I’ve flown the United Airlines 737 MAX 9 quite a few times since it was brought back into service in late 2020 and it dawned on me that I have never provided a review of what the first class product is like onboard. Let’s take a look.
United Airlines 737 MAX 9 First Class Review
For purposes of this review, I’m going to recount a redeye flight from Los Angeles to Orlando on United Airlines, but my commentary on this Boeing aircraft and how United has chosen to configure it will not be limited to this flight.
I needed to get to New York and when nonstop flights are full, I look south. You can often fly from Los Angeles to Newark via Orlando or Tampa for around the same price as flying nonstop. The indirect routing on a plane that does not have lie-flat seating is not ideal, but better (for me at least) than sitting in economy class when the upgrade comes through.
Boarding began on time out of Gate 71B in Terminal 7 at LAX and I found my seat onboard.
United Airlines 2410
Los Angeles (LAX) – Orlando (MCO)
Tuesday, June 8
Depart: 10:45PM
Arrive: 6:35AM+1
Duration: 4hr, 50min
Aircraft: Boeing 737 MAX 9
Distance: 2,218 miles
Seat: 2F (First Class)
There must have been no Global Services (United’s invite-only highest elite tier) passengers onboard, because I was first down the jet bridge, but some kid in a red hoodie ran past me. I’m not sure what that was about, but I didn’t hear from him again.
Seat
United utilizes its latest generation first class recliner seat on its 737 MAX 9 aircraft, which includes 20 seats spread over five rows in a 2-2 configuration. Seat pitch is 37 inches and the seats are 20.5 inches wide. Recline is 5 inches (compared to 3 inches in EconomyPlus and two inches in economy class).
Here’s what the seat looks like when reclined:
Legroom:
In the morning light:
Power outlets are available in the center console and there is room for limited personal storage, such as a mobile phone with charging cords or a wallet.
On the other side of the seat the armrest lifts up and there is room for a laptop computer – my 15 inch MacBook Pro fits perfectly.
Individual air nozzles are available in the passenger service unit above the seat, which always help me to sleep better.
United provides a thin, small blanket in first class except on premium transcontinental flights. Economy class passengers receive the same blanket (by request only).
I was originally seated in 2A, but a couple who were seated in 2B and 2F asked if I would be willing to switch to 2F so they could sit together. Considering they asked nicely and it was a window for a window in the same row, I agreed.
Food + Drink
One (small) upside to the changes in pandemic catering is that United serves a heartier meal on redeye flights instead of just a light snack. Dinner was served after takeoff, with a choice between:
- Grilled chicken and Latin rice with green chili, corn, and back bean salsa, chimichurri, and cherry tomatoes
- Italian ragu with polenta
I ordered chicken, which is (or at least has been) a good dish on United, though in recent weeks we’ve seen the chicken breast shift to a chicken scraps being molded into a breast-shaped piece. This month, (after eight months) the menu changed and United now offers Impossible-branded meatless meatballs or chicken zaatar with orzo rice.
Dinner was served with a warm pretzel bread roll and a bowl of fresh-cut fruit, which was all ripe. I’ve ditched most alcohol due to my diet so I just drank water.
The “pie in the sky” cookies were missing and I asked the flight attendant about them. She and her colleague took a look in the galley and found them. Moments later the smell of warm cookies filled the cabin and they cookies were shortly delivered on napkins.
IFE + Wi-Fi
United is in the process of restoring seatback screens to all of its narrowbody fleet, but currently offers “personal device entertainment” on most of its 737 MAX 9 fleet (new deliveries of the MAX -8 and -9fleet are delivered with seatback screens). This is a system of streaming movies and television programming offered via the United mobile app.
Tip: Download the latest version of the United app before your flight in order to enjoy streaming IFE on your tablet or mobile phone.
Complimentary headphones are provided upon request.
Wi-Fi is available for purchase as well at a rate of $8 for MileagePlus members or $10 for non-members.
Lavatory
First class passengers can use a lavatory in the front of the cabin near the flight deck door or just behind the first class cabin. I used the lavatory behind the front cabin, which is notoriously tiny.
The sink is so narrow that you cannot help but to splash the counter and mirror when you turn on the water…and if you are not careful, your own clothes as well.
Service
Service on United has been consistent in a good way this year. I’ve found service warm and attentive, particularly on domestic flights. I was addressed by surname and thanked for my 1K status while meal orders were taken.
CONCLUSION
We landed almost 30 minutes early in Orlando, giving me time to check out the Orlando United Club and grab some excellent coffee (stay tuned for those posts).
The 737 MAX 9 won’t win any awards for comfort, yet it’s a solid product and I have absolutely no safety concerns on this aircraft. I appreciate the upgrade greatly, as the extra width and recline helped me to get in a few hours of shuteye on the flight.
They had “to go look for the cookies”? Heh?? Have they been hanging out in some secret galley cupboard? This sounds very very fishy…
Was that white china or plasticware with the entree ?
It was porcelain but yes, looks like a dog bowl.
You don’t sound entirely entitled or anything.. relax. He got his cookie without much trouble.
Wrong Matthew. United NOW offers seat back screens and the United Next hard product not only on the Max 8 but also on the three new Max 9’s it took delivery of last week. These brand new aircraft are already flying back and forth Hawaii and the mainland. The delivery of these new Max 9’s will continue throughout 2022.
Thank you GPG.
Did someone have insider documents to confirm that their 31st – 33rd MAX9s have seatback?
Is there any update on United Next retrofits for existing aircraft? Awesome interiors on 19 new delivery MAX aircraft is great and all, but this was announced last year and it doesn’t appear any retrofits have been made yet.
Stuck in row 5 for ORD-LAX this weekend, on the side opposite the rear toilets. No other seats available. Is it going to be awful?
You will get fumes…not going to lie. Keep an eye on the seat map!
Row 5 in front of the lavs are also open now- just checked. Do you think those are better? Says no recline. I’d not rather recline than get the fumes…
I actually love sitting in seat 5A. I didn’t experience any fumes. I didn’t recline but found 5A to be really comfortable. It also feels a bit more private, if that makes sense.
Thanks Timothy- I am not a big recliner anyway so I will move us over. Appreciate the advice! Privacy > reclining for us!
Curious, Nathan – did 5A/5B on the 737 MAX 9 (United) R2 recline after all? It looks awfully close to the lavatory wall in the pix. Thanks!
Ahh when I saw this title I thought it was on one of the new ones delivered last week. Hope you get the chance to try one of the new max 8 or 9s soon!
Me too. I’m particularly interested in the Bluetooth audio.
What about the accessibility for Deaf and disabled passengers?
Even if this aircraft was as luxurious as Buckingham Palace with service to match, there is NO way I am flying a 737-Max …. nope!
Horrorfull meal service. No french champagne. No luxury. Primitive
Good insights, I’ll be on that flight in a couple weeks, but it’ll be in E+, I can’t justify the 1st class seat for barely five hours. Hello inflatable neck pillow + Advil PM.
As United starts retrofitting planes with seatback, I’d like them to do a systemic triage based on least likely to retire, and to make things efficient, they should not move on to the next type until they finish one type
Here’s my triage:
1. MAX9
2. 737-900
3. 737-800
4. Tie (A319 and 737-700)
5. 757-300
6. A320
I would start with the planes that have the worst interiors. Most of the 737-800s have a very dated interior and need it badly, so I would start with those, not the new MAX 9s that have fairly new seats just lacking the screen.
None of these planes will be retired anytime soon. At least an entire fleet type. Maybe some of the oldest A320s will be retired, but the entire fleet of any of these will not be. UA management has made it clear they are going to be growing a ton over the next few years, becoming the largest airline in the US (and the world), so they need all these planes.
And you look at UA hubs, they are getting so many new gates over the next few years. They’re gonna have 90 total gates in Denver later this year, getting T9 at LAX down the road, new gates at Newark and Chicago, it goes on and on. They are going to be a much larger airline in a few years.
With the way that United markets their improvements, many people will associate these improvements with MAX and NEO. Therefore, boarding a MAX that doesn’t have the latest interior will probably be more disappointing than boarding a 737-800 without United’s latest interior because the MAX has more association with the improvements than the -800. If you look at their “me our new and improved fleet” page, you’ll see mentions of MAX but no mention of -800. Therefore, people will hold United’s MAXes to a higher standard than their -800s. Add to that that because people are still uncomfortable about the MAX’s safety record, United will differentiate the MAX from older 737s on booking pages.
Flying across the country on a widebody is bad enough let alone doing it on a narrowbody…I’d rather drive.
The five hours goes pretty quickly.
The suddenly “found” the cookies? No excuses for that. Sounds like they just couldn’t be bothered with them until someone asked. United food service is so patchy, worse since Covid.
I know it sounds fishy, but this was a very nice crew and one FA got so excited when she found them. Sure, she should have looked harder in the first place, but it wasn’t deliberate.
It’s totally plausible. There is no rhyme nor reason when it comes to catering. Little organization. Stuff is never labeled. Sometimes it’s like a flipping scavenger hunt. If I find something, I expect a prize!!
Just flew Maui to LAX on United MAX 9.
Paid $1049.00 vs $199.00 for Economy.
Can’t say it was worth the extra money to be in 5 B in front of the toilet.
Excellent service, lame food, pretty uninspiring.
Should get a 180 degree bed for that price which is offered on the flights from Maui to SFO.
Sadly, you’ll need to fly Hawaiian to get the lie-flat bed and those flights are often twice the cost of AA, DL, or UA.
I LOVE 5B. No one behind you to constantly hit your seat. Plus, easy access to the lavatory directly behind you. My fave seat in this cabin.
You “have absolutely no safety concerns on this aircraft.”?? Is that supposed to mean something to us? Are you an aerospace engineer? Are you an aviation safety professional? What is the scientific basis of your assessment of “absolutely no safety concerns”? You really shouldn’t make statements on subjects of which you know nothing. It is misleading to the public, who might interpret your statement as some sort of informed assessment. Are you trying to do damage control for Boeing re: the Max debacle? Better to just say nothing than to put your foot in your mouth.
Too bad Indonesian and Ethiopian pilots lacking adequate training could not control their aircraft – the aircraft is perfectly safe.
Oh please The aircraft is safer NOW due to massive changes in software etc. I am Prof. Emeritus in an engineering school where I taught product safety and design.
This report contains details of the FAA’s comprehensive review of the manufacturer’s proposed changes to the airplane’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). This includes associated system parts, software and mechanical characteristics, safety assumptions, and systems assessments. Additionally, this report discusses the design, operation, revised pilot training and maintenance changes that effectively address the causes of the Lion Air flight 610 (JT610) and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 (ET302) accidents…..On November 5, 2018, after evidence emerged of a
potential contributor to the accident, the FAA conducted a preliminary risk assessment
using the continued operation safety process established in FAA Order 8110.107A, Monitor
Safety/Analyze Data (MSAD). Based on this risk assessment, the FAA determined urgent
mandatory action was needed.
https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/2022-08/737_RTS_Summary.pdf