The Boeing 777-300ER has become a mainstay of long-haul widebody flights around the world since it first entered commercial service in 2004 with Air France. United Airlines is the largest operator of the 777-300ER in North America, and has operated the type since 2016.
The Star Alliance carrier has three main cabins onboard its Boeing 777-300ERs. These jets feature business class, premium economy, and economy class, with the latter also having a number of extra legroom seats. The passenger experience in each of the cabins is, naturally, quite different. In this article, we will use data from aeroLOPA to take a look at the best seats to be found in each cabin onboard United Airlines’ 777-300ERs, and how the aircraft fits into the carrier’s wider fleet.
United Airlines & The Boeing 777-300ER
United Airlines took delivery of its first Boeing 777-300ER back in December 2016. Today, the Star Alliance carrier operates a total of 22 777-300ERs, according to the latest data from ch-aviation. The oldest 777-300ER in the airline’s fleet is registered as N2331U, and is almost nine years old at the time of writing, while the youngest, registered as N2352U, comes in at just over five years old.
Each of United Airlines’ Boeing 777-300ERs can accommodate up to a maximum of 350 passengers in a three-class configuration. This figure comprises 60 in business class, 24 in premium economy, and 266 in economy class (including 62 extra legroom seats).
United Airlines also operates 19 examples of the smaller Boeing 777-200 and 55 777-200ERs, each of which has a total passenger capacity of between 276 and 364 seats. The carrier is the world’s largest operator of both the 777-200 and 777-200ER.
Economy Class & Extra Legroom Seats
United Airlines’ Boeing 777-300ERs each have a total of 266 Collins Aspire seats in economy class, arranged in a 3-4-3 layout. Each seat has a pitch of 31 inches and a width of just 17.1 inches, making it a tight squeeze for many. A recline of up to three inches helps to improve comfort, particularly on long, overnight flights.
There is little to differentiate between the seats onboard, but, due to the curvature of the aircraft’s fuselage, the last two rows of the main economy class cabin (rows 56 and 57) change to a 2-4-2 configuration, making these window seats ideal for groups of two people traveling together who are looking for a little extra privacy.
For a more comfortable journey, passengers can choose to upgrade to United Airlines’ Economy Plus product, which features 62 extra legroom seats. While extra legroom seats are the same width as regular economy class seats, they have a seat pitch of 34 inches and an extra inch of recline. The first row of extra legroom seats (row 30) offers even more legroom behind the bulkhead.
What About Premium Economy?
There is a noticeable difference between United Airlines’ economy class product and Premium Economy product found on its Boeing 777-300ERs. The carrier’s 24 Collins MiQ premium economy seats are arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration, providing vital extra seat width compared to the 3-4-3 in economy class (18.7 inches vs 17.1 inches). Each seat has up to six inches of recline, and comes equipped with a 13-inch high-definition personal TV screen.
Passengers can also benefit from adjustable legrests and footrests, making the long flights often operated by United Airlines’ Boeing 777-300ERs all the more comfortable. The front row (row 20) of the carrier’s premium economy cabin is situated just behind the business class cabin, with the bulkhead providing additional legroom. There are no galleys or bathrooms in this area either, adding to the sense of peace and tranquility.
Credits: United
