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Seating options

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Frequently asked questions about our seating options

For all fare classes except Basic Economy, you’ll be able to pick your seat or change your seat assignment. If you have a Basic Economy ticket, you’re able to purchase a seat assignment during booking and up until check-in opens. Learn more about Basic Economy restrictions.

You can choose a seat or change your seat assignment for most United- and United Express®-operated flights on united.com , on the United app or through your travel agent. If no seat assignments are available, you can check back closer to departure to see whether seats have become available. Learn more about seating options .

Seat assignments, no matter the fare class you purchase, aren’t guaranteed and could change without notice because of schedule changes, equipment swaps or other unforeseen circumstances.

We’ll always try to assign you the same or similar seat type and location and keep you with your traveling companions when you’re booked in the same reservation, unless you’ve purchased a Basic Economy ticket without purchasing advance seat assignments. We know that your seat assignment is important, so we’ll do our best to keep your original seat preference.

We may briefly hold some seats for operational reasons, and don’t allow seat selection or changes for Basic Economy tickets. If you’re unable to choose a seat, we’ll assign you one at check-in or at the departure gate.

All customers with Basic Economy tickets, including United MileagePlus® Premier® members, are eligible to purchase Economy Plus seating at check-in only.

Simple Flying

Everything you need to know about economy plus seating on united airlines.

The exclusive cabin is available throughout United's fleet.

When it comes to flying, finding the right balance between cost and comfort is frequently a top priority for many passengers. United Airlines , one of the largest airlines in the world, understands this need and offers a premium travel option for passengers that fills the extensive gap between its Polaris business class and economy class: United Economy Plus.

What is it?

Economy Plus on United Airlines is a class that gives passengers a more comfortable and luxurious experience than a traditional economy class without the exorbitant price of business class seats. Economy Plus is an excellent option for travelers looking for a higher level of comfort but do not want all of the features of a full business-class seat.

The economy plus cabin debuted on United in 1999 and is now offered on all mainline aircraft and almost all United Express regional jets. These seats feature extra legroom and an increased seat pitch compared to standard economy class. This gives travelers more room to stretch their legs and relax during a flight, thus creating a more comfortable journey.

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Benefits of the cabin

One of the advantages of flying in economy plus is the additional legroom. Seats in United's economy class have 31 inches of legroom and a width of 17.3 inches. Whereas United's Economy Plus also has 17.3 inches of width, it has 37 inches of legroom, meaning six extra inches of legroom.

These seats are located in the front of the economy cabin on United and offer greater recline than seats in standard economy class. Furthermore, the cabin is specifically designed with passenger comfort in mind, creating a quieter and more peaceful environment during the flight.

Another draw of Economy Plus is the priority boarding included with a ticket in the cabin. Passengers traveling in economy plus will board in one of the first groups , allowing them to find space to store their carry-on luggage in the overhead bins and get settled in their seats before most passengers.

On top of that, passengers will have the ability to choose preferred seating options. This means when they are booking their ticket, they can choose a seat that meets their preferences, such as window or aisle seats, seats with extra recline, or seats located closer to the front of the cabin for faster deplaning.

When flying economy plus, passengers are eligible to earn more frequent flyer miles on United Airlines' MileagePlus program. These miles can be redeemed for future upgrades to higher cabin classes or for future flights. This is coupled with economy-plus passengers' increased flexibility when making flight changes.

Economy Plus tickets include more passenger-friendly change and refund policies, giving travelers peace of mind when making last-minute changes.

Why fly Economy Plus?

Whether United Economy Plus is the right choice depends solely on your priorities and preferences. It is is probably the right choice if you are looking for more space, priority boarding, increased flexibility, and a generally more relaxed environment.

With that said, if you are seeking a true first-class experience, you should consider United's First Class on domestic flights and Polaris Business Class on long-haul international flights. Economy Plus is a compelling solution for passengers who want an upgraded travel experience without paying for first or business class.

What are your thoughts? Let us know what you think the comment section.

United Airlines

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United Airlines Review – Seats, Amenities, Customer Service, Baggage Fees, & More

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United Ticketing Options

United frequent flyer program, baggage fees, united’s other fees & add-ons, how to avoid paying excess fees & travel expenses, united inflight amenities, most common complaints, consumer rankings, ratings, etc. , safety and performance, charity partnership, final thoughts.

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There’s no doubt you know United Airlines (and may have even flown with them before), but are you aware of their different fare types, the ins and outs of their baggage allowances, and all of their extra fees/add-ons? What about their seat specs and their consumer satisfaction ratings?

This helpful guide covers all you need to know about this large U.S. carrier so you hopefully won’t be caught unaware on your next flight.

In this post you’ll find a general company overview, ticketing/fare options, extra fees/add-ons (including baggage allowances ), cabin class amenities, seat specs, and more.

Airline: United Airlines

Alliance:  Star Alliance

Category:  Legacy domestic and international airline

Frequent Flyer Program: MileagePlus

Tag Line:  “Fly the Friendly Skies”

About/Mission Statement: “We are committed to providing a level of service to our customers that makes us a leader in the airline industry. We understand that to do this we need to have a product we are proud of and employees who like coming to work every day….” (source)

Daily Flights:  4,700

Main Hub:  Chicago-O’Hare International Airport ( ORD )

Destinations:  356 (including 125 international)

United’s fare types are pretty standard for a large U.S. carrier. But with stiff competition from lots of low-cost airlines, United recently introduced a Basic Economy fare — which pretty much just gets you a seat on the plane.

Handy for those traveling light, this reduced and restricted fare does not include any standard carry-on or checked luggage.

And for anyone part of United’s frequent flyer program (covered later on in this article), you won’t be eligible for premier qualifying miles that go toward your elite status when flying in this class.

Below are the additional differences in fare types and cabin classes, with inflight amenities covered later on in this article:

Basic Economy (most restrictive fare): 

• Pre-assigned seat before boarding
• Family or group seating not possible
• First checked bag costs an additional $120 (round-trip)
• Upgrades not available
• Changes or refunds not permitted

Economy (standard): 

• Seat selection at time of booking (if available)
• Customize your booking with other options

Economy (flexible):

• Refundable ticket (subject to cancellation fees)

Premium Plus:

• Spacious, larger seating with extra legroom
• Complimentary food and beverage
• Enhanced dining with complimentary food and beverage

The availability of certain cabin classes is dependent on the route and plane type. We’ve also covered how you can upgrade to business or first class on United Airlines .

Economy Plus

If you’re looking for a little extra legroom, you can upgrade your booking to Economy Plus. This will also seat you closer to the front of the aircraft so you can disembark quicker.

You can upgrade as a one-off, or subscribe to yearly upgrades when booking a regular economy ticket (where Economy Plus is available).

MileagePlus is United’s frequent flyer loyalty program where you can earn miles to redeem against reward flights and work your way up membership tiers to gain elite benefits, such as priority check-in and additional luggage.

These reward miles can also be used against flights with other Star Alliance members. You can earn miles through flying, shopping, dining out, and spending on certain credit cards.

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our article on United’s MileagePlus frequent flyer program .

United Airlines Baggage Fees & Other Fees/Add-Ons

United Airlines Carry-On Allowance:

1 personal item: FREE 1 standard carry-on bag: FREE (including Basic Economy Transatlantic flights but excluding all other routes for basic economy)

United  Airlines Checked Allowance:

Max weight: 50lb (23kg) for all economy and premium plus fares and 70lbs (32kg) for business and first class fares.

Max size: 62 inches (158cm) linear

United recommends that passengers check their official baggage fee calculator tool to view baggage costs associated with their specific fare type.

We ran some basic route searches, and the fees appeared as the following (do a check on your specific fare before booking to confirm):

Domestic U.S. & Canada

• Economy (Basic, plus and standard): 1st bag $30, 2nd bag $40, 3rd+ bag $150
• Business and first: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $150

U.S. to/from Mexico

• Economy (Basic, plus and standard): 1st bag $30, 2nd bag $55, 3rd+ bag $180
• Business and first: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $180

U.S. to/from Europe

• Economy: 1st bag $0 (£60 for Basic Economy), 2nd bag $100, 3rd+ bag $200
• Premium Plus: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $200
• Business: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $200
• First: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd bags free; 4th+ bag $200

Additional and Excess Baggage Fees:

Oversized Fee: $200 per bag (up to 115in/292cm)

Overweight Fee (route dependent):

• Bags 51-70lb: $100-$200 per bag
• Bags 71-100lb: $200-$400 per bag

MileagePlus Status weight allowance:

• Silver, Gold, Platinum, 1K: 70lb
• Star Alliance Gold (traveling in first, business or  United Polaris Business ): 70lb

Hot Tip: See our post on United Airlines baggage policy  which details specific baggage allowances for all types of cabin class, status and personnel such as the military. 

Service Fees

All reservations on United.com can be made without incurring a service fee. For other methods of booking made within the U.S. or Canada, the service fees are as follows:

By Phone: $25

City Ticket Office:  $30

At the Airport: $50

Reservations Made Outside of the U.S.: Fees vary according to country

Cancellation and Change Fees: (Cash Tickets)

• Domestic Cancellation Fee: $200
• International Cancellation Fee: Up to $400
• Waived for Gold, Platinum, and 1k members
• Cancellation : If you cancel a non-refundable ticket, no refund will be issued – but you can use the cost of the flight against a new ticket within 12 months.
• If your departure or arrival time changes by more than 30 minutes (due to a schedule change), you can change your flight at no extra cost or request a refund.

We’ve also gone into detail on United’s  award flight change & cancellation fees .

Seat Selection Fees

There is no charge to select a seat with United (where available), but you can opt for “Preferred seating” (closer to the front of the economy section) from $9 each way.

Economy Plus Upgrade: $16-$169 each way

Unaccompanied Minor Fee: $150 each way

Pet in Cabin Fee: $125 each way

Fare Holding Fees

If you’re not ready to book at the time of searching, then you can pay to reserve your fare using “Farelock.”

The fee varies by destination, but ranges from $5-$20 with the ability to hold a fare for either 3 or 7 days.

United Airlines Annual Subscription Fees

Economy Plus: From $499

Benefit from additional leg room and being closer to the front of the plane for quicker exiting when you reach your destination.

United Bundle Options

Bundles are offered during the reservation process combining different options, such as an Economy Plus upgrade and United Club trip pass. Prices vary per route, but United states that savings can be had by buying these bundles.

Wi-Fi: From $49

United Club Membership: From $550

Get access to all of the  United Club locations and select partner lounges.

Onboard Refreshments

For flights over 3 hours (within the U.S. and to/from Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America) customers can order from the “Bistro on Board” menu serving items such as a chorizo breakfast sandwich, pepperoni deep dish pizza, or a mezze sampler with prices ranging from $6.99-$9.99 . Menu choices depend on the flight route.

On flights over 1.5 hours (within North America, including select Latin American destinations and the Caribbean, in addition to Singapore , Australia , and New Zealand ) customers can order from the “Snack Shop” serving sweet and savory nibbles and snack boxes. Prices range from $3.99-$9.59 .

Beer and wine are $8, while premium spirits range from $8-$9 and specialty cocktails will run you $10.

Onboard entertainment

Available on select Boeing 737 and 757-300 aircraft, customers can purchase access to DIRECTV with more than 100 TV channels plus movies.

This is complimentary for United first passengers, and $5.99 for United economy passengers on flights less than 2 hours ($7.99 for flights more than 2 hours).

Many travel rewards cards come with an annual airline credit and can be used to offset fees such as baggage fees, such as The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve ® Card  come with an annual $300 travel credit that can be used to offset almost  any  travel expense.

The cards below allow you to redeem Capital One miles for 1 cent each as a statement credit for previous travel purchases (within 90 days):

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit on bookings made through Capital One Travel
• Unlimited complimentary access for cardholder and 2 guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• 10,000 bonus miles awarded on your account anniversary each year
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• Add authorized users for no additional annual fee ( rates & fees )
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates & fees )
• $395 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card   is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• Access to Capital One transfer partners
• $95 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Limited elite benefits
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
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Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.

But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?

• No annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Ability to use transfer partners
• Fraud coverage
• Weak earn rate at 1.25x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
• No luxury travel or elite benefits
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
• No Annual Fee Cards
• Benefits of the Capital One VentureOne Card
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In addition, if you have the United Explorer℠ Card  you can get 1 free checked bag for you and a companion on your itinerary.

United Seat Specs & Inflight Amenities

United Airlines has 14 different types of aircraft with varying cabin classes and seat specs.

United Express operates a further 5 aircraft through its partner airlines. You can view the aircraft and seat specs here .

United Business & First

• Premium leather seat with extra space and comfort, featuring a headrest that adjusts 6 ways
• Storage space for personal items
• Universal AC power plug
• Mobile device holder
• United Wi-Fi (fee applies)
• Complimentary inflight beverages including beer, wine, spirits, and illy coffee
• DIRECTV with more than 100 TV channels plus movies
• Dining options in partnership with The Trotter Project

Polaris Business & First

• Saks Fifth Avenue bedding
• Sleep-inspired amenities (cotton pajamas on flights over 10 hours)
• Soho House’s Cowshed Spa skincare items
• Lie-flat beds
• 16″ HD monitor

Premium Plus

• Larger seat with more legroom, leg and footrests
• Complimentary beverages
• 13″ monitor
• Power and USB sockets
• Noise-reducing headphones

• Extra legroom
• Situated nearer the front of the plane for quicker disembarkation
• Eligible to earn Premier qualifying dollars
• All standard economy benefits

Economy (Basic and Standard)

• On domestic flights and to/from the Caribbean and Latin America, customers receive complimentary soft drinks (including illy coffee) and can purchase snacks/meals and alcohol.
• On international flights, customers receive complimentary food and beverages including house beer and wine
• Entertainment varies by aircraft (details can be found on the Inflight Amenities tab on United’s Flight Status page )

Hot Tip: Check out our post on United Airlines’ boarding policy so you’ll know what to expect from the boarding process as almost all airlines have a different procedure!

United Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is a real mixed bag with United Airlines. Their social media channels and Tripadvisor reviews seem to attract many compliments from loyal customers, which is unusual as these outlets are often utilized to rant and rave about poor service!

Additionally, their PR team is pretty genius, sponsoring a number of great causes and shouting about their good deeds on social media — so even if the service was only mediocre for a customer, their philanthropic ways may improve consumer brand impression.

Lost baggage is a real gripe for United customers, being one of the most prominent issues on review sites. Also, inconsistencies of aircraft age can lead to disappointment in inflight amenities.

One customer complaint we found said they had experienced a seat-back entertainment system on once international flight and not on another. That’s going to disappoint any traveler.

United prides itself on their personal device entertainment, but this does rely on the customer having a smartphone/tablet at their disposal.

United Airlines had 1,169 complaints lodged against them from January-September 2018 according to the  September 2018 Air Travel Consumer Report . The chart below represents the complaints by category.

• Flight problems (cancellation, delay, or misconnection): 292
• Baggage: 185
• Customer service: 174
• Reservation, ticketing, boarding: 110
• Disability : 86
• Refunds: 45
• Oversales: 34
• Discrimination: 8
• Advertising: 5

There are a number of different review websites out there when it comes to airline ratings. Here are a few of the most popular so you can see the general consumer opinion for United Airlines.

Skytrax Ranking: 3 Star Airline (out of 5)

Skytrax Customer Rating:  3/10 (average from 2,594 reviews)

TripAdvisor Airline Review Rating:  3/5 (average from 36,791 reviews)

Kayak Customer Rating: 7/10 (average from 61,414 reviews)

AirHelp.com Overall Rating: 7.59/10 (departure/arrival performance, service, and satisfaction of claims processing)

Airlineratings.com Safety Rating :  7/7 (takes into consideration whether the airline has an IATA Operational Safety Audit Certification, government and crash records, plus information from the World’s Aviation Governing Body).

United Airlines supports numerous charities across their main hub locations and across the globe. It strives to be a more sustainable airline supporting environmental charities and operations such as Clean the World and Conservation International.

United also supports many youth projects, including Youth Guidance with the goal of inspiring future leaders.

Overall, customer satisfaction seems to be somewhere in the middle for United — and as with other legacy U.S. carriers, there will always be a place for the airline with reasonable fares and route availability.

United will never have the sass and style of Virgin Atlantic or the service and luxury of the Middle Eastern airlines, but it serves its purpose and does have a loyal customer base (although this may be dwindling slightly, with many referencing the “good old days” when United was great).

Their current focus seems to be on revamping their premium cabins, with their Polaris offering in business and first — but we’re hoping they don’t neglect economy for too much longer either.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What alliance is united apart of.

United is apart of Star Alliance partnership.

What is the United carry-on baggage allowance?

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An experienced points hacker, Erin is Alex’s partner-in-crime and contributes to Upgraded Points with in-depth guides and relationship management. Erin’s work has been cited in multiple major publications.

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Cool new United feature notifies you if your preferred seat becomes available

United Airlines' mobile app has long been one of the best in the industry, and it's getting even more useful with this new feature.

Beginning Friday, March 22, travelers will be able to sign up for seat notifications and get automatically moved if their preferred seat is not available at the time of booking, as confirmed by a United spokesperson.

When booking (or managing) a flight on the mobile app, you'll be able to request your desired seat while browsing the seat map.

Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG's free biweekly Aviation newsletter .

For instance, if you're booking just a few days before departure and only middle seats are left, you can set an alert to be automatically moved to a window or aisle seat if one becomes available.

The app will also allow you to opt into notifications for exit rows and bulkhead (first-row) seats. If your desired seat choice becomes available, the app will automatically reassign your seat and notify you that it processed the seat change.

For example, if you set a seat preference alert three days before your flight, United will start monitoring for your preference, and if it becomes available up to 12 hours before departure and you're next in line, the airline will automatically move you to a new seat and send you a notification about it.

United didn't share how frequently it will check the seat map on your behalf.

Related: Touring United's renovated Chicago headquarters in the Willis Tower

This new app feature will begin rolling out on Friday to a small group of customers, followed in the weeks ahead by a broader rollout to additional flyers. United didn't share which travelers would be in the first tranche of eligible users, but we'll update this story with some firsthand experiences when we get our hands on the feature.

For United travelers, this is a nifty new (and free) service that should incentivize more downloads and engagement with the app. United says that 3 million flyers use its app on a daily basis.

It's also the latest feature that United has debuted to simplify the digital travel experience, building on initiatives such as Live Activities on the latest iPhone devices and a new all-in-one rebooking center for delays and cancellations .

As part of the news, United has become the first and only U.S. airline to offer a seat preference feature.

For those booking tickets on other airlines, there are several third-party tools that can monitor your seat assignment and notify you if better seats become available. This includes ExpertFlyer , which allows you to set seat alerts on most major airlines and sends email and text notifications when seats open up. (ExpertFlyer is owned by TPG's parent company, Red Ventures.)

Related reading:

• Your ultimate guide to the United MileagePlus program
• Best United Airlines credit cards
• United Premier status: What it is and how to earn it
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• How to survive basic economy on United Airlines

United Airlines announces miles pooling, seat preference alerts in new updates

United Airlines announced two updates this week aimed at making travel easier.

The airline is introducing a new way to collect and share miles among friends and family, known as miles pooling, and an app feature that will help you secure your preferred seat onboard. 

According to United both features are about providing better value and flexibility to customers and are aimed at helping flyers tailor their trips to their own preferences. 

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Here’s what travelers need to know about the announcements and how to take advantage of the new features.

What is miles pooling?

United’s new MileagePlus feature allows frequent flyer program members to share miles with each other.

"We're always looking for new ways to provide the most value to all of our loyalty members," Luc Bondar, Chief Operating Officer of MileagePlus said in a statement . "MileagePlus miles pooling further reinforces United's position as the leader in family and group travel and gives our members more flexibility to use their miles while making it easier to connect to the destinations and moments that matter most, with the people that matter most." 

The program allows groups of up to five people to share redeemable miles and apply the pot toward the price of a reward ticket.

According to United, here’s how the program works:

Any MileagePlus member age 18 or older can become a group leader and can invite up to four other members of any age into the pool. Members can transfer their miles to the pool by following instructions on the airline’s website or app.

“If a group of friends is planning an upcoming summer getaway and each friend has their own individual MileagePlus accounts with their respective number of miles, they can combine all, or a select amount of their personal miles into one central 'pool' that can be used to purchase flights and offset the cost of ticket prices,” the airline’s announcement said.

There is no limit to how many miles can be contributed to the pool. 

Check out United’s website for full terms and conditions of the program.

How do seat alerts work?

The new feature in United’s mobile app lets you set your seating preferences so you’ll be notified if the one you like becomes available.

United began rolling out the option Friday.

It allows passengers to request their desired seat type (aisle, window or middle, including exit or bulkhead rows). 

United will automatically change you to your preferred seat type if it becomes available up to 12 hours before departure and will notify you of the change.

“With up to three million users interacting with the United mobile app daily, United is continuing to bring helpful features to its app, and this is just the latest new app feature that gives customers more options and makes travel a breeze,” a statement from the airline said.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: United Airlines announces miles pooling, seat preference alerts in new updates

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