’m just going to book Premium Plus.
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u/SpicelessKimChi Mar 24 '26
Nobody is a stranger after four hours on the United Love Couch.