After a year of teasing we now know United Airlines‘ plan for the next generation of Polaris. The carrier will add a “Polaris Studio” suite at the bulkhead row of its upcoming 787-9 deliveries, along with more premium seats than any other aircraft in the fleet. In short, United is betting big on continued demand for luxury leisure travel (and some business travel, too). But it is still not a first class cabin on board.
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.
– Andrew Nocella, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer at United
Polaris Studio Bulkhead Option
With 64 total Polaris seats on board the new 787-9 has more business class capacity than any United plane. But the two Polaris bulkhead rows will be even more special. Dubbed Polaris Studio, these eight seats will offer more space, upgraded food, and more.
The Studio seats are 25% larger than the regular Polaris seats, including an option for buddy dining in the mini-suite. As with the other Polaris seats this includes a door for increased privacy on board.
Speaking of dining, United will offer “an amuse-bouche of Ossetra caviar paired with Champagne Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé.” This is not a full caviar service; just a bite, really. But it is something.
The Studio features a 27″ IFE screen, powered by the Panasonic Astrova IFE kit.
United will also include special amenities in Polaris Studio, including updated pyjamas on all flights and a dedicated amenity kit. A United-branded deck of cards is also included.
On the ground the Polaris Studio passengers get the Global Services treatment, including access to the check-in areas where offered and tarmac transfers where needed.
United confirms that the Polaris Studio will be an incremental charge from the regular Polaris fares, not a separate first class cabin. But it does plan for the offering to be a distinct product. It did not share how much it expects the up-charge to be.
Elevated Polaris
For the other 56 Polaris passengers in business class the new Polaris seats the privacy door remains in play, as does an upgraded IFE experience, though “just” a 19″ screen in the regular seats.
United will take advantage of a unique feature from its seating supplier, Elevate (f/k/a Adient), in the Polaris cabin. All of the window seats are reverse herringbone, with passengers facing away from the aisle towards the window.
For the center pair, however, travelers will have a choice. In the forward Polaris zone the seats will face towards the center of the plane, also a reverse herringbone layout. In the second zone they’ll be in the opposite configuration. The divider will drop to bed level, allowing couples traveling together to share more space.
The ice cream sundae cart will also see an upgrade, with a seasonal rotating flavor added, in addition to the traditional vanilla.
The new Polaris product is based on Elevate’s Ascent modular wide-body business class offering. The company is also expected to (eventually) announce the Altitude business class product from Elevate/Adient as its single-aisle offering when that happens.
Premium Plus and Economy Updates, too
In the back half of the plane passengers will also see some improvements, though not to the same level as the Polaris cabin.
In Premium Plus passengers will see privacy wings between the seats and 16″ IFE screens. The seats will, for the first time in United’s premium economy, include wireless charging for phones.
For economy class travelers the IFE screens are a generous 13″ (almost too large, depending on seat pitch). The seat recline mechanism includes an articulating pan for additional comfort. The meal will also now include an appetizer, served separately from the three main course options.
In addition to the Panasonic Avionics Astrova system on board United also expects these to be “among the first” with the Starlink inflight connectivity service on board. The initial batch, however, still expected to be delivered with PAC’s GCS kit linefit. (Note: WiFi plans updated from initial reporting – ed.)
United expects to take delivery of the first 787-9 with this configuration towards the end of 2025, with it entering service in early 2026. The planes will initially be based at San Francisco, with Singapore noted as the initial destination. Heathrow should follow.
The carrier expects to take delivery of 30 787s in the Elevate configuration by 2027, and 140 aircraft in total to be delivered with this product on board. United does not, at this time, expect to retrofit the existing 787 fleet with this layout.
Even without retrofits the new layout shows off an expectation of continued premium travel growth. The layout offers 64 Polaris seats in total, plus 35 Premium Plus. The existing 787-9 is configured for 48 Polaris and 21 PPlus seats. The economy class cabin shrinks from 188 to 123 seats, including a six seat drop in Economy Plus capacity (39->33). It has 30 more premium seats on board, with a combined net loss of 35 total seats.
United’s layout is one of the most premium-heavy layouts to fly. La Compagnie still operates its all business class layout across the Atlantic. Singapore Airlines’ A350ULR also has no economy class seats (67J 94W). JAL has a 787-9 config 52J 35W 116M and British Airways has its Club Suites 777-300ER fitted 8F 76J 40W 132M. United’s Elevated 789 is right behind those at 64J 35W 123Y.
By comparison, American’s recently introduced Flagship Suites 787-9 layout will also fly with the Ascent business class seat (both carriers customize the base product), but in a 51J 32W 151M configuration. It is more premium than United’s older 787-9 layout but comes up short of the new cabin.
Can the demand trend hold for the decade or more ahead where these planes will be in service?
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Basing these in SFO makes sense. The transatlantic routes, particularly out of EWR, are just too short, for the enhanced service to work. The flight attendants have to rush the service so people can get some sleep.
Agreed re the improved service, at least eastbound. I’ve slept immediately from departure (i.e. skipped dinner and, when possible, breakfast) on all but one flight ex-NYC/BOS/WAS in the past decade. That one was the JetBlue inaugural, where I stayed awake because the Y meal service was so different from everything else.
Westbound it will be nice to have some extra fun bits on board. But that’s more like a late 2026 or beyond problem.