I have not been paid by any entity in any way (financially, benefits) to write this United B737 First Class review. Any airport, airline, lounge, hotel, and loyalty program policies may have changed since then.
Trip: DCA-IAH, IAH-HRL, BRO-IAH, IAH-LAX, Westin LAX, LAX-ORD, ORD-LHR, Sheraton Skyline Heathrow, Moxy Heathrow, LHR-CDG, Courtyard Paris Saint Denis, CDG-FRA, FRA-CPH, Moxy Copenhagen Sydhavnen, CPH-BOS
On the way to Los Angeles for my first flight on the journey to London, I flew United from Brownsville to Houston, and then on to Los Angeles. I hadn’t flown over to the west coast in a while, and was excited to have been upgraded to LAX after having given up my seat on my original flight out Brownsville!
Quick Take: United B737 First Class Review
| Category | Rating (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
| Seat Comfort | ✅ 9/10 |
| Dining & Beverages | ✅ 8/10 |
| Service & Crew | ✅ 9/10 |
| Lounge Access | ❌ N/A |
| Value for Points/Cash | ✅ 8/10 |
These old recliner seats may not be everyone’s favorite, but they are absolutely comfortable and great for any distance in my book.
Flight Details
Airline: United Airlines
Flight: UA 1619
Route: Houston (IAH) – Los Angeles (LAX)
Cabin Class: Domestic First Class
Aircraft: Boeing 737-900
Seat: 2A
Booking Method: Cash + complimentary upgrade
Cost: $462 USD (one-way; travel certificate used)
Date: July 10, 2025
Flight Time: 3h 35m
Preflight
After arriving from Brownsville, I made my way to my next flight, which had a shorter connection time. Once boarding commenced, I made my way to the plane once they called Premier 1Ks.
Seat & Cabin
Today’s seat was 4A, a window seat located on the left side of the plane.
These were interesting recliner seats, given that they were in the old style that Continental used to fly, but seemed to have just been reupholstered. The first class cabin looked clean and refreshed.
The cabin features 20 first class seats in a 2-2 layout, with a recline of 5 inches, a seat width of 20 inches, and a seat pitch of approximately 37 inches.
There was a ton of legroom, and for reference, I am 6’1″. If you notice, the seat back is in the new United First Class seat style.
Power outlets were also available via the center console between the seats.
Each seat has an entertainment screen, which really adds a premium feel. I’m not quite sure why the back sides of these seats and the upholstery got refurbished, and not entirely replaced with the new first class seats.
The tray tables fold out in halves.
As always, it’s a bit flimsy but does the job.
Dining & Beverages
Once in the air, dinner service commenced, kicked off with the traditional warm towelette. Normally, Premier 1Ks get their order taken after Global Services passengers, but the crew didn’t ask. Seems like my flight change and subsequent upgrade caused confusion in their system, but luckily I still got my preferred meal option.
Next came some warm mixed nuts with pretzels. Was quite confused about the pretzels, but no complaints from me!
Next, I received my ordered beverages, which included water and ginger ale.
The tray with the food finally arrived. On this flight, I selected a grilled chicken main with roasted potatoes, broccoli, and an accompanying cream sauce. The salad consisted of mixed greens, sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan cheese shavings with an oil and vinegar mix. Finally a warm bread roll accompanied the meal.
Overall, the chicken and vegetables were good; however, the cream sauce was unnecessary.
In-Flight Entertainment & Connectivity
United offers in-flight WiFi and entertainment onboard. MileagePlus members can purchase WiFi for a fixed rate of $8 USD per flight. If you have T-Mobile, you may be eligible for a free hour long session or flight session, depending on your plan.
As I’ve noted before, the in-flight entertainment screen is making a comeback on United, and I actually quite like the design and layout of their interface.
They have a variety of entertainment options available.
But of course, nothing can ever top the absolute best entertainment you can watch on any trip, the flight map.
Unfortunately, the wifi on this flight (at least for me) was unusable.
Unsure if it was just a me issue or something else, but let’s just say the in-flight map got extra attention from me this flight.
Final Verdict: United B737 First Class review
On this positioning flight to LAX, I didn’t know what to expect. Frankly, I wasn’t supposed to be upgraded on my original flight to Los Angeles, but after volunteering my seat on my first flight from Brownsville to Houston, I got pushed to this flight and secured that first class seat!
Now I know some people are not fans of these older recliner style seats, but I love them. They feel wider, more comfortable, and overall more spacious. I don’t know why they’re still flying if I’m being honest, but I’m not mad that they are!
Lastly, the catering has improved somewhat; the food was solid, flavorful, and relatively well-balanced. The overall experience in United First Class was solid, with a great and friendly crew and comfortable seats on the way to LA, and I would be happy to fly this route again anytime.
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
What are your thoughts? Have you flown in United First Class? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram, Threads, or BlueSky!
As always, Live Life One Trip at a Time!
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