One of the oldest tricks in the book for economy-class travellers has been to secure a full row of seats and convert it into a personal space to lie flat on. Often referred to as the Poor Man’s Business Class, the product had now been officially lifted and improvised by Air New Zealand in 2011. Now, another major carrier is picking up the concept.
United Unveils Relax Row
United Airlines decided to blur the lines between Economy, Premium Economy and Business Class with its newly unveiled “Relax Row” – a three-seat block that converts into a couch-style sleeping surface. In an announcement made in Los Angeles at the United Elevated event, United made it the “One More Thing” akin to Apple Events, and announced the Relax Row. The product will roll out from 2027 onwards on Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft, with over 200 aircraft expected to be fitted by 2030.
United’s Relax Row.
Here is a video to introduce the product
At its core, the concept is simple. You can buy a row of up to three economy seats. You can then use the leg rests, which flip up to 90°, to create a flat surface. You can then lounge in this row. Along with the “Relax Row” comes a bundled kit: a mattress pad, a blanket, pillows, and even kids’ goodies for families (such as a plushie). The product is positioned between Economy and Premium Economy, and targeted at families, couples, and solo travellers willing to pay extra.
The Benchmark: Air New Zealand Skycouch
This is not the first time an airline has made this work for itself. Air New Zealand’s Skycouch has been doing this for over a decade. Launched in 2011, the Skycouch essentially pioneered the concept. Three seats + full-length leg rests combined to make a flat surface. It was marketed as a “couch in the sky”. The pricing is dynamic: passengers pay for their seat + a top-up for the extra space.
Air New Zealand continues to push the envelope, with the upcoming Skynest – actual bunk beds in Economy cabins – expected from 2026.
The United Relax Row is the same concept
United is essentially importing the Skycouch playbook into the North American market, where no airline has offered a structured, bookable “bed in economy” product so far. Since the product has been held under a patent by Air New Zealand since 2015, there is a high chance that United licensed it from Air NZ, although they have not publicly acknowledged it so far.
United is not the first one buying into the horizontal economy concept. NZ has already licensed the product to other carriers, such as China Airlines, which adopted the concept for its 777-300ER fleet, and Brazilian carrier Azul, which licensed it for their “SkySofa” product.
Pricing will decide everything
United hasn’t revealed pricing yet, but history gives us clues. The Air New Zealand Skycouch can range from a few hundred to USD 1,500 or more, depending on the route and occupancy. After all, you are compensating for the lost space, before everything else. If United prices this too high, people might just book Premium Economy. And if it goes too low, it cannibalises premium cabins. The sweet spot will likely be affordable for couples and expensive for solo travellers (since you’re buying 3 seats’ worth of space)
Bottomline
United’s Relax Row isn’t revolutionary, but it is the first time a carrier in a massive aviation market has decided to do this. The product has been around for a good 15 years or so. United will offer the option to buy this on at least 12 rows on board their 787-9s and 777s as well. The product will hit the market in 2027.
What do you think of the United Relax Row? The name is not sticking for me, but the product is.
Liked our articles and our efforts? Please pay an amount you are comfortable with; an amount you believe is the fair price for the content you have consumed. Please enter an amount in the box below and click on the button to pay; you can use Netbanking, Debit/Credit Cards, UPI, QR codes, or any Wallet to pay. Every contribution helps cover the cost of the content generated for your benefit.
(Important: to receive confirmation and details of your transaction, please enter a valid email address in the pop-up form that will appear after you click the ‘Pay Now’ button. For international transactions, use Paypal to process the transaction.)
We are not putting our articles behind any paywall where you are asked to pay before you read an article. We are asking you to pay after you have read the article if you are satisfied with the quality and our efforts.
Leave a Reply