United’s POLARIS Class
Welcome back to Brooke In The Air! This week, we dive into one of the best business-class products in existence in the western world! We’ve examined Lufthqnsa’s new Allegris product now we look at United Airlines’ famous Polaris class!
I’ll personally be taking this in 23 days, and I can’t wait!
Let’s dive in!
I’ve already gone over United Airlines as a whole so I won’t be going over the airline itself.
Inside of the Polaris cabin on the flagship 777-300ER
COMPARATIVE
Unlike Lufthansa’s Allegris which is relatively all-encompassing for all travel classes, Polaris is only available to business class travelers, including ground services.
INTRODUCTION
United Polaris is the airline's international business class product. The Polaris seat converts into a 6-foot-6-inch (1.98 m) flatbed and has multiple storage areas, multiple charging ports, lumbar support, and improved dining and amenities.
Some of the perks of Polaris
An added perk in Polaris
Polaris dessert bar on flights
AVALABILITY
Polaris nighttime view. Photo courtesy United Airlines
Polaris seats can be found on all Boeing 767 models, Boeing 777-300ERs, and Boeings 787-8 and -9 Dreamliners, and internationally-configured Boeing 777-200ERs which are all widebody aircraft.
Imagery courtesy of United Airlines’ PR and website. United Polaris cabin
Existing Boeing 757 models are partially configured in Polaris though this is largely regarded as simply an addition of Domestic First Class. So, those hoping for a Polaris experience on a 757, unless you’re traveling transcontinentally, say from Boston (BOS) to Los Angeles (LAX) or Newark (EWR) to San Francisco (SFO) on a specially configured 757-300, you’re out of luck.
On widebody aircraft, the cabins are configured to provide aisle access to every passenger, with 767s featuring a 1-1-1 seat configuration while 777s and 787s have a 1-2-1 seat configuration. (For more accurate flight-specific seat layouts, see Aerolopa.com and enter your selected aircraft)
San Francisco and Washington D.C. Polaris lounges
Polaris passengers check in at separate counters and can use priority security screening lanes where available. In-flight services include pre-departure beverages, table linens and multi-course meals. Passengers are also given priority with boarding and baggage handling and access to the exclusive United Polaris Lounge, United Club or partner airline lounges depending on availability. Note: that many of these ground services are available only at United hubs in the US unless otherwise stated by their Star Alliance partners.
Chicago-O’hare (ORD) and George Bush Houston Intercontinental (IAH) Polaris Lounges
United First (now known as Domestic First) is the highest class of service on domestically-configured aircraft. When such aircraft are used on international services to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (excluding Puerto Rico), this cabin is branded as United Business, now essentially Polaris-light, with a heavy emphasis that reflects Domestic First. Seats on the majority of narrowbody aircraft have a 38-inch (97 cm) seat pitch, while domestically-configured Boeing 777-200s (such as those assigned to the LAX or SFO-HNL, Honolulu route) feature fully-flat-bed seats that alternate facing forward and backwards, similar to the largely-defunct Polaris seats of the extinct Boeing 757-200s.
Domestic First-class Passengers still receive priority boarding and baggage handling, pre-departure beverages, complimentary meals and separate check-in desks. A subtle and simple, yet finite difference separates Domestic First from Polaris.
A simple way to know for certain is: if your United flight is in business-class and is international - If it is, then it’s in Polaris. If not, and its business-class or above, it’s Domestic First.
RECONFIGURATION
In 2019, it was announced that United was increasing first and business class seats "by 1,600" across all their aircraft in their fleet, in part by introducing the Bombardier (Mitsubishi) CRJ-550, a premium-heavy 50-seat domestic/regional jet, for which United is the launch customer of. (The CRJ550 is a variant of the CRJ700 limited by type certification to just 50 passenger seats and a lower maximum takeoff weight {or MTOW} of 65,000 pounds, compared to the CRJ700's 75,000 pounds (34,000 kg). It was introduced by Bombardier in order to offer a 50-seat aircraft that complies with U.S. pilot contract scope clauses while offering more premium seats.
Bombardier (Mitsubishi) CRJ-550 in premium-heavy configuration.
All CRJ550s were converted from existing CRJ700s. The aircraft model is listed as CL-600-2C11 on the TCCA and FAA type certificates, after receiving certification in 2019. The CRJ550 has not yet been certified by EASA.)
Each converted CRJ550 has a supplemental aircraft identification data plate added next to the original data plate, reflecting its new model designation.
