United Airlines Adds Table-Row Seating to Airbus A321XLR Fleet

United Airlines announced it will outfit all 50 of its on-order Airbus A321XLR aircraft with a new Economy Plus seating configuration that replaces the middle seat in one row with a permanently fixed, leather-like table. The design includes integrated cup holders and provides passengers in the window and aisle seats with additional elbow room and personal space. This layout maintains the standard three inches of extra legroom provided in the Economy Plus cabin.

The airline plans to begin selling these seats later in 2026. The A321XLR aircraft are scheduled to debut on domestic routes in autumn 2026, with international service following in early 2027. Beyond the new economy rows, the fleet will feature 4K OLED entertainment screens, premium economy cabins, and Polaris business-class suites with privacy doors.

By reducing row capacity from three passengers to two, the configuration helps the aircraft stay under a 150-passenger limit. This allows the carrier to reduce required flight attendant staffing from five to four members under federal regulations, though United initially noted plans to employ five crewmembers on most transatlantic flights to maintain consistency with the Boeing 757 fleet it is replacing. This initiative follows the announcement of "Relax Row" lie-flat economy seats for Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft, also launching in 2027.