United Airlines is seriously upgrading the champagne in its long haul business class, and it’s something I’m sure many travelers will appreciate…
In this post:
United upgrades Polaris business class champagne
United Airlines has internally revealed plans to upgrade the champagne it serves in its Polaris business class, as flagged by Live and Let’s Fly. As of January 1, 2025, United will serve Laurent-Perrier’s La Cuvée Champagne on all Polaris business class flights. Per the airline:
Beginning January 1, our Polaris customers will have the chance to enjoy Laurent-Perrier’s La Cuvée Champagne. This fresh and elegant blend of 55% chardonnay, 35% pinot noir and 10% Meunier is aged to perfection for four years in the Laurent-Perrier house cellars. La Cuvée pairs wonderfully with our diverse menus or as a standalone toast to the friendly skies! Highly rated by James Suckling with 93 points and by Wine Spectator with 91 points, we are proud to be the only airline in North America serving Laurent-Perrier’s La Cuvée. Stay tuned for some exciting Laurent-Perrier activations on board soon.
This is an impressive change, and certainly one of the more premium champagne options you’ll find in business class, especially on a US airline. It’s not entirely clear for how long the partnership between United and Laurent-Perrier will go on, and if this is only available for one catering cycle of maybe a couple of months, or if it’s a longer term collaboration. Hopefully it’s the latter.
It’s of course worth acknowledging that airlines get huge discounts on champagne with these kinds of collaborations, since it’s a chance for a company to promote their product with a crowd that’s generally quite affluent. Still, this is far from free, and it will represent a sizable investment from United (well, at least by Carsten Spohr’s logic).
United isn’t the only US airline expected to launch a new champagne collaboration soon. Delta, meanwhile, is expected to start serving Taittinger Brut Champagne in its Delta One business class. The two champagnes have similar price points, so this really shows the extent to which United is continuing to try to compete with Delta on the “premium” front.
Now United needs to upgrade Polaris business class food!
United Airlines is headed in the right direction under Scott Kirby’s leadership. The company’s financial performance has improved massively, and on top of that, the airline is investing in its passenger experience. It’s clear that United sees Delta as its only competitor, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see United overtake Delta financially in the coming years.
But when it comes to the premium passenger experience, what I can’t wrap my head around is how United continues to not invest in the food it serves, including in long haul business class. I’d argue that United is the worst of the “big three” US airlines when it comes to catering, and that’s saying something, because the “big three” carriers includes American. 😉
I just find it to be so strange, because the airline has this amazing global network, incredible seat consistency between aircraft, and the best bedding in the industry, and then the airline just totally drops the ball when it comes to food. I guess the argument could be made that United doesn’t need great food because it has the above things going for it… but then it also probably doesn’t need Laurent-Perrier champagne?
On the plus side, the memo also indicates that there will be “many more food and beverage enhancements coming in the New Year!” Here’s to hoping that we actually see some substantial improvements to the food served.
Bottom line
United Airlines is upgrading the champagne that it serves in Polaris business class. As of the beginning of 2025, the airline will serve Laurent-Perrier’s La Cuvée Champagne on all Polaris flights. This is a very nice premium addition, and we’re now seeing a bit of a “champagne war” between United and Delta, given that the latter will soon serve Taittinger.
It sounds like it’s time for American to launch a collaboration of its own. I hope Korbel execs keep their ringers on…
What do you make of United partnering with Laurent-Perrier for champagne?
United has a history of serving Laurent-Perrier in Polaris so if this is an upgrade it means that they previously downgraded. Like others have said, it’s a middle of the road offering like Piper and Moet & Chandon. United’s announcement is pure marketing and it seems that they have successfully fooled the public by landing their messaging without critical consideration.
It is comedic that this seems impressive to us. Such is the state of US airlines. The food would taste better if they just put it onto better crockery rather than using surplus from 1970s diners.
Until a US based carrier stops thinking steamed food with cheese on top is delicious in economy, that's when you know they're serious about food. Seriously. Is there one Asian carrier that will just serve shit chicken with baked cheese on top in eco??
I know airline people read your blog. Why is the venn diagram of airline and food people in America so fucking non-existent?
"braised" food microwaves the best. Microwaves are basically steamers....
Until a US based carrier stops thinking steamed food with cheese on top is delicious in economy, that's when you know they're serious about food. Seriously. Is there one Asian carrier that will just serve shit chicken with baked cheese on top in eco??
I know airline people read your blog. Why is the venn diagram of airline and food people in America so fucking non-existent?
"braised" food microwaves the best. Microwaves are basically steamers. So ask yourself, what food steams the best? Not things that need to be crispy! Not... Cheese !
Is this even an upgrade? Laurent Perrier La Cuvée isn’t even that good (it’s overpriced for what it is given the brand name), and from what I recall whatever United used to serve was also halfway decent. Now if this were Grand Siècle, that would be a wow.
Interesting. On my No ember flights on Qatar I noted they’d switched from Laurent Perrier (to Joseph Perrier, if it matters). Maybe it’s the champagne company reaching out with a can’t-pass-it-up deal?
If United wants to impress. Go back to when UA first purchase the Pan Am Pacific Routes. Offerings were Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot, GREAT French and California wines as well as superior hard liquor.
Why is this such a big deal ? Even Air India served this champagne both pre-departure and during meal service. That was last year.
United copying Delta? Never..
United would have to start putting doors on their business class... and retiring 757s and 767-300ERs with aircraft like the A330-900 which have them for DL.
Even if Polaris is better than DL's 763 business class seat, the plane is still old, less reliable and less fuel efficient. and the 757 uses on TATL flights doesn't even offer direct aisle access.
DL just took delivery of its 7th out of 7 A350s this year...
United would have to start putting doors on their business class... and retiring 757s and 767-300ERs with aircraft like the A330-900 which have them for DL.
Even if Polaris is better than DL's 763 business class seat, the plane is still old, less reliable and less fuel efficient. and the 757 uses on TATL flights doesn't even offer direct aisle access.
DL just took delivery of its 7th out of 7 A350s this year and has received 5 of 7 A330NEOs with one in flight testing. DL is getting far more new widebody aircraft than UA or AA or HA.
The question will be what DL does with all of the 767s it is pulling off TATL; will they be retired or used for domestic, Hawaii or Latin flights - or a combination of all
I would strongly bet that most of the champagne/sparkling wine that US airlines serve is consumed as pre-departure drinks which means that an airline is talking about three or four bottles per cabin.
From my observations, most people do not drink champagne after that point.
DL and UA both undoubtedly got low promotional pricing so the larger cost may not be the alcohol itself but the cost of inventory, storage, and delivery that is the...
I would strongly bet that most of the champagne/sparkling wine that US airlines serve is consumed as pre-departure drinks which means that an airline is talking about three or four bottles per cabin.
From my observations, most people do not drink champagne after that point.
DL and UA both undoubtedly got low promotional pricing so the larger cost may not be the alcohol itself but the cost of inventory, storage, and delivery that is the case for all airline alcohol. The more of it that you serve, the lower the ground charges per serving.
But most airlines -including our beloved ATL-based one - serve even lower end bubbles pre-departure. I’ve noticed DL serves some prosecco before their standard int’l DL one offering, AA does same for both int’l and transcon J and F
Yes it is to reduce ground duties, but then that means they carry even fewer bottles of the (slightly) more expensive stuff
that's my point. If you don't even use the higher end one during predeparture drinks and use only a couple bottles during the flight, the value from marketing is far larger than the expense of the alcohol itself, offset by the higher handling costs.
So Tim, you're a (fired) flight attendant?
How do you know how much champagne is consumed.
And have you ever considered "From my observations, most people do not drink champagne after that point." because Delta serves the crappy ones not because customers don't drink.
when you fly in the forward cabin of various airlines, you can make those observations.
And, sparkling wine/champagne is the norm for welcoming but not for service with a meal.
You have been to a high-class dinner party, haven't you?
What were they serving before? This still seems like a very standard champagne offering...
I'd rather see some food that's edible in Polaris...
Meh! Gimmicky move targetted and those who fall for such gimmicks. Laurent-Perrier is a mass-produced Champagne with fairly bland, uninteresting notes. Though, I can see why airlines love it - has a halo-effect, cant really fully taste better Champagnes in a dry and pressurized environment, and most people travelling J probably couldnt tell the difference anyway.
The other thing they really need to change is this "first come first serve" basis for mattress pads and pajamas on ultra long haul flights. It's ridiculous that they wouldn't cater enough for each Polaris passenger, I can't understand the logic of that. Also creates more work for FAs when everyone requests it right upon boarding.
Seriously Ben: "It’s clear that United sees Delta as its only competitor, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see United overtake Delta financially in the coming years."
And what metrics or 8-Ball are you using to make such a broad sweeping prediction? I don't really care if UA and DL fight it and care less which one wins. It's just these kinds of statements put a bit of a dent in your credibility.
@ Joel S Avgeek -- That wasn't even intended to be a controversial comment. I didn't pass anything off as fact, but just said I wouldn't be surprised to see it.
What makes me say that? Just look at the direction that United's financial performance is trending compared to Delta. Relative to Delta, United's performance has been getting much better. And United is also making a lot of major changes that could improve its performance...
@ Joel S Avgeek -- That wasn't even intended to be a controversial comment. I didn't pass anything off as fact, but just said I wouldn't be surprised to see it.
What makes me say that? Just look at the direction that United's financial performance is trending compared to Delta. Relative to Delta, United's performance has been getting much better. And United is also making a lot of major changes that could improve its performance even more, in particular the extent to which its growing its fleet with really efficient aircraft.
Add in passenger experience improvements (Starlink Wi-Fi, seat back entertainment, etc.), and United is becoming increasingly premium.
Does this also include premium transcontinental routes?
@ Ltl -- It's my understanding that it only includes Polaris branded flights, and United doesn't market premium transcons as such.
That recently changed and premium transcons now get full intl service including 2 full meals.
So Qatar and other carriers have all been serving premium Champagne since they started flying business class , wow, and what about the very lacklustre food that is almost inedible
@ Steven E -- Well, right, Qatar's soft product is sort of in a different league than United's. ;-)
It's hard being a US carrier. The cost structures are so much higher ranging from labor, food, geography, etc. We will never get world class service because of that.
This is a positive improvement from United in that this is a beneficial change vs the usual cost cutting measures we see from US carriers.
Hey better Champagne is great, adds to the fun for some infrequent travellers, and makes the news.
Without question United has surpassed Delta in terms of quality, let's hope for that reason United improves it's food.
In North America both AA and AC food is worse IMHO.
We’really aiming low here
if a 50 dollars bottle is a serious upgrade for a 6-7k ticket…worth a ‘wow’ from one of the most seasoned connoisseur if first class in the planet…maybe was a sarcastic title?
@ lasdiner -- It's not sarcastic at all. I mean, keep in mind that Delta used to serve Andre sparkling wine as its pre-departure drink in Delta One. That retails for ~$5 per bottle. So it's worth recognizing progress where it happens.
Fair enough-i guess we take what we get