United Airlines, under the leadership of Chief Executive Scott Kirby, has announced its latest efforts to attract loyal customers through a long-term plan that includes the introduction of new cabin products and modern aircraft on key routes.
The airline has committed to receiving over 250 new planes by April 2028, making it the airline with the most deliveries in a two-year period. These new aircraft will help to update the fleet, introduce new aircraft variants, enhance the experience for transcontinental travelers, and offer new onboard products for all customers.
One of the highlights of this new offering is the addition of widebody experiences on United’s new narrowbody planes – the ‘Coastliner’ Airbus A321 subfleet and A321XLR. These will be the first narrowbody planes in United’s fleet to feature the Elevated interior, including a new lie-flat seat in United Polaris. The patented design offers more space for customers and maintains an open feel in the cabin with lower suite walls for privacy.
The airline plans to replace 40 older, less efficient Boeing 757s with 100 of these new aircraft. The Coastliner will have its own unique livery and will exclusively fly between United’s west coast hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles and Newark/New York. This will also introduce the United Polaris cabin experience to domestic travelers. Customers flying in United Polaris on these routes will also have access to the United Polaris lounge for the first time.
The Airbus A321neo Coastliner has been specially designed to elevate the transcontinental experience for customers. The interior of the plane will be entirely new, with 20 lie-flat seats in United Polaris, 12 United Premium Plus seats (a first for narrowbody domestic flights), and 129 United Economy seats. To make room for a snack bar in the rear of the plane, three seats have been removed from the standard configuration, allowing Economy customers to grab a snack or non-alcoholic beverage at any time during the flight.
The routes chosen for the Coastliner are among United’s busiest, with an average of over 10,000 passengers flying between San Francisco and Los Angeles and Newark/New York every day. These routes also connect to United’s global network, with popular onward destinations such as Hong Kong, Melbourne, Shanghai, Sydney, and Taipei.
The first of United’s 50 planned Coastliners will begin flying this summer, with 40 expected to be in service by early 2028. Additionally, the airline will introduce the A321XLR to fly to Europe and South America. This aircraft will offer 32 premium seats – 16 more than the 757 it replaces – and is set to start flying later this year.
The Airbus A321XLR has also been designed to provide travelers with a premium experience on international short-to-medium-haul routes. The plane features 32 premium seats, including a new lie-flat United Polaris suite with a privacy door.