United to Launch Relax Row, Lie-Flat Seating in Economy

Advertiser disclosure You're our first priority.Every time. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. While we don't cover every company or financial product on the market, we work hard to share a wide range of offers and objective editorial perspectives. So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us for advertisements that appear on our site. This compensation helps us provide tools and services - like free credit score access and monitoring. With the exception of mortgage, home equity and other home-lending products or services, partner compensation is one of several factors that may affect which products we highlight and where they appear on our site. Other factors include your credit profile, product availability and proprietary website methodologies. However, these factors do not influence our editors' opinions or ratings, which are based on independent research and analysis. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews. Here is a list of our partners. United to Launch Relax Row, Lie-Flat Seating in Economy The new seating option is expected to come in 2027. Written by Benjamin Din Benjamin Din Lead Travel Writer & Content Strategist 11 years of experience Expertise Travel credit cards loyalty programs Benjamin Din is a lead travel writer at NerdWallet. He previously was a technology reporter at Politico, where he authored a daily newsletter covering tech and telecom policy.Benjamin loves to travel — both for work and for fun. He’s reported from three continents and visited more than 45 countries. He has written for The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle and The (Johannesburg) Star, as well as covered two Olympics with NBC Sports.His goal is to visit a new country and a new state each year. Published in Edited by Claire Tsosie Claire Tsosie Managing Editor 11 years of experience Expertise Travel credit cards Claire Tsosie is a managing editor for the Travel Rewards team at NerdWallet. She started her career on the credit cards team as a writer, then worked as an editor on New Markets. Her work has been featured by Forbes, USA Today and The Associated Press. Published in other Published Mar 24, 2026 Fact Checked How is this page expert verified? NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible. More on our editorial rigor SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED This page includes information about these cards, currently unavailable on NerdWallet. The information has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been provided or reviewed by the card issuer. If you don’t want to splurge for lie-flat seats in international business class, United Airlines will offer a new lie-flat option for economy customers starting in 2027.The airline says the new seating option, called United Relax Row, will be on more than 200 widebody planes by 2030. Each plane is expected to have up to 12 Relax Row sections, although the average will be nine per plane. While pricing details haven’t yet been announced, this option is expected to be cheaper than purchasing a seat in United’s Polaris business class.United will be the first North American airline to offer this product.

Air New Zealand, one of the airline’s Star Alliance partners, offers a similar Skycouch option in economy.United unveiled the new product at a media event in March 2026. Here’s an early look at what the experience will be like.» MORE: Best United credit cardsUnited Relax Row: How it worksWhen you book the United Relax Row, you will get a set of three economy seats equipped with footrests that can be converted into a couch-style experience. United says Relax Row will be offered on long-haul flights.Relax Row will be located directly behind Premium Plus, the airline’s premium economy section, and comes with special amenities. Those include a mattress pad, an additional blanket and two extra pillows. Children will also get a plush toy and a travel kit, which they can take home. (Photo by Benjamin Din/NerdWallet) The footrests will be able to tilt up to 45 degrees or 90 degrees. If you don’t purchase Relax Row but are seated in an eligible row, you’ll still get the added bonus of using the footrest.» MORE: United makes major changes to miles earning ratesHow much does United Relax Row cost?United did not provide any pricing details, but it said it would announce more information closer to the launch date.

Air New Zealand says Skycouch pricing can vary based on factors like demand, your booking class and how many people will use Skycouch. Generally, all passengers must pay their own fare and an additional Skycouch charge.If the price is right, this new option could be an excellent alternative to premium economy or even business class, considering how wide the space is for United Relax Row. However, if you're on the taller side or want upgraded catering, it may not be the right choice.Who is United Relax Row for?United says the Relax Row is best suited for families with small children, couples and solo travelers. While you can include up to three people in a row, though, you’ll have more space with fewer people.If your flight is empty and you score your own row with the footrests, you could theoretically set up the lie-flat option. However, you won’t get any of the amenities, such as extra bedding.For those who want more space — and the ability to lie down comfortably — United Relax Row could be a good option.How to maximize your rewardsYou want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardNo annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit CardBonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve® Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Explore more onTravel Article sources Article sources NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines. Back to top Related articles United MileagePlus Program: The Complete Guide By Benjamin Din What’s the Value of United Miles? (Calculator) By Sam Kemmis Best United Airlines Credit Cards By Craig Joseph United Airlines: Basic Economy vs. Economy vs.

Economy Plus By Benjamin Din