- Relax Row turns three economy seats into a reclining ‘bed’
- It will arrive on Boeing 777 and 787 long-haul flights from 2027
- You get three screens and eight power ports plus the added convenience
Beyond offering another Starlink test flight and confirming that more than 340 planes with free and faster Wi-Fi are flying daily, United Airlines also formally showed off its recent next-generation Elevated look. That new cabin was originally introduced in 2025, but we saw in person the next-generation Polaris seats, and the even more spacious Polaris Studio capsules, as well as the Premium Plus, Economy Plus, and standard Economy offerings. Suffice to say, the screens and ports do not disappoint.
However, like Steve Jobs or Tim Cook, United Airlines also refrained from “one more thing,” and it’s a kind of genius. Relax Row, as United calls it, will arrive on long-haul flights operated by Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft starting in 2027, and could be the biggest change to the airline’s economy class in quite some time.
Like Air New Zealand’s Economy Skycouch, United’s Relax Row will let you book a full trio of seats – essentially a row – equipped with special leg rests that fill the floor space and turn the three seats into a sort of raised bed. The airline is marketing it to singles, couples and, perhaps most importantly, families, with images showing a father and two children, comfortable and cozy, in Relax Row mid-flight.
Article continues below.
You won’t have to struggle with the equivalent of Economy Plus seats with a raised legrest either. United Airlines will offer Relax Row with a mattress topper, bedding, two pillows and, if there are children on the reservation, two adorable-looking stuffed animals.
Plus, you get the most displays, even more than Polaris Studio offers, as you’ll have three 13-inch 4K OLED panels. But the real turning point here could be power and ports. You’ll get two standard wall outlets and two USB-C ports per seat, for a total of eight power sources.
That beats the two USB-C ports, wireless charging pad, and AC outlet you’d get on the Polaris or Premium Plus. And while you probably don’t need more than, say, three ports, it’s a notable advantage beyond the ability to fully stretch out and lie down. That means you can carry laptops, tablets, a Nintendo Switch, headphones or earbuds and still have room for your phones. Quite useful.
The big plus here is that for long-distance rides, the Relax Row should be a more affordable way to get comfortable without spending a lot compared to the Polaris Studio, Polaris, or Premium Plus. United Airlines hasn’t shared exact pricing, but it will essentially reserve three seats, with Relax Row as an additional cost. It is expected to be comparable to Economy Plus and less than more premium options.
If the price is right, it will be a bit of business class for the rest of us. That said, the cost will almost certainly vary depending on the route and aircraft configuration, with the latter affecting the availability and number of Relax Rows installed.
For now, it’s a really exciting addition to United’s seating lineup, and the first in the United States. The only real comparison is Air New Zealand’s Economy Skycouch, which has proven popular enough to stick around. According to a quick search at the time of this publication, the SkyCouch costs between $499 and $1,000 and is also installed on the 777 and 787 aircraft.
Much like the airline’s launch of free and fast Starlink Wi-Fi across its fleet, we’ll have to have some patience until 2027, when United Airlines is ready to formally introduce Relax Row. For now, though, let’s hope to see more “one more thing” from the airline in the near future.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
