When is an airplane’s window seat a window seat? It depends on who you ask, apparently.
A federal judge is allowing a proposed class action lawsuit to proceed. The case accuses United Airlines of charging extra for window seats that don’t actually have windows, Fox Business reported.
The lawsuit was filed in August 2025 in the Northern District of California, USA Today said.
U.S. District Judge James Donato said the plaintiffs’ allegations that United breached its contract with passengers by selling seats labeled as window seats while being placed next to solid cabin walls.
The windows were not there due to the construction of the planes; for instance, when air conditioning ducts or electrical conduits are routed through that area, according to USA Today.
The lawsuit said that the airline charges a premium for window seats to allow people to enjoy the view, alleviate anxiety, or deal with motion sickness.
United claimed that “window seat” describes the seat’s location relative to the aisle, not that it guarantees a window, Fox Business reported.
The lawsuit focuses on planes such as Boeing 737s, Boeing 757s and Airbus A321s, according to ABC News.
The airline would not comment on the lawsuit, but told Fox Business, “As part of our regular review of united.com and the United App to enhance the customer experience, in 2025 we added more detail to our seat selection process, so customers can have more information about what to expect when they choose a seat.”
A similar class action has been filed against Delta Air Lines, Reuters reported.
Other airlines, such as Alaska Airlines and American Airlines, have similar seating arrangements, but when someone buys a “window seat” with no windows, they are told that the seat does not have a window, according to USA Today.
The proposed class action against United has more than 100 members and seeks damages exceeding $5 million.