*ALMOST* Pleasant! · UNITED AIRLINES Economy Class 777 🇺🇸 Chicago to Los Angeles《 The US Series 》
Join me for a very surprising flight on board a United 777-200 in Economy Class from Chicago to Los Angeles. This full economy trip report and flight review will cover everything from the airport impressions, United’s history, the inflight experience and more.
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💸 Price Paid
Total Fare: $311.37
Class: Economy Class
Route: ORD-LAX
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🎶 Background Music in This Video
“Back to Tokyo” by Vens Adams
“Soothe My Mind” by Notize
“Coffee” by Alex MakeMusic
“Masari” by Dan Zeitune
“Nonsense” by A Bunch Of
“Exotic Landscapes” by A New World
↪ Video Chapters ↩
0:00 Arrival at Chicago O’Hare
01:23 Check in Hall & Departures
04:05 United Club
05:37 Our Aircraft & Gate
06:18 Boarding
07:05 Seat Tour
09:19 Take off & Views
11:00 In Flight Entertainment
11:26 In Flight Menu & Snack Box
12:47 Descending into LAX, Grand Canyon
19:04 The Flip Flop Score
This is NOT a promotional video. I pay for all of my flights and hotels (and I always tell you how much!) so I can be as honest and impartial as possible. I do not receive any special treatment that wouldn’t otherwise be publicly accessible, in fact, the hotels and airlines have no idea about my visit and that’s the way I like it!
#unitedairlines #economy #tripreport
48 Comments
What are the runway designations in ORD? I get L for left C for center and R for Right. But they have 2 center runways. Anybody know?
Hello from a former Northern NJ resident. Use to do the LAX-EWR at least twice a month and enjoyed the beauty that America can be from the plane window. Also distant thunderstorms can be incredible.
Noel Phillips had an interesting take on untied. Given he’s British and flew BA growing up, he says BA isn’t what they used to be and united is has a superior product. Also on a side note, your flight flew out of the same exact gate as my flight to Amsterdam on united last September.
Surprised to still see Vistara and Air India (despite Vistara no longer existing in the world) still having different tails at the ranking board towards the very end
I'm compelled to say, and saying this as someone not from America, that this feels like the funnest video you ever made. Love all the jabs you made 👍
One of YouTubers I enjoy. Love your sassy comments.
Thank you Kelvin, it's a great trip report.
Having gotten spoiled flying Asian and Middle Eastern premium airlines, I used to dread flying back on US carriers with their "service with a snarl" and their habit to nickel-and-dime you for every little thing. But I do agree United has improved…somewhat. They are trying to better compete with Delta (arguably the best US full service carrier, in terms of onboard service). United is still more hit-and-miss in service compared to Delta…but a little better than before. I still wouldn't call any US carrier truly competitive with the top Asian and European carriers in service and customer satisfaction. But the gap between US and those foreign carriers is a little narrower. Sounds accurate?
I remember the United 777s used to be in a 2-5-2 comfiguration. Now THAT was BRUTAL
My trip to the USA also my first trip outside my country was on United airlines dreamliner. The food was incredibly bland and the crew was a bit rude. But the silver lining was moving map and offered good internet on a payment basis.
The pie chart shows Alaska airline’s revenue similar to united, American and delta with much less flights and passengers carried. Does that look right?
Grew up in Chicago and flew tons out of O'Hare. People complain about various aspects of it, but it's pure nostalgia for me. The curved skylight window architecture, the brachiosaurus (not a brontosaurus!), the colorful moving walkway to Concourse C, and the gorgeous Blue Line station for trains to the city, it's unequivocal Chicago.
In terms of the United crew experience…relative par for the course. But after seeing the bag fiasco onboard, I think you understood the why. If anything, this whole trip was a certified US domestic flight experience.
I always get sick, when I see a Boeing 777 cabin with 10 seats in a row, that looks just awful.
I fly United exclusively in the States… Having small children they are normally amazing with that
Terrible payment system. Why would they make customers jump through hoops to spend?
That lounge at Concourse C is probably my favorite among. United's been impressing flyers lately, including myself. They've got the best teaser a-la-carte add-on packages among the Big 3, so good that I don't feel the need to chase miles or status with them anymore – it's all a-la-carte with each ticket! Also love that the weirdest cabin situations ALWAYS happen during Kevin's flights 🙂
totally off subject but what backpack do you use in this video ? thanks in advance – im looking for a new one and its just so overwhelming the options!
Hopefully, you had the chance to enjoy some In and Out burgers while LAX plane watching?!
I used to fly Continental religiously and now am with United. The merger became United in name only. The airline was, in practice, barely indistinguishable from the former Continental, from the uniforms, the livery, the frequent flyer program, etc. it seems to be a frustration of the former United crowd that, while the name was maintained, the airline disappeared.
I couldn't understand why your revenue pie chart (5:00) showed Alaska as nearly on par with the Big 3, when they're far smaller by all the other measures you presented. If you look up 2023 operating revenues, you'll see Alaska's was $10.4B, or roughly one-fifth as large as each of each of the Big 3
It’s a pity you didn’t venture into the United Club at LAX. It’s really good and was the first upgraded with the new look. Also, since you’re *A, there’s a Star Alliance lounge in the Bradley Terminal (also called Terminal B on signs). You can reach it airside at LAX through the tunnel system. It’s sort of like a Polaris-lite lounge. It’s a hike to get there, but if you have the time, it’s worth the trip.
The last 10 years or so I have been tied to UA as I have been based in DEN and SFO now. The magnitude of change within these last 10 years have been staggering. From an international run from DEN-NRT where they served literally a chobani yogurt with a pack of Kirkland granola for breakfast to a real nice meal last year on SIN-SFO in Economy things have really become better. Infact I flew to Burbank from SFO last week and everything about that flight was perfect for a short hop.
United economy slimline seats are terrible. I’ve sat on rocks that were more comfortable.
Gather round kids! Kevins got a new video out and its… in Economy!??
It's been nearly 20 years since I worked for the US government and flew around on their dime, but when I was, it was required that United (and by extension *A) was the first choice for buying tickets unless another airline was dramatically cheaper. I've since moved out to the PNW and developed a fierce loyalty to Alaska for domestic travel, as I feel that it's a company staffed more by humans than by algorithms. When I popped onto a random United flight a couple of years ago, I was reminded about how everything about it is, as you file it, about a 5/10. Their route network is huge! Some of their hard product is… not the absolute worst! But there are just so many better options.
Why is emirates only ranked number 6 in the tier list
By "no fresh food", it sounds like you're meaning no salads… The burgers are often hot and as fresh as airline food gets. So I'd debate the "no fresh food", just no food you consider fresh….
Booked a united flight out of curiosity in 2022 and got a lot of options I loved, Premier Access? No problem. Can be bought. Lounge Access? Can be bought. Extra miles? can be bought. One of the Lounge attendants even spoke German. Since then I plan an United flight a year.
3:28 This tunnel has been there for the past 35 years or so. They play variation of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue there.
Actually I gotten status match Delta with Hilton, tried their status and was not happy.
United was one of the last airlines to offer an inflight magazine until 2024. I love the take off snack box. Next flights in future will be United again.
12:56 In 2023, I tried to buy a snack box and they noted down my seat number. This did not often work. In the end, the FA gave me the snack box, said something along the lines "what ever" and we moved on. You need to attach the credit card to your mileage plus wallet. When you try to pay for the box, you need to open your wallet in the united app and display the qr code, which will be then scanned in by the POS system. Then I noticed a charge on my credit card. I think they changed it in 2024.
I find it funny that longtime United travelers lament the merger for taking everything good about United and replacing it with everything bad from Continental lol.
I went to college in North Jersey and my first international flight was on People’s Express to London. I understand your feelings about Continental though. Also I’m old.
The pay,ent system? Yeah, I understand completely why it’s cashless on board but why make it so needlessly complicated? Give the crew terminals to process payments
I’m probably switching to UA from Delta soon. Delta is marginally better but the prices are much higher… and my home airport will be DEN again (soon). So I’ve been jumping through hoops in the form of SLC or a connecting flight elsewhere for it to be “sensible”
That payment system is insane. Other low-cost carriers just swipe your card on payment – why can't United do the same?! I've flown United a few times and can't say I enjoyed it as lots of flights were late and FAs were rather surly. However, I did have a very enjoyable sector in First. Very enjoyable video.
Thank You ✈️
Kevin, I totally agree with you on how complicated they make the buy on board option. Why can't they just accept credit and debit cards in flight like they used to? Just don't get it. I had a recent United flight and when the beverage cart came around asked for 2 white wines. The flight attendant told me he could only sell me one. I would have to wait until the second beverage service to get the other one. I complained to the purser and got my second drink. Ridiculous.
0:31 Japan and China have waaaaaaay more domestic wide body flights. ANA or JAL easily beats any US carrier on this.
Boy that’s a much younger/nicer 772 than the ones I’ve been on ord-den, iAd-den or den-hou in the last year
May 24 Hemispheres? Did you record this back then or were you lucky to find a relic of the past?
Funny commentary, with a dose of honesty 😂
I absolutely LOVE the music you have with your videos. Like some of the best music ever.
Stayed at a hotel in Inglewood once, bit rough and gangsta, the workers said it was the hood! However, I could lie by the pool and watch both approaching runways for hours on end, in the sun, in January! It was bliss! Your video has made me want to do that again! Thanks for your work.
Didn't you hit the In-N-Out Burger, when you were plane spotting on Sepulveda?
Nice concise review, thank you.
I enjoyed flying with Continental. Since the merger, I thought United paled in comparison, economy seats were tighter, service just okay. Recently flew outbound on United in Premium Plus I was uncomfortable and unimpressed with the seat. Economy Plus inbound was just as roomy, better for less airfare. I tend to fly Alaska even with higher airfares, and sometimes choose United for timing and convenience of EWR instead of JFK.
you have to review ryanair / wizzair !
The normal distribution of your rating system is incredibly satisfying. Most airlines being toward the middle (4-7) shows that your system is very well calibrated and reasonable. After all, you would expect most airlines to be 'average', with some stand outs in either direction. People rating things like they're following a school grading system (eg 8/10 being ok, 5/10 is unacceptable…) really rubs me the wrong way because it makes half of the scale basically meaningless.
Also, it makes me excited for the inevitable 1/10. I wonder which airline will be the one to take that trophy.
Beautiful flight review. For $10 you got a good snack.