Guide To United Airlines Business Class
Intro
I recently had the opportunity to review the final two business class products of United Airlines, and I wanted to make a comprehensive guide to what products you can expect when flying onboard United Airlines in Business Class.
Polaris 787/777
If you happen to be flying onboard a United Airlines Dreamliner or any 777 that is flying internationally, you will be in for a treat with the proper United Polaris. All 787s and 777s are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration with the 787-8 operating 28 seats, 787-9 with 48 seats, the 787-10 operating 44 seats, the 777-200 operating 50 seats, and finally, the 777-300 with a whopping 60 seats.
While the foundations remain the same, it is noteworthy that the 777s have a slightly wider seat when it comes to Polaris. However, this comes at a disadvantage, as the cabins on the 787s are better suited for feeling refreshed after a flight.
In terms of my rankings, here is what I would choose:
787-8 (seat 6L)
777-300 (seat 9L)
787-9 (seat 1L)
777-200 (seat 15L)
787-10 (seat 1L)
Polaris 767-300/400
Next up in the fleet are the United 767s. United is one of the few carriers in the world to still operate the 767-400, and if you happen to be flying on either variant, you will be in for a treat. Seats on the 767s are laid out in a 1-1-1 configuration. Hence, UA is flying them more to business-oriented destinations. Certain 767-300s flying to the likes of Lima or GIG (to name a few) are fitted with 30 seats across 10 rows, while certain flights from IAD/ORD/EWR-LHR/CDG/ZRH/RAK are fitted out with a whopping 46 seats across 18 rows! Lastly, the 767-400, fitted out with 34 seats across 11/12 rows in a 1-1-1 configuration.
“Polaris” 757-200
The second most inferior lie-flat business-class product that United has is the 757-200. Oftentimes, you will see these 757s operating certain hub-to-hub frequencies, as well as transatlantic and certain flights down to South America (i.e., Lima). Seats are laid out in a 2-2 configuration, meaning all passengers have no direct aisle access. However, the upside is that during the winter season, customers can regularly find 757-200 operating from Newark-IAH, IAH-ORD, etc.
My seat recommendation is 1F or 4F.
United 777-200 High Density
Perhaps the most dated lie-flat business class seat in the whole world, United Airlines operates a certain sub-fleet of the 777-200 that surely flies domestically as well as to Hawaii. Ordinarily, I would say that operating a 2-4-2 business class configuration on a widebody is unacceptable. However, as these planes purely fly leisure routes with couples and families, it sort of makes sense when you think about it… Don’t worry, if you are flying interntaionl in Polaris, there is an almost zero percent chance that you get this aircraft..
My seat recommendation is 4A/4B for couples and 3CDEF for families.
United 737
Finally, in regards to the international offerings (minus the high dens 777), United operates a certain number of 737 frequencies down to Central America, including GUA, SAL, BZE, PTY, etc. The reclining Seats are laid out in a 2-2 configuration with plenty of legroom. The best part is that United has been working around the clock to update these aircraft, so the last 6 flights I have taken all had Bluetooth connectivity to the IFE…
My seat recommendation is the last row on the right-hand side (4F/5F).
Final Thoughts
United Airlines is one of the most consistent airlines when it comes to their long haul business class product. For any high-demand international route, you will 99% be seated in their lovely Polaris seat. Just be aware if you go book a long-haul flight and it says it is operated by a 757 or if you are planning on going to Hawaii, as that business class is tight.
