Although Singapore Airlines was the first airline to take delivery of and begin flying the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, United Airlines is the first U.S. airline to do so, and it has finally announced the timing and routes for its new planes. In good news for U.S.-based fliers, the jets will go into service on domestic routes rather than the long-haul international flights for which United tends to use its other Dreamliners.
Starting January 7, 2019, United will begin operating the 787-10 on certain flights from its hub at Newark (EWR) to Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO). The jet will be available for one flight daily between Newark and Los Angeles starting in January, and two flights daily from February 14, 2019. Fliers between Newark and San Francisco can expect to the see the plane two times daily from February 14, and three times daily starting March 8, 2019. Since the airline will operate 12 flights to Los Angeles and 15 to San Francisco daily, however, be sure to check the schedule and seat map of any booking you make in order to ensure that you are on the correct aircraft.
The 787-10 is a “stretch” version of Boeing’s other Dreamliners, the 787-8 and 787-9. It will have 318 seats total: 44 in business class, 21 in United’s new Premium Plus, 54 in Economy Plus (a few inches more legroom than regular economy) and 199 regular economy seats.
The business-class cabin will feature the airline’s newest Polaris seats. The fully lie-flat seats are arranged in a dense 1 – 2 – 1 configuration so that each passenger has direct-aisle access. They are also treated Saks Fifth Avenue amenity kits with Cowshed Spa products, specialty cocktails and seasonal menus developed through the airline’s partnership with the Trotter Project.
The aircraft will have United’s new Premium Plus seats, too, which are the airline’s new version of premium economy. There will be just 21 of these seats aboard. They will be located in the first three rows at the front of the economy cabin and arranged in a 2 – 3 – 2 pattern, as opposed to the 3 – 3 – 3 layout of the rest of economy. Because of that, each is closer to 19 inches wide, compared to about 17 in coach, and will have 38 inches of pitch, rather than the 31-32 inches of regular coach seats.
The airline will initially sell Premium Plus seats like the extra legroom Economy Plus seats directly behind them rather than as a separate product. After a few months, however, fares for these seats are likely to go up as United begins to sell them as a distinct, separate option. So if you plan to fly soon after the jets go into service, you might have a good chance of snagging one of these new seats for just a slight premium over regular coach options.
Passengers seated in Economy Plus (including the Premium Plus seats) will also receive free “coastal-city-inspired” meals onboard that will include a hot entrée, dessert, fruit and a pre-arrival snack as well as complimentary alcoholic beverages.
If you’d like to be among the first to fly United’s 787-10s, one-way fares between Newark and Los Angeles or San Francisco start as low as $127 in economy and $659 in business class in January and February.
