American vs United
On the best documented aircraft, American scores 10/10 for the business seat and United 8/10. The aircraft on your booking decides whether those seats apply.
By Jon Miksis · comparison updated
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What matters for your booking
Business fares
Of 150 shared business routes, American was cheaper on 58, United on 89, and 3 were the same price.
Economy fares
Of 173 shared economy routes, American was cheaper on 77, United on 93, and 3 were the same price.
Start with your route and cabin. A fare advantage in economy does not establish a business-class bargain, and a better seat does not establish that a connection or a higher fare is worth it for your trip.
The business seats being compared
These are each airline’s best-scoring documented business aircraft. The fare grid does not identify aircraft, so the seat below is not promised with any fare in the table. Service and food require a separate firsthand review.
American
787-9P (Flagship Suite)
- Seat layout
- 1-2-1
- Fully flat bed
- Yes
- Direct aisle access at every seat
- Yes
- Privacy door
- Yes
- Seat score
- 10/10
- Wi-Fi
- Paid in the recorded product
- Lounge access
- Included in the recorded fare
- Checked bags
- 2
Cabin checked .
Recorded source: American Flagship Suite launch coverage, AeroLOPA aa-789p seat map.
United
777 / 787 (Polaris)
- Seat layout
- 1-2-1
- Fully flat bed
- Yes
- Direct aisle access at every seat
- Yes
- Privacy door
- No
- Seat score
- 8/10
- Wi-Fi
- Paid in the recorded product
- Lounge access
- Included in the recorded fare
- Checked bags
- 2
Cabin checked .
Recorded source: United Polaris pages, fleet seat maps.
Seat scores describe bed, aisle access and privacy door only. Read the scoring method. A tie does not compare comfort, food, service or reliability.
Check the aircraft on American
787-9P (Flagship Suite): 10/10 for the seat. Flagship Suite launched June 2025 and flies only on newly delivered 787-9Ps. Every other American widebody keeps the door-less reverse-herringbone Flagship Business. Recorded September 1, 2026.
777-300ER / 787 (Flagship Business): 8/10 for the seat. Reverse herringbone, direct aisle access from every seat, no privacy door. Recorded September 1, 2026.
Check the aircraft on United
777 / 787 (Polaris): 8/10 for the seat. The 767-300ER and 767-400ER run an unusual 1-1-1 layout with no paired seats at all, which is more private again. Select 787-9s add Polaris Studio suites with doors in the front rows. Recorded August 30, 2026.
767-300ER / 767-400ER: 8/10 for the seat. 1-1-1: no adjacent pairs anywhere in the cabin, the most private Polaris layout. Recorded August 30, 2026.
Compare the fares and the routing
Each row compares the same airports, cabin, travel dates and observation date. It can still compare a nonstop against a connection. Journey times, aircraft, baggage allowances and change rules were not recorded with these fares; check those before treating the price difference as a saving.
Showing 12 of 150 matched business routes. Round trip per person in USD, for travel November 8–14, 2026.
| Route and observation date | American | United | Price difference |
|---|---|---|---|
Orlando (MCO) → Madrid (MAD) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $4,390Connects via CLT | $3,969Connects via IAD | United was $421 less |
Salt Lake City (SLC) → Dublin (DUB) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $10,525Connects via DFW | $4,103Connects via ORD | United was $6,422 less |
Houston (IAH) → Dublin (DUB) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $4,354Connects via DFW | $5,789Connects via ORD | American was $1,435 less |
Miami (MIA) → Madrid (MAD) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $4,375Nonstop | $4,383Connects via IAD | American was $8 less |
Austin (AUS) → Dublin (DUB) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $4,415Connects via DFW | $6,493Connects via ORD | American was $2,078 less |
Tampa (TPA) → Dublin (DUB) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $4,431Connects via DFW | $8,133Connects via EWR | American was $3,702 less |
Los Angeles (LAX) → Rome Fiumicino (FCO) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $4,648Connects via DFW | $5,417Connects via DEN | American was $769 less |
Detroit (DTW) → Barcelona (BCN) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $10,325Connects via PHL | $4,850Connects via ORD | United was $5,475 less |
Minneapolis (MSP) → Barcelona (BCN) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $10,325Connects via PHL | $5,182Connects via IAD | United was $5,143 less |
Raleigh (RDU) → Barcelona (BCN) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $6,664Connects via MIA | $5,200Connects via EWR | United was $1,464 less |
Minneapolis (MSP) → Madrid (MAD) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $10,330Connects via ORD | $5,201Connects via IAD | United was $5,129 less |
Detroit (DTW) → Madrid (MAD) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $10,330Connects via PHL | $5,203Connects via IAD | United was $5,127 less |
Your airport missing? Check the full route tool for the airlines we observed there. Confirm current fares, journey time, baggage and ticket rules before booking.
Before paying for the ticket
- Check the exact operating airline and seat map on every long flight, including the return. An airline name or business-class label alone does not guarantee a flat bed or aisle access.
- Compare total journey time and connection length. A lower fare may buy a much longer trip.
- Reprice with your bags, preferred seats and change rules included. These observations do not establish that the tickets have identical restrictions.
- Check other airlines on the route. Being cheaper than the other airline on this page does not establish the cheapest fare in the market.
Common questions
- Is American or United better in business class to Europe?
- On the best documented aircraft, American scores 10/10 for the business seat and United 8/10. The aircraft on your booking decides whether those seats apply. Of 150 shared business routes, American was cheaper on 58, United on 89, and 3 were the same price. Service and food are not scored in this comparison. These are observations for travel November 8–14, 2026, not current quotes.
- Which is cheaper, American or United?
- Of 150 shared business routes, American was cheaper on 58, United on 89, and 3 were the same price. Of 173 shared economy routes, American was cheaper on 77, United on 93, and 3 were the same price. Both counts refer to travel November 8–14, 2026. A cheaper fare may involve a connection; compare the itinerary as well as the price.
- Will I get the business seat shown here?
- These cards describe the named aircraft in our cabin records, not a seat guaranteed on every flight. At least one of these airlines has a recorded aircraft or cabin variation. Check the operating airline, seat map and aircraft for every segment before paying; equipment can change. The fare observations do not record the aircraft.
- Has Jon flown these business cabins?
- American business class is not on Jon’s confirmed flown roster. United business class is on Jon’s confirmed flown roster. That records the airline and cabin, not every aircraft or itinerary. This page compares documented specifications and dated fares.
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