United Airlines ‘Relax Row’ economy bed: How it works and when you can fly

United Airlines has announced it will introduce a new long-haul economy seating option called “Relax Row,” which converts a row of economy-class seats into a couch-style bed, allowing passengers to sleep or stretch out on long flights.

The product will be the first of its kind offered by a North American airline and exclusive to United. The airline will begin rolling out the Relax Row in 2027 on its Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner aircraft, with more than 200 jets equipped with a Relax Row by 2030. Each aeroplane will have up to 12 Relax Rows available for booking. 

The economy couch seat concept is not entirely new. Air New Zealand and All Nippon Airways (ANA) offer similar products, allowing passengers to convert multiple economy seats into a flat sleeping surface that accommodates up to two passengers. Lufthansa Airlines also offers passengers the option to reserve adjacent seats as an individual sleeping surface. 

How United’s Relax Row will work

Relax Row consists of three adjacent economy seats with tiltable legrests that convert the seats into a couch-like sleeping surface.

Key features include:

• Three economy seats booked together
• Individually adjustable leg rests that flip up to 90 degrees
• The leg rests combine with the seat cushions to create a flat surface for stretching out
• Extra bedding, including a mattress pad, blanket and additional pillows
• Extra amenities for families, including a children’s travel kit and plush toy

The entire row is alllllll yours.

Welcome to United Relax Row, three adjacent United Economy seats with adjustable leg rests that can each be raised or lowered to create a cozy lie-flat space for stretching out…

You'll also get a mattress pad, blanket and two pillows. If… pic.twitter.com/Q6gcOuXbXo

— United Airlines (@united) March 24, 2026

The Relax Rows will be positioned between standard economy and Premium Plus, offering a new “mid-tier” comfort option. The setup will accommodate:

• One passenger who wants to lie flat
• Two adults sharing
• Families travelling with a child

How safe will it be to fly lying down on United’s Relax Row?

A fully converted Relax Row should be wide enough for two adults to lie sideways across it, as with competing products. While United has not yet detailed the safety system, the setup will almost certainly include special restraint belts, since regulators require passengers lying down in economy seats to remain secured. 

For example, Air New Zealand’s Skycouch includes a “cuddle belt” harness that allows passengers to lie down safely in case the aircraft experiences turbulence. In fact, the United shows a similar harness system in the product photo.

Compared to passengers who choose to stretch out on empty seats nearby, in the rare occasions when they find them, this is a much safer option that cabin crew will not object to.

How United’s Relax Row compares with other “economy beds” flying

United’s Relax Row will be one of a limited number of similar economy-class sleeping options currently offered. Although the foundation of the airline’s claim to North American exclusivity is unconfirmed, United likely licensed the product from Air New Zealand, which holds several patents on the design and function of its economy Skycouch seats. 

AGN has reached out to United to confirm licensing, but has not received a reply at the time of publication.

Air New Zealand Skycouch

Air New Zealand’s Skycouch, launched in 2011, is the original economy couch “bed.” The Skycouch works particularly well for couples or parents traveling with young children. It is available on some of the airline’s Boeing 777s and all its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. According to aeroLOPA data, the airline has 20 triple-seat set Skycouches installed on the Boeing 777 and 13-14 on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, all positioned on either side of the centre rows in economy-class. 

How the Air New Zealand Skycouch works:

• Three seats with footrests that lift to form a flat sleeping surface
• Extra bedding kit
• Safety harness belts
• Around 1.55 m long and 74 cm wide sleeping surface

Licensing the Skycouch Patent

Air New Zealand holds the patent to the original Skycouch design concept, and the mechanical functions of the tilting legrests, which help form the bed surface. Its Skycouch is manufactured by RECARO Aircraft Seating, meeting the airline’s original designs. 

It licensed the product to China Airlines in 2014 for installation on the carrier’s Boeing 777-300ERs. However, China Airlines saw soft demand for the product and its service life was short. The Taiwanese carrier stopped offering the ‘Family Couch’ seat option on its Boeing 777s in 2018. 

Air New Zealand also licensed the concept to Brazil’s Azul Linhas Aéreas in 2014, which marketed the product as “Skysofa,” available on its Airbus A300-200s. The Azul “Skysofa” consisted of sets of four seats located at the centre of the aircraft. However, the airline has stopped offering the Skysofa, and aeroLOPA no longer lists it as installed on its fleet. 

Other licensees no longer offering couches include Air Astana’s “Economy Sleeper,” introduced in 2015, and Air Austral’s “Extra Couchette” introduced in 2016.

Presently, ANA is the only carrier to have licensed the concept from Air New Zealand and still fly it.

ANA COUCHii

ANA’s COUCHii is another variation on the concept. Though ZIM Aircraft Seating manufactures its seats, the product is also licensed from Air New Zealand under its patent. It is only available on the Japanese carrier’s Airbus A380s, which operate between Narita and Honolulu. 

ANA COUCHii seats are available in sets of three or four economy seats, installed in rows 71 to 76 at the back of the aircraft’s main deck.

• Leg rests fold up to form a bed
• Offered on Airbus A380 aircraft
• Pricing ranges from $96–$2,580 per segment, depending on season and configuration (three or four seats, single or up to four passengers)

Key differences in couch seating variants

Lufthansa sleeper row

While not offering a convertible seat-couch, Lufthansa allows passengers in economy class long-haul to book a row of 3-4 seats and use it as a personal sleeping surface. The airline offers passengers who pay extra for a sleeping row a business-class mattress topper, blanket, and pillow as comfort amenities.  

It is subject to availability, and no more than three rows are allotted for sleepers on each flight. The airline does not allow advance booking of a sleeper row, and it can only be reserved at the airport check-in counter. The service is exclusively available on long-haul flights of 11 hours or longer. 

How booking a United Airlines Relax Row will likely work

United has not yet replied to AGN questions on the booking process, but Air New Zealand has previously supported airlines that licensed the seat couch concept, recommending the best way to market the product and integrate it into booking systems.

The United Airlines booking process is likely to include Relax Row as an ancillary offering, allowing passengers to book a standard economy ticket and select Relax Row during seat selection, paying an additional fee to reserve the entire row. 

Air New Zealand’s Skycouch also works this way: customers book economy seats first, then select the Skycouch upgrade during seat selection if available on the flight. ANA’s COUCHii can be booked separately, through the reservation page or by contacting customer service. Passengers can add COUCHii bookings to their reservations, based on availability, from 355 days up to 48 hours before departure.  

As with the other two carriers, United’s options and fare tiers for the Relax Row will likely include:

• 1 passenger booking the full row at a higher fee
• 2 passengers sharing the row at a moderate fee
• Family bookings with children—the least expensive option (when divided by occupants

How expensive will it be to fly on the Relax Row?

United has not announced pricing yet, though AGN has asked for comment. However, similar products provide a basic benchmark, so we can look at typical prices to book a sleeping row on airlines offering the service. 

United will likely price the product somewhere between Air New Zealand and ANA, though it will have some competitive flexibility as it will be an exclusive product offering in North America. Passengers can expect the total cost of United’s Relax Row fares to be somewhere between an economy and a premium economy class ticket.

Will United’s Relax Row pass the test of time? 

For the airline, this product will generate additional ancillary revenue and appeal to passengers who prefer to lie down or to let their children rest more comfortably on longer flights. 

Whether the product will endure, as it has for Air New Zealand and ANA, or fail, as it has for other carriers, remains unknown. United evidently feels confident about demand, as it will install it on a large share of its long-haul fleet. 

The introduction of a Relax Row option reflects United’s trend toward a premium passenger experience, extending “comfort upgrades” to economy passengers. The airline has committed to carving out a “premium airline” market segment in North America, and adding the Relax Row is a nice fit.

Featured image: United Airlines

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