Last month, I flew on United Airlines’ Transpacific service for the first time in almost two years. This time from Los Angeles to Sydney. I’ve been flying United over the Pacific fairly regularly over the last two decades, and every time I note that the experience has continued to improve. So was that the case this time around as well? Read on to find out.
Carrier: United Airlines
Route & Flight Number: UA839, LAX to SYD
Aircraft Type: 787-900 Dreamliner
Class: Economy
Seat: 33D (Middle Aisle, 3-3-3 Layout)
Flight Time: 14 hours 37 minutes
On Time? Yes
Departing from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
With Los Angeles gearing up for the 2028 Olympics, new transit options to LAX are finally emerging. As of earlier this year, the C and K lines of LA Metro’s train network now connect to the airport via the LAX/Metro Transit Center. In 2026, an Automated People Mover will expedite guests to the station, though until then, they offer a ground level shuttle bus that runs every 10 minutes. However, depending on traffic, this can be a lengthy route. The Flyaway bus also remains a decent, and affordable alternative from LA’s Union Station.
Ubers, Lyfts and Taxis, meanwhile, can drop you directly at your terminal. Though it’s worth mentioning that prices for LA ride share services have gone through the room of late. And for passengers that have just landed into LAX, note you still need to head to the LAX-it area in order to call your ride.
I took an Uber to get to the airport, and if you’re heading to the United terminal like I was, make sure the driver takes the route to Terminal 7 on the left to avoid a lot of the traffic.
And there’ll be traffic.
But once we broke free of the initial congestion it didn’t take long to get to Terminal 7 and to the check in counters. While on the ride over I was also able to move my seat around to try and fenagle a row to myself. The United App makes it easy to change your seat right up until you board and check and status updates of your flight. With the government shutdown that was in play while I was in town, and storms in LA, there was worry of a lot of delay, so I was checking pretty regularly. But thankfully we departed on time.
Checking In & Lounge Access
With United’s “Premier Access” built into my ticket thanks to my Virgin Australia Velocity Gold status, I had a quick and easy time through check in. These days, even for Premier Access, it’s mostly self check in. They just put the bag tag on for you and check your passport after you go through the process.
Security was slow in Terminal 7 on this evening, regardless of whether you were in general security, or the Premier Access security. But on either side, thankfully the line was short. From the time I arrived at the airport, I was sitting in the United Lounge (something else I can enjoy with a guest thanks to Velocity Gold) in about 35 minutes. Which isn’t bad for a 10.40pm departure.
The lounge had plenty of food options. Soups, sandwiches and pasta, as well as chicken with chickpeas and more. There’s a self service soda machine and a full service bar with mostly complimentary items (though tips are encouraged), and a few premium options for an additional cost. I had a grilled chicken pesto penne which was delicious, filled up my water bottle and downloaded a few shows onto my phone I’d been meaning to watch. Their free wi-fi was fast and easy to use.
They don’t make announcements here so make sure to keep an eye on your phone or the screens to know when to head to your gate.
Once I headed to the gate, I was among first to board and get comfortable for this on time departure.
The Economy Cabin
Thankfully it was not a busy flight, and the fenagling paid off: I had a full row to myself. The poor man’s business class.
Pillows designed as neck pillows and a blanket were on every economy seat, so I had a few to play with as I got comfortable. As much as having a row to yourself should make it inherently easier to lay down and get some sleep, the nature of the seats means you have to get creative to avoid all the bits and bobs stabbing you – or your feet finding their way into the aisle. Which can be almost impossible if you’re of average or above height – but you make it work. The seats also just don’t have as much cushion as they once did – but that’s an industry wide change.
On the Dreamliner 787, there are no toilets at the back of the plane. Rather, four sit in the middle of the cabin. And something I was impressed to see (and I supposed the bar is low here), is that they were regularly cleaned. And they even smelt like grapefruit!
The service in Economy was consistently wonderful for the entire service – we had excellent cabin staff who were attentive to everyone’s needs and were jovial with each other. This hasn’t always been my experience on this route, so it was great to see.
The Entertainment
Shortly after boarding, ear buds were handed out for the screens, which had microphone jacks and a USB input for charging. AC adaptors are under the seats, two to each section of three seats. There’s also the ability to connect Bluetooth to the screen, so you can use your AirPods.
On the units, which worked very well, you’ll find seemingly endless amounts of content – movies, TV shows, games and even an impressive selection of music and live concerts. For a 15 hour flight you are going to have no shortage of entertainment. Also it’s worth mentioning that while once upon a time United would screen a lot of “censored for airplane” versions of movies, thankfully that now seems very much to be a relic of the past.
The Meal Service
Three complimentary hot meals are offered through the almost 15 hour flight.
Unless you pre-booked a special meal, you had three choices for the dinner service, which was served about an hour after take off. The options were pineapple beef teriyaki with rice, chicken with rice or a vegetarian pasta with red pepper sauce. I had the beef. Each hot meal was served with a bread roll, butter, salad with red vinegar dressing and a cheesecake brownie. The servings were small, but the quality and taste were good.
Drink service followed right behind, with United still not serving any complimentary spirits for economy passengers. You have to pay $10 USD for the privilege. But beer, wine and a wide assortment of non-alcoholic beverages are all complimentary.
Small bottles of water were handed out about an hour later after some turbulence stopped service. Usually this would be offered earlier.
A “hot ham on cornmeal roll with black pepper and honey butter” was served about halfway through the flight with a drink service. I woke up to the service and enjoyed the snack, though fell back to sleep before the drink service stopped at my row. And then an hour and a bit before landing, it was time for a hot breakfast.
You had the option of “sweet” – pancakes with cream – or “savoury” – scrambled eggs with pork sausage and potatoes. I had the latter, and had packed a little packet of hot sauce in my bag for the occasion. A little hot sauce always goes a long way (a literal hot tip). This was served with fruit and a “morning harvest roll” and vanilla yogurt. All of this was very tasty, although more variety than grapes and pineapples would have been appreciated in the fruit mix.
Arriving at Sydney International Airport (SYD)
Since my last visit to Sydney International Airport about 11 months earlier, the updated machines to scan passports on arrival have all been installed. Though I didn’t notice any real change in the speed of the process, it’s all straight forward. You also still have to fill out the paper customs forms, however, which they hand out on board before you land. I think it’s time we got rid of them, no? I was under the impression that that’s what the new machines were for. But I guess we’re not quite there yet.
It was a short wait for the bags, and then I was out of there quickly. From the airport, though its cost remains far too high ($20.95 to $22.25 per person depending on the time of day), the train remains the quickest and easiest way to get out of the airport and into the city. But if you aren’t travelling solo, it’s hard to justify that expense over an Uber, Didi or Taxi.
Shouldn’t the airport be trying to dissuade people from driving to and from the already congested terminals? The high cost is due to an outrageous $17.92 fee to use the station, which they really need to do something about. But of course they won’t. Still, I’ll continue to bring attention to it, as the fee makes the service one of the most expensive in the the world.
Final Verdict
There’s little not to like about United Airlines’ Transpacific economy service. The food was tasty, the staff wonderful and the cabin was kept clean and comfortable.
I was also lucky to get a row to myself, which no doubt added to the positive experience. But that’s naturally a flip of the coin – even if you were as on it as I was through their fantastic app.
I would love to see them finally offer complimentary spirits, even if it’s just one with your dinner, as I don’t care for wine or beer when I’m flying. But it’s not just about my preferences – it’s about them continuing to step up to match the service that everyone else offers. And to that end, other than this one remaining factor, they have done this.
United now consistently deliver a high quality service to match or even surpass all their competitors. I would fly them, and this service, any day.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
To book your flight with United Airlines, head to united.com.
The writer flew at his own expense. Headline photo provided by United Airlines. Additional photos by the author, unless otherwise listed.
