Chicago-Based United Airlines Is Getting Rid Of The Middle Seat… Sort Of

Hot on the heels of their new Relax Rows, Chicago-based United Airlines has a new idea.

Check this out: United is adding a new seating option to its upcoming Airbus A321XLR aircraft, with no middle seat.

No More Middle Seat: United Airlines Unveils Game-Changing Cabin Design

Instead of the boring traditional middle seat, you'll get a shared table between the aisle and window seats with more elbow room.

Good luck trying to book the extra seat on these Economy Plus rows now, because they've been permanently replaced by the table.

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United Airlines

The Economy Plus Upgrade: Shared Tables and Extra Elbow Room

Couple this with the extra legroom Economy Plus already offers, and you've got one sweetheart of a deal, that is, if you manage to get the plane.

Right now, United has ordered 50 Airbus A321XLRs, with the airline believing they'll be in the sky by the end of the year.

These airplanes will primarily serve international routes, but the hope is that they will add new stops in Europe and South America.

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When Will United's New Airbus A321XLR Take Flight?

If you think you're out of luck because you don't fly out of the US, you might be OK, as United says it's considering adding the table to other airplanes in the future.

With United based in the Windy City, you almost have to believe that Illinois residents, or at least people flying out of O'Hare or Midway, will get first crack at flying on these planes.

If you've ever been stuck in the middle seat on a long flight, this is one upgrade you're probably willing to pay for.