United Is Now Selling Premium Economy Fares And Awards; All 4 United Tel Aviv Frequencies Will Feature Polaris And Premium Plus Seating!

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United has started selling their new Premium Economy cabin, which they are branding as Premium Plus.

It features a seat similar to United’s domestic first class. It is a wider seat with more recline, upgraded Saks 5th Avenue bedding, an amenity kit, a larger entertainment screen, free alcoholic beverages, mid-flight snacks, upgraded dining, extra legroom, individual power and USB outlets, and a legrest/footrest.

The new cabin officially launches on March 30th, though you may get lucky and get seated in Premium Plus before then. If you do, you don’t get the full Premium Plus experience, though you will get a much nicer seat. You may see this seatmap on earlier flights, but until 3/30 it is not guaranteed as the aircraft may be swapped out with one that does not have Premium Plus seating.

You can view Premium Plus launch dates for various routes here.

Elite members do not get free access to the Premium Plus cabin. They will have to use an upgrade certificate, which will be valid for Premium Plus and/or Polaris. You can specify which cabins you are willing to accept.

There is no fare class requirement to use an upgrade certificate and move from Economy to Premium Plus. There is no fare class requirement to use an upgrade certificate and move from Premium Plus to Polaris.

Premium Plus bookings earn 150% Premier qualifying miles and get 2 free checked bags as well as Premier access checkin and boarding. Club access is not included, but will be discounted. If you have domestic connections you will get free Economy Plus seating on those flights.

You can check the progress of adding a Premium Plus cabin to United’s widebody fleet here by clicking on “Track Aircraft Milestones.”

United is going all-in with Premium Plus and Polaris Business seating to Tel Aviv.

• United afternoon flights 84/85 between Newark and Tel Aviv will be on a 787-10 (78J) starting on 3/30/19. This will feature 44 Polaris Business seats (with lie-flat direct aisle access from all seats in a 1-2-1 configuration), 21 Premium Plus seats (with domestic first class style seating in a 2-3-2 configuration), 54 Economy Plus seats (with coach seats that have extra legroom in a 3-3-3 configuration), and 199 Economy Minus seats (in a 3-3-3 configuration).
• United red-eye flights 90/91 between Newark and Tel Aviv will be on a 777-300 (77W). This will feature 60 Polaris Business seats (with lie-flat direct aisle access from all seats in a 1-2-1 configuration), 24 Premium Plus seats (with domestic first class style seating in a 2-4-2 configuration), 62 Economy Plus seats (with coach seats that have extra legroom in a 3-4-3 configuration), and 204 Economy Minus seats (in a 3-4-3 configuration).
• United flights 72/73 between Washington DC and Tel Aviv will be on a (pre-merger United) 777-200 starting on 5/22/19. This will feature 49 Polaris Business seats (with lie-flat direct aisle access from all seats in a 1-2-1 configuration), 24 Premium Plus seats (with domestic first class style seating in a 2-4-2 configuration), 46 Economy Plus seats (with coach seats that have extra legroom in a 3-4-3 configuration), and 152 Economy Minus seats (in a 3-4-3 configuration).
• United flights 954/955 between San Francisco and Tel Aviv will be on a 777-300 starting on 3/30/19. This will feature 60 Polaris Business seats (with lie-flat direct aisle access from all seats in a 1-2-1 configuration), 24 Premium Plus seats (with domestic first class style seating in a 2-4-2 configuration), 62 Economy Plus seats (with coach seats that have extra legroom in a 3-4-3 configuration), and 204 Economy Minus seats (in a 3-4-3 configuration).

If you’re flying between Newark-Tel Aviv, here’s which flight will be more comfortable:

• Business class, you’ll be slightly better off on the red-eye flight as that seat should be slightly wider as the 77W is wider than the 78J.
• Premium Plus, you’ll be better of with the afternoon flight with the 2-3-2 configuration versus 2-4-2 configuration on the red-eye.
• Economy Plus, you’ll be better off with the afternoon flight with the 3-3-3 configuration than on the red-eye flight with a a 3-4-3 configuration.
• Economy, you’ll be better off with the afternoon flight with the 3-3-3 configuration than on the red-eye flight with a 3-4-3 configuration.
• Business class with kids in a carseat won’t officially be allowed on the 77W or 78J. United is violating FAA policy with this restriction. You can file a complaint here if this affects you.

Sample nonstop Premium Economy fares:

• Newark to Tel Aviv from 3/31-4/7 is $2,205 round-trip.
• Washington DC to Tel Aviv from 5/22-5/26 is $2,316 round-trip.
• San Francisco to Tel Aviv from 3/31-4/7 is $2,538 round-trip.

One-way award pricing between North America and Israel on United:

• Coach: 42.5K Saver, up to 95K Standard
• Premium Economy: 60K Saver, up to 150K Standard
• Business: 75K Saver, up to 180K Standard

Married segment pricing seems to be heavily applied to Premium Economy awards.

For example a nonstop flight from Newark to Tel Aviv prices out at 150K for Premium Economy:

But if you fly from Chicago to Tel Aviv via Cleveland and Newark, you’ll pay just 60K for Premium Economy. This pricing will only apply if you are a Chase United cardholder:

You can search for a 30 day view of Premium Economy pricing, though the 60K dates always seem to have 2 stops:

Which cabin will you travel in on your next flight?