For the first flight leg on my father-son trip, we flew from Los Angeles to Houston on a United Airlines 757-300 in first class. These old workhorses are nothing special, but we enjoyed a pleasant flight.
United Airlines 757-300 First Class Review
My favorite time to travel eastbound across the country is not early in the morning (I do not sleep the night before) or late at night (I am too old for domestic redeye flights unless I have a lie-flat bed), but in the middle of the day. By flying to Washington Dulles via Houston on United I was able to secure relatively cheap tickets (about $300 each), and use PlusPoints to upgrade them immediately upon booking. On this trip I would have splurged if necessary to ensure front cabin seating, but it was nice to use the PlusPoints before they expired.
With the mid-day travel schedule meant to maximize time at home, we left rather late for the airport, arriving just about 15 minutes prior to the commencement of boarding. I should leave more wiggle room for unforeseen delays (as I just encountered on another trip), but most days I can leave my house at 11:30a and be at LAX airport by noon.
Traffic was smooth and after breezing through TSA PreCheck and walking to our gate, we only had to wait a few moments for boarding to begin. No United Club today.
United 2072
Los Angeles (LAX) – Houston (IAH)
Tuesday, April 25
Depart: 1:09 PM
Arrive: 6:23 PM
Duration: 03hr, 14min
Distance: 1,379 miles
Aircraft: Boeing 757-300
Seat: 1A (First Class)
Onboard, we were welcomed by a flight attendant at door 2L and offered a hand wipe.
Seats
The United Airlines 757-300 features 24 first class seats, stretching six row in a 2-2 configuration between doors 1 and 2. United uses a proprietary seat featuring storage under the armrests a universal power outlet and a faux granite console between seats. The seats also have an articulating seat pan (meaning instead of only the seatback sliding back, the seat cushion also moves forward to give the illusion of greater recline).
Tip: Seats 1A and 1B are the best on the plane, offering immense legroom via a bulkhead cutout and no one in front of you to recline.
> Read More: The Best Seat On A United Airlines 757-300
Blankets are available on request and individual air vents are available above each seat.
There were almonds in the storage compartment under the center console…nice work cleaning crew…
IFE + Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is available onboard ($8 for MileagePlus members or $10 for non-members). Select T-Mobile passengers can enjoy free internet onboard on their mobile device (one hour free for Magenta subscribers or unlimited for Magenta MAX subscribers). Messaging is free for all passengers.
There are no seatback screens (that is coming…), but the in-flight intranet system offers streaming videos and TV shows on your mobile devices utilizing the United app. Absent the United app, your selection is limited to a few movies and TV shows via unitedwifi.com.
It was a beautiful day in LA as we took off over the Pacific Ocean.
Food + Drink
Pre-departure beverages (water, orange juice, or sparkling wine) were offered in blue plastic cups during boarding.
Lunch was served after takeoff. Service began with a warm towel and a choice of beverages served with warm mixed nuts.
Meal choices were a spiced tofu bowl, cheese enchiladas, or a glass noodle salad with beef. However, I had taken advantage of United’s pre-order system to choose Thai meatballs for myself and a fruit and cheese plate for my father.
Chili-glazed Thai meatballs
Thai beef meatballs glaze with cilantro lime rice, stir-fried vegetables and red chili glaze
I was expecting the meatballs to have a bit of a kick to them and they did not. Even so, I thought the dish is one of the best in the current line-up and would not hesitate to order it again.
My father enjoyed his fruit and cheese plate.
Fruit and cheese plate
Fruit and cheese plate with brie cheese, havarti cheese, smoked Gouda cheese, prosciutto, grapes,
strawberry, dried apricots and almonds
This is a nice alternative to a heavy carb-laden meal and something I would absolutely order again.
On each tray was a side green salad and bread roll.
After clearing away trays, dessert was served (a warmed butter-flavored “Pie in the Sky” cookie pie).
For a three-hour lunch flight, I found the meals quite satisfactory.
I appreciate the ability to pre-order meals on United and look forward to pre-orders expanding to widebody jets and longhaul flights.
Lavatory
I hydrate in the morning with water and coffee and so I did have to get up during the flight to use the restroom…though we encountered quite a bit of rough air and the seatbelt light remained on for most of the flight. The lavatory was clean.
Service
The crew was lovely onboard today. I guess my father and I look quite a bit alike and the crew thought it was sweet that we were traveling together. Throughout the flight, we were constantly offered refills on beverages and we were addressed by surname as well. A great veteran and professional Houston-based crew.
CONCLUSION
We landed in the midst of a stormy afternoon at Bush Intercontinental in Houston, taxiing by a Singapore Airlines A350 and Emirates A380 before reaching our gate. Thankfully, the lightning had dissipated so our next flight was not delayed. This was a pretty perfect flight, as far as I was concerned. The internet worked, the lunch was edible, and the service was great.
I don’t go out of my way to fly on the 757-300 on United, but I also do not go out of my way to avoid it.
Thanks for identifying the meatball dish. I had that two weeks ago… didn’t have advantage of pre-ordering as I bought my ticket about 3 hours before departure. The crew described it as “beef with broccoli” when taking orders, then when serving said “We took the cover off and this is what it is.. I think it’s still beef.”
Glad you enjoyed your trip with your father, and I am sure he loved it. I traveled last week with my mother and it was the first time in quite awhile, and we both had a great time. It’s nice having family as a travel companion and makes you stop and appreciate some of the things you take as routine normally.
“…757-300 in first class. These old workhorses are nothing special, but we enjoyed a pleasant flight…”
Don’t think like that. Breathe deeply and remember the experience so you can tell your son! The 757-300 is an uncommon model. Maybe 50 or 60 were made, mostly for CO and DL. Augustine may never fly on one, just like you never flew aboard a L-1011 Tristar.
I have flown aboard a 747SP and a 737-200QC. I have never flown aboard a VC-10, Trident, Concorde, Caravelle, or Convair 990 and never will, unfortunately. Those were before my time.
How would you compare the seats to the old 737-7/8/900 and the new MAX fleet?
Same. I guess now there is a new seat on the A319 with “wings” which I have yet to experience.
I agree that the dish is decent. Really thought that the recent rehauled menu wouldn’t be that great it hasn’t been that bad so far.
The food is still generally not what I’d eat at home, but I agree that overall it is not bad and I certainly think on shorter flights like the 2-3 hour hops, the quantity if more than sufficient.
I see that there was no seatback entertainment on this aircraft with a new interior. Did have any difficulty in getting the tray table out or back in like everyone else does? Did you tray and get the tray table out with a drink on the drink table? Didn’t think so because no one can.
The tray table is annoying. This aircraft will be retrofitted too..the seats were replaced on this bird in about 2019.
“Onboard, we were welcomed by a flight attendant the door 2L and offered a hand wipe.”
What does this mean? Was the flight attendant’s name ‘the door 2L’? Please proof!
Great review Matthew but quite a few typos this time around.
Nice review, and great timing. I am booking a r/t flight to DCA in business class today from LAX and wasn’t sure if I should take the 757 or stay on the 737 Max. I’m not a fan of either, and surprised that there aren’t many larger planes feeding DCA from LAX in late September (just about all I see are 737’s and a few 757’s) on United. I think I’ll try to get on a 757 as I think it’s a bit larger plane. Thanks!
The 757 is the largest plane that can fly to DCA.
no larger pale can flying DCA
Sweet!!
Mathew, I have an important question. Have you ever once managed to get the inflight streaming to work on a laptop? I have tried to use it on different computers running windows 7, 8, 10, 11, mac os, and linux and never managed to get it working. The closest I have ever gotten was running the android app on 11 through emulation and then rotating the picture.
These first class seats are uncomfortable. The former recliners were much better. The tray table is unforgiving for larger sized passengers. It needs release so it can be angled. The tray tables in the older style seats worked great. If I want to eat I have to hold my tray in these seats. The same goes for the purple premium seats. Same design .
Horrible tray table for some of us who aren’t skinny. The old cabins were more forgiveable. I will stop flying United if they don’t do something. I know, I know, lose weight.
I’m doing a day/night trip on United, flying MIA-EWR-SFO-LAX-ORD-MIA, all in one sitting next week over 29 hours. I haven’t flown United since I was a little kid, so I thought a trip like this would be fun as a graduation present for myself. If anyone has any pluspoints or expiring upgrades they are willing to share, I would greatly appreciate it.
Let’s be honest here. No screens without notice. Bad if traveling with teens or kids.
No drinks until 2hours after take off which of delayed 4 hours may be a mite strict. No water or Prosecto doesn’t count!
Outlet. If you can find it- didn’t work, WiFi either – wasn’t going to pay for in First Class. Chair was broken- mine didn’t recline. Was ok with that but sadly be person in front sure did – so far back it made my iPad impossible to stand up and knocked over the glass.
No wi fi , no screens “ we had the privilege watching our own” I kid you not!!
Thank goody- I only fly Delta unless you let someone else make your reservation.
Get new planes!
We were also bounced back to BE from E+ on outward bound with no explanation or compensation.