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RELATED POSTSUnited’s “Economy Plus”
On my recent trip to Chicago I flew United, who now offers “Economy Plus” on all flights — seats that are towards the front of the plane and offer about 5 inches more legroom than the normal coach seating. Upgrades were offered during check-in for $34 per leg from Philadelphia to Chicago (the round trip ticket was around $225).
Is it worth it?
Well, for someone like me who is 6′3″, 5 extra inches of legroom is a pretty big deal. I can’t tell you how cramped it can get in coach seats, especially if the jerk in front of me decides to put his seat back all the way during the flight. I can usually manage ok in coach if I have an aisle seat, but a window or middle is utter devastation.
The major drawback to these seats is that they are no wider than regular seats, which is to say 3 to 5 inches too narrow for anyone to sit comfortably. So while your legs may be far more comfortable, during a crowded flight you’ll be just as likely to have a neighbor’s elbow lodged securely in your gut.
Price is also an issue, as I ended up paying 30% more for this privilege. (Verdict is still out on whether my company will find this to be a valid business expense.) But for me, it was worth it because there were no aisle seats left and I was stuck in the back of the plane in a window seat. On the return trip, I could only get a Economy Plus middle seat, but as my other option was a middle in the far back of the plane, I took the leap.
One other advantage of EP is that the seats are closer to the exit, so getting off the plane is far easier (on my flight to Chicago I was one of the first people off the plane). This is always helpful, especially if you have a connecting flight.
So, if you are very tall, I would say it is worth the extra bucks for Economy Plus. Otherwise, it’s probably better to save your money (at least until they offer wider seats).
July 25th, 2006 at 7:15 am
As a business traveler, I would rather have the option to pay for this upgrade when I make my original reservation — thus insuring that I will be reimbursed for this as a business expense. While I have not tried to submit this added fee for reimbursement, my assumption is that it would not be covered. By calling attention to this cost as a separate fee, it becomes too easy for companies to classify it as a “luxury” item, similar to using the mini bar or renting a movie in your hotel room, both expenses that are not eligible for reimbursement at most companies.
I assume that United offers this as an add-on because they have not sold those “premium seats” for a premium price prior to the online check-in window. But in my mind this practice is just shifting part of the travel expense from the company to the employee — not a way to endear an airline to business travelers.