Goodbye, middle seat. United's new seating design offers extra space
The dreaded middle seat is getting a makeover on United Airlines.
The carrier announced on July 14 a new type of seating in its Economy Plus cabin on its latest fleet of 50 Airbus A321XLR: a row in which the middle seat is transformed into a shared table to offer more comfort and elbow room to the window and aisle seat passengers. United will be the first known U.S. carrier to offer this seating design.
In the special row, a permanently fixed table will stretch across the middle seat to give the row's two passengers "extra space to stretch out on longer international flights," the airline said in a news release.
"We're investing nose-to-tail across our fleet and giving customers choice and value in every cabin," said United's Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella in the news release. "The XLR is our newest aircraft and not only offers all-aisle access lie-flat seats in United Polaris but now also includes seats in Economy Plus with extra leg and elbow room. Our customers are going to love all these new options."
The seating option will go on sale later this year. Pricing has not been announced.
According to United, the new fleet of 50 Airbus A321XLR aircraft will begin flying domestically this fall and internationally by early 2027. Over half of the fleet will be in service by 2028.
Some will replace the airline's Boeing 757 on existing international routes, while others will open new destinations in Europe and South America.
The Economy Plus seats in the XLR already have an additional three inches of legroom compared to Economy class.
In March, the airline announced another seating offering to help passengers sleep on long-haul flights, slated to launch in 2027 on its Boeing 787 and 777. Called Relax Row, travelers can purchase a row of three seats located between Economy and Premium Plus "that can transform into a couch" with the help of adjustable leg rests, according to the airline.
This story was updated to refresh headlines.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Goodbye, middle seat. United's new seating design offers extra space
Reporting by Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 9:30 AM.