United Airlines is one of the last United States airlines flying the Boeing 757.
The Boeing 757 is a reliable and versatile aircraft capable of serving United’s short to medium domestic flights as well as longer-distance flights to less-demanded destinations abroad.
In this article, we’ll examine how United acquired its 757 fleet, the routes the aircraft flies on, the inflight features of this aircraft, and much more.
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How Did United Airlines Acquire Their Boeing 757s?
United Airlines acquired its Boeing 757 aircraft through a combination of purchase and lease agreements. The Boeing 757, a popular narrow-body twinjet, was first introduced in the early 1980s and became a crucial part of United’s fleet to serve both domestic and international routes.
United Airlines placed its initial order for the 757s in 1982, and the first of these planes joined their fleet in 1983.
These new additions brought significant advancements in fuel efficiency and passenger comfort compared to older aircraft, making them a strategic choice for the airline. The 757 was brought in to replace the McDonnell Douglas DC-10.
To secure their Boeing 757s, United Airlines negotiated deals with Boeing. These deals included purchasing brand-new planes directly from Boeing and leasing others from various leasing companies.
Leasing allowed United to acquire additional aircraft without the large upfront costs associated with buying them outright. This flexibility enabled the airline to expand its fleet efficiently and adapt to changing market demands.
United Airlines continued to acquire more Boeing 757s over the years, gradually phasing out older aircraft and modernizing their fleet to enhance passenger experiences and maintain a competitive edge in the aviation industry.
As of September 2023, United has a total of 160 757s in its fleet. 139 of these aircraft are the 757-200 variant. The remaining 21 are 757-300s. But between both variants, only 57 aircraft in United’s 757 fleet are actively flying routes.
What Routes Do United 757s Fly?
United’s 757 International Routes
United Airlines currently uses the Boeing 757 for routes mostly in the domestic United States. Since the 757 is a narrowbody aircraft, it doesn’t hold as many seats to make overseas flights lucrative in comparison to a widebody aircraft like the Boeing 767 or Boeing 777. United would have to offer flights multiple times a day on the 757 to probably make up the same passenger revenue 1 or 2 international flights on a widebody aircraft would produce.
With that said, United Airlines does use their Boeing 757s on select international routes, that are less demanded destinations. The aircraft is used on flights to destinations like Tenerife, Reykjavik, Lisbon, Edinburgh, and Porto. United flies routes to popular international destinations for American tourists like London or Paris with the Boeing 767.
These lesser-served international destinations are also better suited for the Boeing 757 based on its performance capabilities. These destinations might have weather, and geographic hindrances like mountains or runway limitations that make flying wide-body aircraft unfesable, especially during takeoff and landings. The Boeing 757 is powerful enough to take off from shorter runways and avoid hazardous terrain.
United’s 757 Domestic Routes
As for United 757’s domestic flight options, the airline tends to use the aircraft between most of its hubs. These typically span across the entire United States and are 3 to 4 hours in duration.
The 757 is used on several transpacific routes to Hawaii as well. With the same theme in mind as the international routes, United flies the 757 to some of Hawaii’s lesser-demand cities like Lihue and Kailua.
Specific Routes the United Boeing 757 Operates On
See below for the table of routes United Operates the Boing 757 on that we observed.
| Aircraft Type | Starting City | Ending City |
| 757-200 | Denver (KDEN) | Kailua-Kona (PHKO) |
| 757-200 | Denver (KDEN) | Lihue (PHLI) |
| 757-200 | San Francisco (KSFO) | Boston (KBOS) |
| 757-200 | Los Angeles (KLAX) | Newark (KEWR) |
| 757-300 | Chicago (KORD) | Los Angeles (KLAX) |
| 757-300 | Chicago (KORD) | Denver (KDEN) |
| 757-200 | Chicago (KORD) | San Francisco (KSFO) |
| 757-300 | San Francisco (KSFO) | Newark (KEWR) |
| 757-200 | Chicago (KORD) | Orlando (KMCO) |
| 757-300 | Denver (KDEN) | Washington D.C (KIAD) |
| 757-300 | Los Angeles (KLAX) | Washington D.C (KIAD) |
| 757-200 | Newark (KEWR) | San Diego (KSAN) |
| 757-200 | Seattle (KSEA) | Washington D.C (KIAD) |
| 757-200 | Newark (KEWR) | Orlando (KMCO) |
| 757-200 | Newark (KEWR) | Lima (SPJC) |
| 757-200 | Denver (KDEN) | Newark (KEWR) |
| 757-200 | Newark (KEWR) | Chicago (KORD) |
| 757-200 | Reykjavik (BIRK) | Chicago (KORD) |
| 757-200 | Tenerife (GCTS) | Newark (KEWR) |
| 757-200 | Lisbon (LPPT) | Washington (KIAD) |
| 757-200 | Porto (LPPR) | Newark (KEWR) |
| 757-200 | Edinburgh (EGPH) | Newark (KEWR) |
| 757-200 | Edinburgh (EGPH) | Chicago (KORD) |
United Boeing 757 Seating Charts
United Airlines operates two variants of the Boeing 757, each have different amounts of seating and different configurations.
Boeing 757-200
With the 757-200 class, there are two seating configurations currently offered with the fleet.
The first variation features 154 seats in total throughout the aircraft. In United’s business class (also known as United Polaris), there are 16 seats set up in 4 rows with two columns of two seats each. There are 45 seats in the Economy Plus section separated into two columns of 3 seats per row. Finally in the United Economy class, there are 108 seats in two 3-seat columns separated by an aisle.
The second variation for the Boeing 757-200 is almost the same as the first variation. There are 16 business-class seats offered. The biggest difference is there is a reduction of the economy plus seating to 42 seats and the addition of eight more seats in the United Economy section.
Boeing 757-300
United’s Boeing 757-300 offers more seating than the Boeing 757-200 class but only has one seating configuration.
The 300 version has 24 United Polaris seats in a 2-column, 2-seat per-column setup. There are a total of 54 United Economy Plus seats on the plane. There is one section dedicated to just Economy Plus seats in a two-column containing six rows of three seats. There is also some Economy Plus seating distributed in some of the exit rows of the aircraft. Finally, there are a total of 156 normal economy seats in the United Economy section.
The Perks and Amenities Found on United 757 Flights
United Airlines provides three levels of service on their Boeing 757 flights. Their highest level of customer service is tailored to business passengers who utilize United’s Polaris Business Class or United First Class. For normal travelers who would like a heightened economy class experience, United provides Economy Plus seating. Finally, United provides standard economy class service on their Boeing 757 flights.
The main difference in experience between the 200 and 300 variants of the 757 is that the 300 variants don’t have a Polaris business class. Instead, the 300 variant uses the United first-class service.
Dining Service
Economy Dining Service
United offers different levels of dining based on your ticket purchase on it’s 757 flights.
For flyers with economy seats, non-alcoholic beverages are complimentary. However, if the flight is less than 800 miles, snacks and food are not included but you can bring your own snacks on the plane.
If you are flying internationally or long distance in United’s economy class, you will receive one complimentary meal with salad as well as a pre-arrival hot meal.
United Polaris Dining Service
On United Polaris, passengers will enjoy the most premium dining service. Before departure, you’ll have the option for water or mimosa on morning flights and water or sparking water on afternoon flights.
All beverages are complimentary in-flight on United Polaris. Snacks are also complimentary. You will be served a meal as well as a pre-arrival meal.
Inflight Entertainment
On Boeing 757-200 flights you will have a seatback entertainment system.
With the entertainment system, you will be able to receive information about the flight, and access hours of movies, television shows, and games.
For 757-300 flights, you won’t have access to a seatback entertainment system but you are able to purchase a connection to wifi and use your personal device to watch movies and TV shows and play games.
Wifi
On United flights, there is a charge to utilize wifi on their flights. Prices to access wifi largely depend on how long the flight is and whether you are a United Mileage member or not. United Mileage members pay a few dollars less than normal travelers. Longer flights will be more expensive in comparison to shorter flights for wifi.
Are United Boeing 757s Safe to Fly On?
Flying on United’s Boeing 757 is generally considered safe. United Airlines places a high priority on passenger safety and ensures that their aircraft are well-maintained and meet rigorous safety standards set by aviation authorities. The Boeing 757, in particular, has a strong safety record, with many years of successful flights around the world.
United Airlines has a team of highly trained pilots and cabin crew who undergo extensive training and regular evaluations to ensure they can handle any situation that may arise during a flight.
Additionally, the Boeing 757 is equipped with advanced technology, including modern navigation and communication systems, to enhance safety and precision during flights. Maintenance checks are conducted regularly to identify and address any potential issues, and United Airlines follows strict maintenance protocols to keep its Boeing 757 aircraft in top condition.
What is United’s Future Plan concerning their Boeing 757s?
United Airlines is already implementing the plan to phase out the Boeing 757 service by the end of the 2020 decade. Out of the 160 aircraft in its fleet, 103 757s have already been taken out of service.
The United’s 757s are some of the oldest aircraft in the fleet. The ages of these aircraft are between 20 to 26 years old.
Since these airplanes are being flown on longer domestic routes and select international routes to lesser destinations, the 757 is probably going to be replaced by the Airbus A321XLR.
The Airbus A321XLR offers a greater range and about the same passengers per flight as the 757. The Airbus will fly long-distance routes more efficiently than the Boeing 757.
Sources
https://www.planespotters.net/airline/United-Airlines
https://www.flightradar24.com/
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/aircraft/757-200.html
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/aircraft/757-300.html
