The wait is finally over. United Airlines has today revealed its next generation long haul business class experience, and it looks mighty impressive. There’s even a special “business class plus” product, with quite the elevated soft product. Let’s go over all the details.
In this post:
Details of new United Elevate long haul cabins
United has announced plans to overhaul its long haul travel experience, with a project that the Chicago-based carrier is referring to as United Elevate. This includes all-new Polaris business class seats, a special front row business class experience, and more.
Here’s how United Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella describes these cabins:
“We already deliver a superior international experience and fly to the most places across the Atlantic and Pacific – these new innovations provide a more premium experience overall, give customers even more reasons to choose United, and set our airline up to grow into the next decade and beyond. We never stand still and are always looking for more ways to set ourselves apart from other carriers. And we’re confident this elevated experience will take international flying to new heights.”
These cabins will debut on the carrier’s new Boeing 787-9s, which will be in an ultra-premium configuration, with a total of 64 business class seats (56 standard Polaris seats, and eight Polaris Studio seats).
United’s new Polaris business class seats
As expected, the new United Polaris business class seat will be a customized version of the Adient Ascent product. This is of course a fully flat seat in a 1-2-1 configuration, with direct aisle access for all.
Qatar Airways was the launch customer for this product, on its Boeing 787-9s, and Hawaiian Airlines was the second airline to introduce this, also on its 787-9s. This is also American’s new 787-9 business class, for its newly delivered premium jets.
The new Polaris cabin will boast reverse herringbone seats along the windows, and then center seats will either be in a herringbone or reverse herringbone configuration. The Adient Ascent product is highly customizable in terms of configuration, and United is taking an interesting approach here.
Since new 787-9s have a huge business class cabin (with two sections), roughly half of the cabin will have herringbone seats in the center (better for those traveling together), while the other half will have reverse herringbone seats in the center (better for those traveling alone).
United’s new Polaris business class seats will feature sliding doors, 19″ 4K OLED touchscreen monitors with bluetooth audio, four ways to charge devices, and digital seat controls. Seats will be made of breathable, wool-blend materials.
The new Polaris cabin will also have a grab-and-go snack counter, with treats from brands like Garretts, Community, and Joe & Seph’s.
Special front-row United Polaris Studio seats
We’ve increasingly seen a trend whereby airlines have introduced “business class plus” products, essentially taking advantage of the extra space at bulkhead seats to create a special product. United will be doing that, with a product that will be marketed as United Polaris Studio, featuring 25% more space than the standard seats.
There will be eight of these on premium 787-9s (four seats at the front of each of the two business class cabins). Each United Polaris Studio suite will have a 27″ 4K OLED touchscreen monitor, the largest you’ll find at any US airline. Seats will also have a buddy seat.
It’s not just the hard product that will be upgraded, but also the soft product. United Polaris Studio amenities will include exclusive hoodie-pajamas and slippers on all flights, new noise canceling headphones powered by Meridian technology, amenity kits featuring Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ skincare products, United-branded playing cards, and a plush velvet throw pillow on the ottoman.
United Polaris Studio customers will even get upgraded food and drinks, including an Ossetra caviar amuse-bouche service, Champagne Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé, and a specialty snack box with salty, sweet, and savory treats.
The experience will even be differentiated on the ground. United Polaris Studio customers will have access to the Global Reception area, and receive preferential boarding, alongside Global Services members. They’ll also receive United’s tarmac transfer program, on a surprise and delight basis.
United hasn’t yet revealed how it will price this product, though it sounds like it might be sold as a totally separate experience, rather than just a fixed upgrade cost. It remains to be seen if it’ll be possible to redeem miles for this, or to upgrade.
New United Premium Plus & economy seats
United is also investing in its premium economy and economy cabins on long haul jets. United’s new Premium Plus premium economy seats will be in a 2-3-2 configuration, and will feature 16″ 4K OLED touchscreen monitors, privacy wings with a reading light, and a dedicated water bottle and headphone storage area.
Meanwhile in economy, customers can expect 13″ 4K OLED touchscreen monitors, and bluetooth connectivity.
Timeline for new United Elevate cabins rolling out
So, when can customers anticipate that these new cabins will be available? United expects to take delivery of its first 787-9 with the updated interiors before the end of 2025, with the first international passenger flights planned for early 2026, from San Francisco (SFO) to Singapore (SIN) and London (LHR).
All of United’s future delivery 787s will feature these new interiors, and United expects to have around 30 of them in service by the end of 2027. These plans will also feature Starlink Wi-Fi, so they’ll be among United’s first wide body aircraft to get this service.
United also has plans to retrofit existing aircraft with these interiors, but no timeline has been provided as of yet.
My take on United’s new Polaris business class cabins
The new United Elevate concept sounds like a significant improvement over the current long haul experience the airline offers. A few thoughts:
- It’s kind of funny that American and United have selected the same product for their updated long haul business class; unsurprisingly, United’s finishes look quite a bit nicer
- Don’t expect these new seats to be earth shattering; the Adient Ascent product is good, but isn’t anything that’s going to blow anyone away
- The new United Polaris Studio soft product sounds excellent, though of course inconsistent service delivery on United remains a challenge
- United deserves credit for the consistency it currently offers with its Polaris business class product, as you always know exactly what to expect; as a new product is introduced, there will be less consistency again
Bottom line
United Airlines has just revealed its new long haul travel experience, known as United Elevate. We should see this product enter service on international flights as of early 2026, on newly delivered Boeing 787-9s.
United is installing the Adient Ascent product on these aircraft, which is a business class suite with doors, and greatly improved tech. We’re also seeing the introduction of the United Polaris Studio concept, whereby the front row seats will be much more spacious, with a differentiated soft product, ranging from a caviar amuse bouche, to better champagne.
United’s new long haul experience seems like a very nice upgrade. Most importantly, the airline selected a product that can actually be delivered on, which is great. It is kind of funny that both American and United have selected the same product, though.
What do you make of United’s new Polaris business class?
So United hosts a huge press conference/event showcasing their new seats. AA keeps it a secret until the day of departure. Go figure.
A refresh look and onboard amenities are always welcoming (competition drive). However, the level of consistency I think should start with the ground staff which is very much lacking comparing to other well known customer oriented airlines (i.e. Singapore, JAL, ANA, Qatar, Air France, EVA, Turkish, etc). Received too many vouchers to compensate for their own failures to perform.
We all can only HOPE that American and United will then enter a "PRICE WAR" and try to under-bid to gather up more passengers to FILL flights. We are quite disappointed that AFFORDABLE LIE-FLAT SEATS have nearly disappeaered and the best so far for us, with an SFO TO LISBOA routing, was $5900 before taxes and seats cost (assignments) and we will have to fly through a further turn-around spot to get back to Lisboa...
We all can only HOPE that American and United will then enter a "PRICE WAR" and try to under-bid to gather up more passengers to FILL flights. We are quite disappointed that AFFORDABLE LIE-FLAT SEATS have nearly disappeaered and the best so far for us, with an SFO TO LISBOA routing, was $5900 before taxes and seats cost (assignments) and we will have to fly through a further turn-around spot to get back to Lisboa or Madrid. LONGER FLIGHTS, and more air time as a result.
Just like when Polaris was introduced, they will cut out anything service related and turn it into hash in a bowl. United has no soul.
It'll be interesting to have a dining partner (who is not from another Polaris Premium seat) in the Polaris Premium "pod" when one person gets the caviar amuse-bouche and LP champagne, and the other doesn't. I can't imagine that UA will board more than eight caviar amuse-bouches.
Whoops. I meant Polaris Studio (not Polaris Premium...)
Beautiful finishes. This the best seat for a US Airline prioritizing premium seats over big seats. United didn’t pick the best seat on the market for two reasons, cost and space. The best off the shelf being the Safran Unity.
They want to have more business seats at a slightly higher cost than premium economy to increase its value and push more leisure travelers to the front.
I believe if Delta picks the...
Beautiful finishes. This the best seat for a US Airline prioritizing premium seats over big seats. United didn’t pick the best seat on the market for two reasons, cost and space. The best off the shelf being the Safran Unity.
They want to have more business seats at a slightly higher cost than premium economy to increase its value and push more leisure travelers to the front.
I believe if Delta picks the Safran Unity seat they will be the premier US carrier. If not, United’s investments and tech will likely win the day. The investments in the Polaris brand has led the US industry from the ground to the air. Hello Lounges!!! Delta is just joining the lounge party. American is going down after this announcement. Everyone will know they went cheap. Delta’s seat will be an important choice. I think most will agree American cheaped out and they will fall. Delta will need to be very careful in the seat choices. The best benefit for Delta is I believe they have superior aircraft picks. Now if United adds 777x or 350s sooner than planned then I would think they need a different seat for that size aircraft.
United needs to get this out quickly though. Retrofits will be another thing. If only they could be as efficient with seats as they are with the Starlink retros. They should call their buddies at Emirates to see how they do it.
Not sure if you'll see this as I'm late to the conversation. I know DL has stuck with Vantage XL, do you think Delta will prioritize maintaining that relationship and continue with Vantage or would they prioritize actual seat comfort and switch to Safran Unity? I agree with you that Safran Unity would definitely allow Delta to have the premiere premium product of the big 3 carriers.
Another note: I've talked with a few...
Not sure if you'll see this as I'm late to the conversation. I know DL has stuck with Vantage XL, do you think Delta will prioritize maintaining that relationship and continue with Vantage or would they prioritize actual seat comfort and switch to Safran Unity? I agree with you that Safran Unity would definitely allow Delta to have the premiere premium product of the big 3 carriers.
Another note: I've talked with a few others who have mentioned that the FAA seat certification process could play a big role in which seat Delta chooses. Ideally, DL would not want these planes to have problems with certifying seats, as we've seen with the premium a321neos sitting in the desert currently. I'm very afraid that DL would stick with VantageXL or VantageNova only because it might get certified more quickly than a new manufacturer which has never been operated by a US carrier before :/
I just love how the business seats are designed so that the visual centerpiece of the product is the safety card and barf bag pocket, seat elements with such underappreciated beauty, often hidden, that are finally getting their time in the spotlight.
Totally agree
I like the looks of it. I finally flew United Polaris last year and I liked it, but not as well as I liked Delta One, AF Business or KLM Business. I do like that all of the window seats are now going to be reverse herringbone as opposed to the two different angles they currently offer. I think the herringbone subcabin is curious and a miss. I would make them all reverse herringbone. If...
I like the looks of it. I finally flew United Polaris last year and I liked it, but not as well as I liked Delta One, AF Business or KLM Business. I do like that all of the window seats are now going to be reverse herringbone as opposed to the two different angles they currently offer. I think the herringbone subcabin is curious and a miss. I would make them all reverse herringbone. If you are traveling solo, just keep the divider closed. United award pricing seems to be far better than Delta, so, if that continues, I could see using this before I take another Delta One flight.
Can we just hold the seat upgrades and work on the food first?
So Kirby copied AA including the upfront "premium". . SHOCKING! Personally, I like the look of the AA Flagship better but we each have our own taste. We will just have to wait and see. Meanwhile Polaris on other ships will take 1/2 a decade to catch up. I hope that AA announces reno plans for the 787-8 and -9 soon and replacement order for the 772.
It's just amazing that AA cheaped out with those tiny front row monitors on their version of the Ascent. Every time I think maybe they'll get their act together they do something indefensible like that. United's choice confirms it wasn't a product limitation, just AA being cheap. I really hope Delta chooses something other than a refreshed Vantage XL for its next gen D1. The Safran Unity would be a great pick for the A350-1000...
It's just amazing that AA cheaped out with those tiny front row monitors on their version of the Ascent. Every time I think maybe they'll get their act together they do something indefensible like that. United's choice confirms it wasn't a product limitation, just AA being cheap. I really hope Delta chooses something other than a refreshed Vantage XL for its next gen D1. The Safran Unity would be a great pick for the A350-1000 to leapfrog United on its ultra-premium routes.
So, how much extra and will United allow these Studio seats to out empty or will elites/non-revs get upgrades?
I would guess they will let these go empty and only offer paid upgrades but not PlusPoint upgrades. There is technically a marginal increased cost for serving the studio suites and from a revenue management perspective they want to protect the brand premium of the seat as long as possible.
Looks beautiful besides those faux-wood panels.
The idea of having both herringbone and reverse herringbone seats in the center is also clever, so those who used to sit on the honeymoon seats in the first gen Polaris can still have a similar option.
I'm sure that the debut timeline will get delayed, though. Kinda mind blowing how long the global supply chain issue lasts.
What's up with American and United's faux wood panels? Feel like they're almost 2 decades behind.
I don't find herringbone or reverse herringbone good for a pair, especially if you're trying to take care of a child. Polaris was so good in this respect, and they're losing it.
Some very nice improvements. However, I wish the suites were designed with something else than light faux wood finish panels that are, I suspect, going to show all the scratches and wear and tear very quickly and might ultimately cheapen the look of the suites quite fast. The larger bulkhead suites are right by the galley - which tends to be quite noisy since it's the locus of work activity throughout the flight. Does United...
Some very nice improvements. However, I wish the suites were designed with something else than light faux wood finish panels that are, I suspect, going to show all the scratches and wear and tear very quickly and might ultimately cheapen the look of the suites quite fast. The larger bulkhead suites are right by the galley - which tends to be quite noisy since it's the locus of work activity throughout the flight. Does United plan to staff these aircraft with adequate number of flight attendants to deliver the superior service this class demands ? TBD
Agreed 100% with that faux wood.
I am confused. You continually mention half the seats are herringbone and that the center seats are ideal for people traveling together. That being said ALL seats in the videos/pictures face away from the aisle - meaning they are reverse herringbone.
Hm. I guess the video quickly shows a couple sitting in a herringbone, but none of the photos show that?
@ Jeff -- I know it's a bit confusing. The 787-9 will have two business class cabins. The forward cabin will have reverse herringbone seats in the center, while the rear cabin will have herringbone seats in the center. Most of the renderings are of the forward cabin.
I like the look of it. What I don't like: window seats that are so far away from the window. I love to look out and look down at the ground. Can't do this with these seats.
Any carrier that provides me with PJs gets two thumbs way up from me.
Overall not bad
Yup, looks super nice and beautiful in paper, but as you said.. "Inconsistent service delivery on United remains a challenge" and will remain a challenge, operationally speaking it remains a totally unreliable, and on board service is a coin toss. So yeah, looks great - if your flight doesn't get cancelled.
So it’s basically the same seat as many competitors? And those horrible herringbones that make it different to interact with your travel partner? Sorry but I’m not seeing how this is an upgrade besides that the existing Polaris seats need a renovation.
@ Ryan -- Admittedly United's current layout is great for those traveling together, in the "honeymoon seats." The challenge is that if you're not traveling together and you're not in one of the "true" window seats, you're quite close to the aisle, and feel exposed (that makes up half of the seats in the cabin). That's the challenge with premium seats nowadays, as there's such a focus on using space as efficiently as possible, so...
@ Ryan -- Admittedly United's current layout is great for those traveling together, in the "honeymoon seats." The challenge is that if you're not traveling together and you're not in one of the "true" window seats, you're quite close to the aisle, and feel exposed (that makes up half of the seats in the cabin). That's the challenge with premium seats nowadays, as there's such a focus on using space as efficiently as possible, so it's hard to be all things to all people.
I do think that the herringbone seats in the center will be the best seats for those traveling together. At least you're seated close to one another, so while you'll have to turn your head a bit, it's better than a reverse herringbone layout, for example.
I read on another blog that with the herringbone seats you can actually lower the divider all the way to bed level and make sort of a "double bed" but with only the head area touching, and they will offer some sort of bedding that covers the triangle area in between you.
One is not trying to speak for Ben, however, I am minded to believe that with all of his international aviation experience, he might just believe that the three principal U.S. carriers have much catching up to do?
@ AeroB13a -- If you ask me, US airlines don't have to be (and can't be) world class, they just have to be good enough. For the most part, US carriers have above average business class hard products, and their strong loyalty program engagement makes many people choose them over competitors.
They'll never compete with world class carriers on food or service. The lounge game is definitely getting better with US airlines (with Delta leading...
@ AeroB13a -- If you ask me, US airlines don't have to be (and can't be) world class, they just have to be good enough. For the most part, US carriers have above average business class hard products, and their strong loyalty program engagement makes many people choose them over competitors.
They'll never compete with world class carriers on food or service. The lounge game is definitely getting better with US airlines (with Delta leading the pack). But all of these incremental hard product improvements do help, if you ask me.
US airlines have also gotten really good at marketing and branding, whether it's United's Laurent-Perrier partnership, or Delta's Missoni partnership. People care about that, perhaps more than they should.
Ben, thank you so much for taking the time to provide your feedback, I really do appreciate it. It certainly helps me to understand the difference between those who post about international airlines with knowledge and those who don’t.
absolutely fair assessment.
The US is still the world leader in business and the business class cabins between the US and the rest of the world are filled w/ either corporate/business travel or high wealth individuals, many of which have made done very well w/ investments.
While there is a great deal of uncertainty about where the US is going, there are signs that things might not be as bad as many have feared...
absolutely fair assessment.
The US is still the world leader in business and the business class cabins between the US and the rest of the world are filled w/ either corporate/business travel or high wealth individuals, many of which have made done very well w/ investments.
While there is a great deal of uncertainty about where the US is going, there are signs that things might not be as bad as many have feared and might actually be at least marginally better from an economic perspective for the US.
There remains a large market for premium travel services between the US and the world and US carriers do a pretty good job of meeting those needs.
I wonder when Business Plus will slowly evolve into F
@ E39 -- Practically speaking, there's a lot of upside to *not* marketing a product as first class. Many corporate travel contracts may prohibit flying first class, but may allow flying a product that isn't marketed as first class. So I think there's a strong incentive to leave the word "first" out of any premium product.
It seems like the TAM for F travel was shrinking due to 2 factors: the increase in demand for basic budget travel, and the J experience getting to like 70-80% parity with F. But we've obviously seen that trend reverse since covid: budget travel has declined as a relative share of the overall pie, while demand for premium cabins have increased, leading to expanded footprint of J cabins over time.
But I actually think the...
It seems like the TAM for F travel was shrinking due to 2 factors: the increase in demand for basic budget travel, and the J experience getting to like 70-80% parity with F. But we've obviously seen that trend reverse since covid: budget travel has declined as a relative share of the overall pie, while demand for premium cabins have increased, leading to expanded footprint of J cabins over time.
But I actually think the expansion of J has watered down the J experience a ton. J lounges are often crowded as heck. If you're towards the back of the cabin, you often have to wait hours to get served food. You can't expect personalized service in a 50+ person cabin. I could see how that would actually increase the demand for a true F cabin, if there's a segment of wealthy people and senior executives who actually want to pay for a truly differentiated experience (and I suspect there is, given how so many global carriers have reaffirmed their investments in F since covid).
I think Kirby sees this trend, sees how AA is retreating from F, sees how DL has taken zero steps towards re-introducing F, and is testing the waters with this new product with an eye towards re-establishing F at UA in the next 10 years. That would be in line with his ambitions to not just meet DL, but surpass them (by unlocking the potential in a segment without competition from other US carriers).
They should take a lesson from Continential's BusinessFirst, and call it PolarisFirst :)
By this logic, we should never see new products introduced?
"United deserves credit for the consistency it currently offers with its Polaris business class product, as you always know exactly what to expect; as a new product is introduced, there will be less consistency again"
I can't think of any airline that updates its entire fleet with a new product overnight, can you?
@ Mark A -- I think you're reading into something I didn't say. I said that United deserves a lot of credit for the level of consistency it currently offers, which eclipses the level of consistency you'll find at American and Delta. That was simply a compliment of the current state of affairs.
I'm not at all suggesting that upgrading cabins is bad for consumers, because as you point out, not all planes can be...
@ Mark A -- I think you're reading into something I didn't say. I said that United deserves a lot of credit for the level of consistency it currently offers, which eclipses the level of consistency you'll find at American and Delta. That was simply a compliment of the current state of affairs.
I'm not at all suggesting that upgrading cabins is bad for consumers, because as you point out, not all planes can be reconfigured overnight. But I do think a lot of passengers have appreciated that they know exactly what seat they're going to get when they board a long haul, international, wide body flight, unlike with virtually every other airline in the world.
At least this time the difference will be a decent seat (Polaris 1.0) and a quite good (if not world class) one in Polaris 2.0.
In the earlier retrofit, the difference between Polaris and the Diamond seats was massive it felt United should offer a discount for Diamond configured planes.
Obviously, the new Polaris business class represents another forward step by UA in their quest to be world class. But one item you mentioned that may have been a bit lost is the new premium economy cabin in these new 787-9s. I've flown UA's premium economy and have been quite impressed by what is offered when balanced with value. These new PE seats look even better. Just hoping that UA can pull it all off.
you have to wonder when UA realized that they were acquiring the same seat platform that AA has also chosen.
It was a given that UA would add the soft touches to create a higher level product but you have to wonder how well execution of a differentiated soft product will go in the studio section of Polaris.
competitively, AA has their plan for a suite product, UA now has theirs, and DL...
you have to wonder when UA realized that they were acquiring the same seat platform that AA has also chosen.
It was a given that UA would add the soft touches to create a higher level product but you have to wonder how well execution of a differentiated soft product will go in the studio section of Polaris.
competitively, AA has their plan for a suite product, UA now has theirs, and DL says it will unveil a new product on their A350-1000s which start arriving next year as their second generation suite product - which may be the basis for their A330CEO conversions.
at least on hard product, US airlines can compete in product; it is service delivery where airlines in many other countries outshine US carriers.
honestly, tim? this is the most balanced and constructive comment you've ever posted. props to you, sincerely
Well, Adient Aerospace is a joint venture between Adient and Boeing so it would make sense that Hawaiian, American & United to use Adient Aerospace for their seating
"Water battle" area LOL
@ Anonymous -- Whoops, fixed!
The Water Wars Arc of OMAAT is truly coming.
I hope the seats 8 Cabin look like this IRL unlike what AA showed ups.
Well done UA. Looks very good. But i'm still a bigger fan of the Polaris seats along the windows.
@ InceptionCat -- Hah, to United's credit, the airline stated the size of the entertainment monitors, unlike American. So that makes it more likely that the product will actually look like what we're expecting.
Current product is honestly fine, which makes the newfound lack-of-consistency point less salient. Very different than, say, old LH vs. Allegris
I feel like they will struggle differentiating the soft product for the studio seats without issue. Like most customers in row 2 won’t understand why the people sitting in front of them get all this extra stuff and they don’t…. I guess it’ll depend how well they market it but my guess is the average consumer won’t understand the difference
I feel like that part will catch on very quickly. I don't see it being an issue. On the United App, for example, the different classes of service are different colors... and most people know how to determine which seats are Polaris, Premium Plus, Economy Plus, and regular Economy. I feel like they'll differentiate the studios on the seat map with a different icon or color, and therefore it'll become apparent rather quickly. I think...
I feel like that part will catch on very quickly. I don't see it being an issue. On the United App, for example, the different classes of service are different colors... and most people know how to determine which seats are Polaris, Premium Plus, Economy Plus, and regular Economy. I feel like they'll differentiate the studios on the seat map with a different icon or color, and therefore it'll become apparent rather quickly. I think it's a great idea, and it's something I'd pay for.
I think average consumers are getting much savvier on travel specifically. I have colleagues who don’t travel a ton and are older than me who know the difference between ERJ’s and CRJ’s in terms of the overhead bin size.
Also if it’s offered as an upgrade option many will see it marketed in their reservation or if not, when initially purchasing Polaris.
Among the US carriers, United has really stood out post-pandemic in terms of innovation, prescient leadership, and a premium experience overall. Impressive!
@ digital_notmad -- Have you seen Delta's ex-LATAM A350s with 2-2-2 business class, though?!
Delta frequent flyers clearly deserve 2-2-2 as punishment for using the SkyClub too much, Bastian is running an airline not a WeWork!
The only thing that matters is what routes these planes will be flying. Let's be honest, nobody wants to fly a product that looks good like this for a short 4 hour flight. If it ain't on the routes to Asia, I don't want it!
@ Alonzo -- I think SFO-SIN should fit the bill as being long enough for the experience to be enjoyed. :-)
Would be nice to see these flying to SYD & MEL.
It literally says in the article first ones will be LHR/SIN from SFO.
Here’s one major issue with the special Polaris studio seats: the flight attendants on United tend to be loud in the galleys on red eye flights. The last few times I had front row Polaris seats on overnight flights, I woke up to loud mouth flight attendants that were unaware how loud they were being. On foreign airlines I don’t hesitate to book the bulkhead, but I won’t do it again on United.
@ Sonofdad -- Agree with you 110%.
Maybe that's why the studios are coming with a set of premium noise-cancelling headphones that the rest of the Polaris seats don't get. Just a thought.
It… actually looks good? Polaris Studio feels like BA First Class, no?
If traveling with my wife, I will choose the current Polaris layout. The odd numbered row middle seat configuration is excellent for couples. There are no good seats for couples with the reverse herringbone layout. I do not understand why more people do not care about this. Who cares about doors, don't you want to enjoy the flight with your spouse or friend?
@ Peter -- In fairness to United, roughly half of the center seats will be in a herringbone configuration, meaning that the center seats will be closer to one another. It won't be quite as good as the current setup for those purposes, but I think it does the trick, and clearly it's something United thought a bit about. :-)
I agree with Peter. I try to fly Qsuites as much as possible (wished pricing was better) due to the seat configuration for couples and for that matter, families.
Ben, if you take Miles on an international trip, see if you can fly center Polaris sears one way and center reverse-herringbone seats the other way. I think you'll find there's a big difference.
Does anyone know United has never fixed their catering?
They know its terrible, right?
@ chris w -- Yeah, rather concerningly, United highlights how its investments in improving food & beverage are paying off, and customer satisfaction scores have gone up. That's not exactly reassuring in terms of further investments. Sure, the airline has better champagne, but other than that...
Can we talk about the fact that United has just eliminated wine glasses in Polaris with the new dishwater/glassware refresh, and that they are now serving both water and wine in the same type of rocks glass? This is a case of cost cutting that is not going unnoticed. I like a wine glass for my wine, not a water glass, and I'm sure I'm not alone...
The video talks about improved catering. Remains to be seen if and when that really comes to fruition.
Right now in Polaris there are some routes and some instances where catering is quite good (for an American airline) but the range is massive and when it is bad, it is embarrassingly so.
I've flown Polaris several times this year and I can say without hesitation that catering is 1000% better than it was a year ago or two years ago. Not perfect, but signifcantly and noticeably improved. The champagne and wine selection is notable. Still not the best food around but serviceable. More and more im finding myself eating in the polaris lounge or elsewhere before the flight and just nibbling in the air and sleeping more....
I've flown Polaris several times this year and I can say without hesitation that catering is 1000% better than it was a year ago or two years ago. Not perfect, but signifcantly and noticeably improved. The champagne and wine selection is notable. Still not the best food around but serviceable. More and more im finding myself eating in the polaris lounge or elsewhere before the flight and just nibbling in the air and sleeping more. So I'm happy where we are now and hopeful about continued improvements.
I really appreciate how United is introducing this new product while the rest of the fleet is consistent (apart from those 777HDs). United’s current product is solid so improving with those pretty finishes and features now is great. Much better than Delta, who is all over the place. Also appreciate the focus on soft product here.
United will probably serve Carp Caviar
Way better than delta, which still doesn’t even have full lie flats throughout its fleet. They’re famously behind American on that front.
What? Delta does not have any widebodies without full lie flats.
Every single delta wide body has angled seats. They’ve been very public that they refuse to go lie flat and will never do it
Say what now? And DL still charges a premium and gets that premium? Well that's weird. Colour me surprise. Fully flat is the standard now. It's amazing that they get away with angled option.
Couldn't agree more Justin Dev!
American anti-intellectualism at its finest.
This is my take: The new product seems to be a mix of evolutionary and revolutionary for United. This product definitely seems nicer than the current Polaris, which lacks doors and whatnot, but at the same time, I also feel that the height of the overall business class seems slightly lower, and now we’re going to see inconsistency… The doors are great for when you lie down but otherwise fall into the “Gimmicky” category. However,...
This is my take: The new product seems to be a mix of evolutionary and revolutionary for United. This product definitely seems nicer than the current Polaris, which lacks doors and whatnot, but at the same time, I also feel that the height of the overall business class seems slightly lower, and now we’re going to see inconsistency… The doors are great for when you lie down but otherwise fall into the “Gimmicky” category. However, given the leak yesterday, this actually looks half decent. How does it compare to American’s new Flagship Suite and Delta’s refreshed Delta One? Well, I think United definitely beats American, because American’s new flagship suites look underwhelming with wimpy screens and overall feeling more cramped and lacking a soul. Compared to Delta though, I think it’s sorta neck to neck, as United does have better tech and benefits from the studio suite up front, but Delta overall has better privacy and they upped the comfort and tech. We’ll have to see how critics and reviewers think of this product, but it definitely seems nicer than in the leaks (like I didn’t expect to see digital seat controls), and the elevated soft product is definitely a nice surprise and addition!
How do AAs seat feel more crampled when 1) you haven't sat in them and 2) they're the exact same seat as this one?
Eyeball test, obviously I could easily be wrong (all I heard is that Adient Ascent might be tight for some, so maybe the new Polaris might be tight, but we’ll have to see)
Business class suites should gravitate towards a similar design with similar features. The difference between carriers will be in the service and the food.
The new look is very nice! United’s new look on the 321neo and 787-9 is fresh!!
Will new 787-9’s all be receiving the new premium configuration or will a select number of 787-9’s get the premium configuration to replace the “high-J” 767’s and the other 787’s will revert to the old configuration of seats, with the new seats?
Caviar and private tarmac transfers on United? Tim Dunn is going to have a heart attack.
No. He will go on a tangent about how United goes for "dots on the map" while Delta goes for profit while providing premium services. Is he back?