10.5 Hours in the Air on United 787-9: A Memorable Journey

10.5 Hours in the Air on United 787-9: A Memorable Journey

Greetings from London, where my kids and I are unwinding in the Lufthansa lounge after a 10.5-hour flight from Los Angeles on a United Airlines 787-9, seated in row 56… the last row of the plane. It was quite a unique experience!

First Time Booking Basic Economy

For this trip, I decided to try United Airlines' "basic economy" ticket for the first time to save $100 per person. This flight was fully confirmed, meaning there were no changes to the itinerary. I dropped from Premier 1K to Premier Gold in the MileagePlus program, which means I could now only select a free EconomyPlus seat for one companion. To get my other child an EconomyPlus seat, I would have had to spend over $200 more, so it made much more sense to keep the whole family in Economy.

Seating and Benefits from United

United Airlines has a solid “family seating guarantee” policy, even for basic economy tickets. Initially, we were assigned seats in the back row, but they later changed. I booked the tickets on April 1st, a time when basic economy tickets no longer earn miles, but they still count towards lifetime miles. Despite some security issues, the lines at Los Angeles airport moved quickly. I took a chance not arriving at the airport too early, getting there at 7 PM for an 8 PM flight. Thanks to TSA PreCheck, we didn’t have to wait at all.

Comfortable In-Flight Experience

I’ve sat in the back row on Lufthansa before, but I had never experienced a long flight on United Airlines. With 31 inches of legroom, it was much more comfortable than I expected. Even in the last row, it didn’t feel cramped, especially since the seats in front didn’t recline too deeply.

In-Flight Dining

United truly excelled in the in-flight dining department. I think the food quality was better than many other airlines, with only Turkish Airlines being a close competitor. The meal started with an appetizer of bread and cheese, along with a drink. For the main course, there were three options: chicken, beef, or pasta. I chose the chicken cacciatore, which was quite good for an airplane meal.

Hearty Breakfast

Before landing, the flight attendants served a hot sandwich with chicken and pesto. While it was a nice gesture, the sandwich was a bit high in sugar and salt. Moreover, about 90 minutes before landing, a hot breakfast was served with eggs or pancakes, which was quite generous compared to many other airlines. My child opted for pancakes with vanilla sauce, while I chose shakshuka to add to my plate, and it was delicious.

A Truly Memorable Journey

I honestly didn’t manage to sleep at all, but I was very focused while working. The kids managed to catch up on about 8 hours of sleep. United also impressed me with their in-flight food and investments in the passenger experience. Although my wife wasn’t with us on this trip, my kids are old enough to make every journey enjoyable. I’ll share more details about this flight, including in-flight entertainment, restrooms, and service in my next post.