United Introduces Paid Empty-Middle Seat Economy Plus on A321XLR
United Airlines announced a new Economy Plus option that blocks the middle seat and adds a shared table on its Airbus A321XLR aircraft. According to The Points Guy, the airline will install a single row of economy seats with the middle seat left empty on the new A321XLR fleet, with the feature slated for later in the year. USA Today reported that United will replace the middle seat with a fixed table in select Economy Plus rows, giving window and aisle passengers extra elbow room.
Fox Business added that the configuration includes a fixed table equipped with cupholders for the aisle and window seats. AP News later noted that United plans to introduce Economy Plus rows without middle seats, providing a shared table and additional elbow space, and said the airline could expand the concept to other aircraft types. The New York Times reported that United will sell the option as a paid upgrade, stating that the extra space could also help reduce operating costs.
