I am confused. These flights are no different from their EWR flights to/from SFO and LAX. They used to have three classes of service: first, biz and economy plus (for the entire coach section). Now they have BizFirst, economy plus and regular economy. Exactly the same as their EWR transcontinental flights. Meals (in coach at least) are the exact same “food for purchase” selection as EWR flights. On the JFK, flights, UA does not offer complimentary upgrades. Why? I’ve been 1K or Platinum status the last five years or so. I don’t get their logic here. Also, the B757 fleet used on the JFK routes are (or seem like) the oldest and most decrepit in their fleet. I’d love to know what others think. I’ve written to UA several times, and even asked this after taking a few of these flights and responded to their email survey asking “How was your flight?”, but have received no response.
Because they’re still offering a premium service compared to other domestic flights:
- 28 lie-flat seats up front and a better mix of E+ to Economy in the back.
- 100% nose to tail free AVOD.
- 100% nose to tail 110V power.
- 100% wifi internet (and it actually consistently works).
EWR transcons are a crapshoot:
- Maybe lie-flat seats up front (but at most 16), probably standard domestic first seats with minimal recline.
- Maybe seatback monitors (that you pay for TV on), maybe AVOD, maybe overhead monitors, maybe personal device streaming, maybe a completely dark cabin.
- Maybe no power, maybe partial power, maybe nose to tail power.
- Maybe wifi internet, maybe not, fails to work a lot even when it’s installed.
They don’t offer freebie upgrades on any routes with consistent lie-flat seats up front. They see plenty of paid premium demand on the route. It’s one of the best use for the 2+ RPU you earn annually as a plat/1K.
Ok. Thanks. I still take my chances on the EWR flights because I get upgraded 75% of the time. Each time I tried to use my RPU on the JFK flights, (at least 6 or 7 times in the past year), I have never been upgraded.