The Long-Haul Economy Battle: United Airlines’ Relax Rows Vs. Air New Zealand’s Skycouches

This article delves into the mechanics and offerings of the similar Relax Row and Skycouch products, providing a comprehensive comparison of their features, target audiences, and operational details. It will also explore the cost implications for travelers and analyze past challenges encountered by early adopters. Finally, the discussion will conclude with an examination of Skynest, Air New Zealand’s ambitious new venture, which promises to revolutionize how budget travelers sleep on ultra-long-haul flights with its unique "bunk bed" concept.

How Air New Zealand’s Skycouch Works: The Pioneer of Economy Comfort

Air New Zealand holds the distinction of being the trailblazer in this innovative seating concept, introducing the Skycouch to the aviation world in 2011. This groundbreaking product transformed standard economy-class seats by integrating an additional footrest on each. These footrests are ingeniously designed to either partially lift, functioning as a conventional footrest, or fully extend horizontally to create a continuous, flat surface across the three seats, effectively forming a "couch" space.

The airline proudly markets the Skycouch as a versatile space, stating, "Use the Skycouch the way you want. Sit, spread out, or lie down and snooze. Share the space with a partner or children, or keep it all for yourself. It’s a world first." This flexibility is a key selling point, catering to a diverse range of passenger needs. For solo travelers, it offers unparalleled space and the luxury of sprawling out. Couples can enjoy a more intimate and comfortable journey, although it’s important to note that two average-sized adults may find lying completely flat together a tight squeeze. The Skycouch truly excels for adults traveling with children, providing a safe and comfortable area for kids to play, sleep, and move around, significantly easing the challenges of long-haul travel for families. Specifically, an adult traveling with two infants can utilize an extra seat with an infant harness, or two adults with one child can comfortably share the space. For larger families, two adults traveling with more than one child would typically require an additional Skycouch to ensure adequate comfort and safety.

Booking a Skycouch is designed to be straightforward. Passengers simply need to select the ‘Skycouch on board’ option during the booking process for their long-haul flight. Subsequently, they can navigate to the seat map to identify and secure an available Skycouch, typically located at the front of the economy cabin.

United’s Relax Row: An Elevated Cabin Experience

Following in the footsteps of its Australasian partner, United Airlines has announced the introduction of Relax Row, a licensed derivative of Air New Zealand’s highly successful Skycouch. This initiative is a cornerstone of United’s broader ‘Elevated’ cabin interior design, which recently made its debut on the carrier’s Boeing 787-9P aircraft. The ‘Elevated’ upgrade is also slated for integration into a significant portion of United’s legacy Boeing 777 fleet, signifying a substantial investment in enhancing the passenger experience across multiple cabin classes.

While specific pricing for the Relax Row remains undisclosed, as its official launch is anticipated in 2027, travelers can expect to find this innovative seating option aboard United’s 787s and 777s. Beyond simply replicating the couch functionality, United aims to enhance the offering with additional amenities. Passengers who opt for the Relax Row will receive not only the convertible couch space but also a dedicated mattress pad, a plush blanket, and extra pillows, all designed to maximize comfort and mimic a more premium sleeping environment.

At the launch event, Andrew Nocella, United’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, articulated the airline’s commitment to this new product: "This is coming online next year. It’s gonna be on every single United 787 and a large number of [777s]… by 2030, 200 aircraft will have Relax Rows onboard.” This ambitious rollout plan underscores United’s belief in the market demand for enhanced economy comfort.

According to data from Cirium, United’s current Boeing 787 and 777 fleets, which are targeted for the Relax Row upgrade, comprise a significant number of aircraft:

This data indicates that the Relax Row will be widely available across United’s long-haul network, particularly as new 787-9s and 787-10s join the fleet. The ‘Elevated’ cabin concept extends beyond the Relax Row, encompassing numerous upgrades United has implemented in recent years, primarily focusing on its premium passengers. For instance, the Business Class Plus features the Polaris Studio in bulkhead rows, which are 25% larger and include a companion ottoman, allowing a second passenger to join for meetings or dining. Similarly, center dividers in standard business class can be lowered for couples traveling together, reflecting a consistent philosophy of offering enhanced flexibility and comfort across cabin classes.

The Aircraft Where You Can Currently Experience Skycouches

Air New Zealand’s Skycouch is currently available on its Boeing 777-300ERs and 787-9s. The airline operates a fleet of 10 777-300ERs and 14 787-9s, with an additional eight 787-9s on order, which will be powered by General Electric GEnx engines. While all of the carrier’s 787-9s are equipped with Skycouches, some of its 777-300ERs also feature this configuration.

The following table provides a detailed breakdown of the Skycouch availability and other class configurations on these two aircraft types:

Evidently, the 777-300ER offers a greater number of Skycouch seats due to its higher overall capacity. However, Air New Zealand has fewer of these aircraft in its fleet, and they are slated for eventual replacement by the more fuel-efficient 787-10s in the coming years. On both the 787-9 and 777-300ER, the Skycouch seats are strategically positioned at the front of the economy cabin, often providing passengers with a quicker exit upon arrival.

Cost of Skycouch & Relax Row: The Sweet Spot for Economy Plus

For both Air New Zealand and the upcoming United Airlines Relax Row, these enhanced economy options are positioned to be significantly more affordable than a traditional business class fare, and typically a touch cheaper than premium economy, especially when utilized by multiple travelers. The pricing model often makes it a more attractive proposition for groups or couples, as the additional cost for the ‘couch’ is split, effectively reducing the per-person premium. For solo travelers, however, the entire upgrade cost rests on one individual.

AFAR magazine reported that a two-person Skycouch upgrade on Air New Zealand flights to and from the US typically costs between $550 to $1,000 per person, in addition to the standard economy fare. For solo travelers, the upgrade cost can range from $1,100 to $2,000. In March 2024, Simple Flying’s Steven Walker conducted a dummy booking and found that a Skycouch upgrade from Auckland to New York incurred an additional $604, while a similar upgrade from Auckland to Singapore cost $665.

Simple Flying’s Alexander Mitchell aptly characterizes this pricing strategy as hitting a "sweet spot." It offers substantial savings compared to premium economy, making it a viable option for budget-conscious customers seeking a significant comfort upgrade for long-haul journeys. Simultaneously, the cost is high enough to ensure the product generates strong ancillary revenue for the airlines, striking a balance between passenger value and airline profitability.

As Relax Row is still approximately a year away from its official launch, United Airlines has yet to release definitive pricing information. However, it is highly probable that United will meticulously study Air New Zealand’s pricing data and market response to inform its own cost structure, aiming to replicate the successful revenue generation and customer satisfaction model established by the Skycouch.

Skycouch Has Caused Booking Issues in the Past

While the Skycouch offers considerable benefits, its implementation has not always been without its challenges, particularly concerning booking logistics. The product inherently requires passengers to secure a block of seats together, which can become complicated in the event of flight disruptions or changes.

In May 2024, Simple Flying’s Gaurav Joshi reported on the unfortunate experience of Rupert, a US-based New Zealander. Rupert faced considerable difficulty when attempting to rebook six tickets, which included three Skycouches, for his journey from Chicago to Auckland after his original flight was canceled. He clearly articulated his expectation: "What I expected is that we would be rebooked Chicago to Auckland with a layover somewhere else, with the Skycouch on the US to Auckland leg, or the same number of Skycouches that we booked originally."

However, Rupert’s customer service experience was far from his expectations. The replacement aircraft onto which he and his family were rebooked was a leased plane that, critically, did not feature Skycouch configurations. The airline’s initial resolution offer was a refund for the upgrade cost, leaving Rupert and his family to sit in standard economy. It took Rupert several nights of persistent customer service calls, extending well past midnight, and a grueling seven-hour phone call over a weekend, to finally secure the coveted Skycouches on an alternative flight. This incident highlights the operational complexities that can arise with specialized seating products, particularly when flight cancellations necessitate rebookings onto aircraft with different cabin configurations or those leased from other carriers. It underscores the importance of robust internal communication and flexible rebooking protocols for airlines offering such unique products.

Skynest: New Zealand’s Latest Innovation in Economy Sleep

Building on the success of the economy Skycouch, which garnered significant industry attention and prompted licensing agreements with carriers like China Airlines and Azul Linhas Aéreas, Air New Zealand is once again poised to redefine economy class comfort with the launch of the world’s first ‘Skynest’ in November. Described colloquially as "bunk beds in economy," this ambitious offering aims to provide lie-flat sleep pods for both economy and premium economy customers on ultra-long-haul routes. It draws inspiration from youth hostel dormitories but elevates the concept with privacy and comfort.

The Skynest will allow passengers to book four-hour sessions to obtain truly comfortable, horizontal sleep during their flight, a luxury previously exclusive to premium cabins. Each private lie-flat space is meticulously designed to include a full-length mattress, high-quality bedding, individual ventilation controls, USB charging ports, and subtle ambient lighting, creating a tranquil environment conducive to rest. To further enhance the experience, customers will be provided with a ‘Nestcessities kit,’ containing essential items such as socks, earplugs, an eye mask, and even skincare products. However, this revolutionary sleep option will incur a substantial additional cost of $291 per four-hour session, positioning it as a premium add-on rather than a standard economy amenity.

Nikhil Ravishankar, Air New Zealand’s Chief Executive, articulated the strategic vision behind Skynest: "[Skynest] reflects the practical innovation New Zealand is known for, and shows how thoughtful design can improve the travel experience. By giving more people the chance to properly rest on ultra-long-haul flights, it helps make travel to and from New Zealand more manageable." Given New Zealand’s geographical isolation and the necessity of extremely long flights to reach many international destinations, Skynest is a direct response to a critical passenger need. It remains to be seen whether other airlines will follow Air New Zealand’s lead in adopting this truly innovative, dormitory-style sleep solution, but its potential to transform the perception of economy travel on the longest routes is undeniable.

In conclusion, the aviation industry is witnessing a significant shift in economy class offerings. From the flexible "couch" concept of Air New Zealand’s Skycouch and United’s Relax Row, catering to couples and families, to the revolutionary lie-flat "bunk beds" of Skynest designed for individual rest, airlines are actively innovating to provide more comfort and value to budget-conscious travelers. These upsells represent a strategic move to generate additional revenue while simultaneously addressing long-standing passenger desires for improved sleep and space on extended journeys, ultimately blurring the traditional lines between cabin classes and ushering in a new era of diversified air travel experiences.