A federal judge has ruled that United Airlines must face a lawsuit alleging the airline misled passengers by charging premium fees for window seats that lacked actual windows. The decision, issued by U.S. District Court Judge James Donato in San Francisco, allows the breach-of-contract claims to proceed. The lawsuit, filed in August 2025, accuses United and Delta Air Lines of failing to disclose that some window seats on Boeing 737s, 757s, and Airbus A321s are adjacent to blank walls rather than windows.
United argued that the term 'window seat' refers only to the seat's position relative to the aisle, not a guaranteed view. However, Judge Donato rejected this argument, stating that the airline's ticketing terms, boarding passes, and reservation screens explicitly promised window seats to customers who paid for them. The judge noted that the reservation screen made 'unequivocal representations' at the time of booking.
United declined to comment on the lawsuit but stated it had updated its website and app in 2025 to provide more information about seat selection. The airline charges customers over $50 for window seats on domestic routes and up to $170 on international routes. The lawsuit alleges that United has engaged in this practice for years, with a 2017 customer complaint on social media highlighting the issue.
Delta Air Lines is also facing a similar lawsuit, though its motion to dismiss is still pending. The outcome of these cases could influence how airlines price and disclose windowless seats in the future.