United currently operates their afternoon flight 84/85 between Newark And Tel Aviv on a pre-merger Continental 777-200. Their red-eye flight 90/91 between Newark And Tel Aviv went from a 777-200 to a new 777-300ER on 5/5/17.
I’ve long said that coach passengers should avoid the red-eye flight due to the tight 3-4-3- configuration in coach. On the other hand business class passengers would prefer the red-eye flight as it has the new Polaris business class seating in a 1-2-1 configuration. However if you’re like me and use miles to fly with kids in carseats in business class, you’ll probably want to avoid the red-eye as well if you’re looking to avoid drama.
The 777-300ER that operates red-eye flight 90/91 between Newark And Tel Aviv has 60 Business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, 102 Economy Plus seats in a 3-4-3 configuration, and 204 Economy Minus seats in a 3-4-3 configuration for a total of 366 seats.
Effective 3/30/19, United will upgauge their afternoon flight 84/85 between Newark And Tel Aviv from the 777-200 to a new 787-10.
The pre-merger Continental 777-200 has 50 Business class seats in a 2-2-2 configuration, 72 Economy Plus seats in a 3-3-3 configuration, and 145 Economy Minus seats in a 3-3-3 configuration for a total of 267 seats.
The 787-10 makes its debut with a flight from Los Angeles to Newark on 1/7/19 before making its way to international routes. It will fly between Newark-Frankfurt and Tel Aviv starting 3/30/19, between Newark-Barcelona and Paris starting 4/29/19, and between Newark-Brussels and Dublin starting on 5/22/19.
The 787-10 that will operate the afternoon flight 84/85 between Newark And Tel Aviv will have 44 Polaris Business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, 21 Premium Plus seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, 54 Economy Plus seats in a 3-3-3 configuration, and 199 Economy Minus seats in a 3-3-3 configuration for a total of 318 seats.
This represents a nice jump in capacity from the 777-200. It also completes the promise that Avi Friedman, United’s Managing Director in Israel, made earlier this year when he said that United would add a new North American destination to Tel Aviv and that they would upgauge the aircraft used on United 84/85. United added flights between Washington/IAD and Tel Aviv a few months ago and they also upgauged the aircraft served between San Francisco-Tel Aviv for next spring before El Al will allegedly inaugurate that route.
If you’re flying between Newark-Tel Aviv in:
- Business class, you’ll be slightly better off on the 777-300ER red-eye flight as that seat should be slightly wider as the 777 is wider than the 787. I wouldn’t expect a major difference though.
- Premium Plus, the only option is on the afternoon 787-10. This is a seat similar to United’s domestic first class seat. It is a wider seat with more recline, upgraded Saks 5th Avenue bedding, an amenity kit, a larger entertainment screen, free alcoholic beverages, extra legroom, and a legrest/footrest.
- Economy Plus, you’ll be better off with the afternoon 787-10 with the 3-3-3 configuration then on the 777-300ER red-eye flight that has a 3-4-3 configuration. This seat is exactly like regular Economy seat, but with extra legroom.
- Economy, you’ll be better off with the afternoon 787-10 with the 3-3-3 configuration then on the 777-300ER red-eye flight that has a 3-4-3 configuration.
- Business class with kids in a carseat won’t officially be allowed on the 777-300ER or the 787-10. United is violating FAA policy with this restriction. You can file a complaint here if this affects you.
The Premium Plus cabin will help United compete with El Al’s premium economic cabin that they operate on their 787s.
United will start selling the flight as a 787-10 starting on December 3. That means it’s likely that we’ll see United refresh their award charts in order to add Premium Plus cabin awards.
What is your preferred airline, plane, and class when you travel to Israel?
HT: yanks10952, via DDF and TPG
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52 Comments On "United Will Upgauge Their Afternoon Flight Between Newark And Tel Aviv From A 777 To A 787 With Polaris And Premium Plus Seating!"
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What is the downside to premium plus vs Business?
Bathroom will be with rest of economy?
meals?
less privacy?
how much do you estimate awards will be?
Biggest downside is that the seats do not lie-flat and much less privacy. We’ll have to wait until the class starts operating internationally to know more details.
I’d assume awards will be priced between coach and business 😉
i have a flight from EWR to TLV in August..i just upgraded last night to prem economy..will the configuration of this change?
Flight 84/85 or 90/91?
84/85
Move to the front rows in economy plus and pray they upgrade you to premium plus.
i choose the first row, bulk head (row 16) of economy plus lets see what happens..wife is gold now will be platinum by then
Higher overall capacity, but less business class capacity.
A bit less business capacity (loss of 6 seats), but the new 21 seat Premium Plus cabin will draw some of the demand away from Business and some away from Economy Plus.
Overall I think the added capacity and the new cabin option is a good thing.
Wow! Finally some competition and added capacity in PE on this route. You’re move Delta.
I don’t know how they plan to sell out 2 daily flights with the “shmatas” they operate on the route. C’mon, time to follow the trend and upgrade to a newer aircraft.
The A330 is my best option since it is the only aircraft to Israel with full 18″ economy seats.
El Al 747
That’s being retired
Let’s not forget the loss of profit on the TLV flights, lol
Any idea if 1k will get access to premium economy or will it be only a paid upgrade?
I’d assume it will be a paid upgrade, but it’s TBD.
It’ll never be available (see LY on the 787 always full)
New seats on 787 in coach just as bad as 777-300er as plane is not as wide. Same awful width.
Nope. 777-300ER seats are even narrower. And 777-300ER only has 3 underseat sections in the center.
I think they very much underestimated the demand for PE with doing only 21 seats. Especially when compared to the 54 seats they gave for E+. My guess is at least 50% of e+ goes free to elites and at boarding time. Why pay $200 each way for 3-4 inches?
With 21 seats they can charge more than with more seats.
Hmmm. So why not do just 20 seats in business too..?
The demand for real PE is steadily rising. I’m assuming the demand for paid business may be declining (CMIIW)
Except United has no data on what the uptake will be yet.
I’m sure if it’s a big hit they will add more capacity.
As a gold member I get Economy Plus for free together with a companion. Any idea if that will be the case with the Premium Class?
Unlikely.
So premium plus is 1980’s coach.
Lol.
Economy Plus is 1980’s coach.
Premium Plus looks like a nice product.
it must be a nightmare for the back end for flights that are already being sold for the other aircraft..the whole configuration will change i wonder how they shfit the ppl around
Is it going to be like Elal with a pathetic extra 7 degree recline. The price paid for product delivered is pathetic.
One other question with all the regulations how does an airline put a row of non reclining seats in and charge the regular?
United ,Economy plus on the 777 200 is my perfered.
What will the pricing of the Premiere Economy be? Will it be perk for Gold status fliers?
If I have economy plus tickets for this May (flight 84/85)will I be able to upgrade ?
TBD
As a 1K or Global member I get Economy Plus for free together with 8 companions. Any idea if that will be the case with the Premium Class?
Unlikely. But TBD.
How many points will be required for Premium economy?
TBD
I paid for an exit row for my upcoming flight…what would be the best economy plus seat on this new configuration?
TBD
HOW MUCH UA/AC/SQ POINTS WILL NEED FOR PREMIUM PLUS ?
TBD
What happens if I book a economy W fare and upgrade with a GPU, do I get premium economy or business?
TBD
what does tbd stand for?
GIYF
i just googled GIYF. i think my computer laughed at me.
I’m booked in business in may 84/85. When do you think I’ll be able to reserve seats ? Dec 3? As of now the flight still shows the 777 seat map.
Yes.
Not so sure its such an upguage for economy travelers. The current b777 with the 3-3-3 seating is super comfortable, with 18” wide seats, 3” armrests, and in Eco+ 5” extra legroom. The 787 reduces this to shorter 17” seats, 2” armrest and 3-4” extra legroom in E+, very similar to the excruciatingly painful seats on the 11pm flight. That said, I guess the new Prem plus seating has yet to prove itself and will be interesting to see how the fares compare. This new 787 flight will compete directly with ElAl’s Newark flight, also on a 787 with biz, prem-eco, eco+ and eco-.
An upgauge is switching to a plane with more total capacity.
I hate the 787 :-\
for your attention
The seats in Business Class in general at Unite are not good in terms of sitting down while lying down. You have no room to move. The other companies are better
Well, that saves the afternoon EWR-TLV flight. Now, what about the mid-day flight from TLV-EWR? What equipment will they use for that flight?
It seems that the 787-10 economy plus seats will retain the 18″ width that the 777-200 has, based on the fact that they layout will be 3-3-3. That’s a good sign.
BTW, what is GIYF???
The post is a little unclear, but Dan meant both ways, hence the same plane lol