Flying United 787-9 Premium Plus recently from Los Angeles to Newark revealed some things about United’s top tier premium economy product that are worth mentioning.
Some of it is good. Some of it ain’t.
Basically what happened is that I got to sit in a really nice (but malfunctioning) seat while eating a decent (but extremely dry) meal served by a cabin crew who (I’d bet pretty much anything) wasn’t really in the mood to go to Newark.
Other than that it was fantastic.
UA2361
Los Angeles, CA (LAX) – Newark, NJ (EWR)
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Aircraft: 787-9
Registration: N24979
Duration: 4 hours 55 minutes
Seat: 21F (Premium Plus / Premium Economy)
My full review of Premium Plus on the United 787-9 from LAX to EWR
United advertises a legit / proper Premium Plus product on widebody aircraft such as the 787 on flights between Los Angeles and Newark. It is not supposed to be a watered down “domestic” version. They promise a similar experience to what you’ll get on long haul international routes.
My experience was a little different.
Arrival at LAX
I arrived from San Diego in Delta Embraer 175 first class approximately two hours prior to the departure of this flight to EWR. It was a bit of a trek to walk over to Terminal 7 from Terminal 2, but I survived just fine.
The boarding process
Things were going smashingly well right up until about 10 minutes prior to the boarding process. That’s when “the announcement” came. You know, the one where they let you know that they’re not quite ready yet, and that you would be better off sitting down rather than standing in line. Because it’s gonna be a while.
United 787-9 Premium Plus seat and cabin overview
There are three rows of Premium Plus seats on the United 787-9. They are arranged in a 2-3-2 layout, which is slightly less dense than what you saw in my United 777-300ER Premium Plus review. That one is 2-4-2.
These premium economy seats are exactly the same as what you will find on other United long-haul aircraft. They all feature large video screens, retractable foot and leg rests, and in-seat power.
The departure from LAX
Our gate departure was 34 minutes late at 2:09 PM. Making matters worse was the fact that the captain announced potential arrival delays into EWR (because EWR). “We’ll let you know when we know.” OK then.
It was a 15 minute taxi over to runway 25R, and we were in the air and on our way by 2:24 PM.
In flight entertainment
The more United reviews that I write, the harder it is to wax poetic about how good the in flight entertainment system is. I have a fairly limited vocabulary, and I’m having a hard time coming up for alternative words for “wow”, “holy crap”, “ooh baby”, and “hell yeah.”
All you need to know is that this is the same great in-flight entertainment system that United offers on all of its newest aircraft. It’s highly customizable and offers a ton of really great content (including Apple TV+).
Noise canceling headphones were not provided on this flight. Not only that, the cabin crew didn’t even offer wired earbuds. We got nothin’.
This in-flight entertainment system offers Bluetooth connectivity however, which allows you to connect your own wireless headphones. My connection kept dropping once every few minutes though. It was annoying as hell.
The meal service
Unlike my last United Premium Plus experience, I was offered the option to pre-select a meal several days prior to departure. You’re damn right I smashed the chicken and rice button within 10 seconds of getting that email.
Being served a full meal outside of business / first class on a US domestic flight is a rarity these days. This meal wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to keep me satisfied all the way to EWR.
Seat and cabin comfort
These are very good premium economy seats IMHO. Seat recline is decent, and when combined with the retractable leg rest, it’s a halfway comfortable experience.
Thinking back on it, this was darn near as comfortable as my last flight from LAX to EWR (United 757-200 P.S. business class back in 2017). The main difference is that everything in that seat was 100% functional.
The lavatory
There are two lavatories located just ahead of the Premium Plus cabin. Business class passengers have easy access to these as well, so it can get a little busy at times.
The descent and arrival into Newark
As predicted by our pilot back at LAX, EWR was indeed experiencing arrival delays by the time we were getting close. This resulted in a windy and meandering approach into the New York area which probably would’ve been rather scenic if I had been sitting by a window.
The fact that the cabin crew didn’t offer a pre-landing snack and beverage service was surprising. They certainly had the time for it. The “scenic” approach into EWR can take a while.
We touched down on runway 22L 54 minutes late at 10:19 PM. The taxi over to gate 75 took 9 minutes, and we were fully docked (and let loose) at 10:28 PM.
Pros and cons
They lied to me. What they promised (a full international style premium economy experience) was not what they delivered.
I guess the moral of the story is that, when it comes to flying United Premium Plus, the route matters more than the aircraft type. Either that or none of these cabin crews enjoy flying to Newark. I don’t know.
Pros
- It’s a fantastic seat. The legroom is excellent, it’s very wide, and highly adjustable.
- In flight entertainment is top-notch. One of the best video systems you’ll find on any airline anywhere in the world.
- It’s a pretty good meal for a domestic flight. My only recommendation is to choose the moistest option on the menu.
Cons
- These seats are showing their age (and are starting to malfunction). Not only did my power outlets not work, the Bluetooth connection to my AirPods Pro kept dropping every few minutes.
- Despite what they tell you, it will be a watered down (neutered) service on domestic routes.
- There are very few Premium Plus seats on the 787-9 (at least in relation to how large this aircraft is). These seats are highly sought after how3ever, and they fill up fast. You gotta be quick!
Maybe this sounds a bit whiny, but I think people should have some proper flying etiquette, like opening/closing window shades, keeping screens dark, not reclining their seat during a meal service, etc.
That’s my kind of whining! Totally agree with you on all points.
Will you be posting the EWR-DTW leg of your journey? I looked at your flight log and I noticed you haven’t flown on this flight before.
Yup – that’s next!
I thought for sure that this would be Polaris review, especially considering this is a Premium Transcon route and that you’ve technically never flown it. If I’m not wrong, your 4 Polaris flights a few years back were just Domestic First with the long-haul seats, right?
And because this is a premium route, it’s unfortunate that you didn’t get noise cancelling headphones, better-quality bedding, an amenity kit, or a pre-landing snack. At least you were served a proper meal, but still, this is supposed to be the same experience as on long-haul flights.
Also, I think it’s worth mentioning how much better-looking this cabin is on the 787 than on the 767/777. The larger windows & mood lighting make a huge difference!
Nah, I’ve been on a bit of a premium economy kick recently so I didn’t even try for business class. I did it on the 787-8 once (I can’t remember – everything is blending together lol) but you’re right – those old Polaris experiences were glorified domestic first class.
Did you ask anyone why “Premium transcontinental service” wasn’t offered?
I should’ve raised my hand and asked! The cabin crew didn’t look like they were in the mood to play along though, so it was probably best that I remained silent.
I was just researching United Premium Plus a couple of days ago – this review has come in handy. Thanks!
Glad this was helpful Kelly! I highly recommend giving it a go.