Back in 2017, we wrote about United’s next-generation premium cabin product called Polaris. Early on in Polaris’ launch, I tried out the shiny new 787-10 on a transcon route, but I haven’t flown it on any truly international flights since. I was finally able to put the long range Polaris on the road. And the timing was perfect, as the past few months have been newsworthy for United’s inflight products.
When unveiling Polaris, United highlighted key features such as direct aisle access, seating consistency throughout the aircraft, improved in-flight service elements, a strong focus on sleep, and a potentially best-in-class airport lounge suite. So while flying from Newark to London, I paid close attention to how well Polaris was delivering on that promise nearly a decade after its launch.
Read on for full information on whether this flight lived up to Polaris’ promises, as well as plenty of typical photos and a window seat view video. We’ll also walk you through some of the key announcements United just made for its short- and long-haul fleet, including its next-generation flagship business class experience.
Author’s note: The flying experience in this story actually happened last year. I’m writing this now because it’s a good starting point to talk about the recent in-flight updates that United has released.
Polaris Lounge in Newark
Newark’s AirTrain is in dire need of an update (thankfully, it’s coming), but it still offers a view that’s great enough to get you excited for your arrival at the airport.
There is a self-contained (but very basic) area where Polaris and United 1K passengers can check in.
It’s crazy that my favorite part of airline business class isn’t on the plane. But honestly, the fantastic flagship lounge may be the best part of the Polaris package.
In terms of space, décor, dining and other features, Polaris lounges are much different than standard United clubs.
The main seating areas are spacious, but can still get crowded before major transatlantic bank departures. United recently reduced Polaris lounge access for many of its Star Alliance partners and also introduced a basic business class fare class that does not include Polaris lounge access. The change may help ease crowding, but it will upset people who lose lounge access. More details about this are given at the end of the story.
There is a colorfully lit bar in the center of the lounge.
I walked past an impressive lineup of self-serve food.
But the best part about this lounge, and Polaris lounges in general, is the full-service dining room. Last summer, United unveiled a new restaurant in its EWR Polaris lounge. It’s clear that someone on the design team is an AvGeek, as single tables line the ramp-facing windows. I made sure to grab a seat at one of those tables and had an amazing time enjoying the three course meal and taking in the view.
I liked the food…
And I liked the view:
Another great thing about the Polaris lounge is the shower option.
More than seven years after my first visit to Newark’s Polaris Lounge, it was great to see that the experience still holds up.
Find your seat
I stood in line to board the 767-300ER that would operate my flight to London.
Although it was a fairly old plane, United had equipped its 767-300ER sub-airplane with a very premium layout. To see the economy class seats, you have to go all the way to the back of the wing.
All Polaris seats are in one huge cabin that takes up the front half of the plane. Seats are staggered into even and odd rows with universal direct aisle access.
The design and finish still feel fresh almost a decade after Polaris’ initial release.
I sat in the window seat in the odd row. These seats are closer to the window and farther from the aisle, making them the best seats on the plane. There are no seats onboard the 767 Polaris that are suitable for couples who want to chat during the flight. The 777 and 787 Polaris cabins feature paired center seats suitable for that purpose.
Each seat has a storage compartment with a door.
The flight attendants brought us pre-departure drinks. This low-density 767 only has 167 seats, so boarding ended quickly.
Although EWR is sometimes criticized for its location, I believe flights to and from Newark give you the best views of the city. The skyline provides a stunning backdrop as you watch the action unfold on the ramps and runways.
The views for this departure were incredible, including a close-up view of the active runway during the taxi ride, a loop around the airport after takeoff, and a ride above NYC.
In-flight service begins
Dinner service began immediately as our crew returned for drinks.
Over the past year, United has put a lot of effort into upgrading its wine list. They sometimes carry some red wines that sell for nearly $200 a bottle, but these tend to be rarer than common. To United’s credit, when I flew, the wine list included a $100 Cabernet.
Dining has generally not been considered Polaris’ strength in recent years. The consensus among frequent flyers is that, despite being an area where United says it is investing, things have been embarrassingly bad in recent years. The meal I had on the plane was at least good enough to exceed my low expectations.
Let’s take a look at the main menu service menu.
The steak entree was solid but not visually appealing or memorable.
Of course, no United experience would be complete without an ice cream sundae to end the meal. Fortunately, United offers great in-flight sundaes.
Overall, it was a pretty good meal, but once again benefited from low initial expectations.
Settlement for a long trip
Polaris offers large seatback screens for the entertainment system.
Since I flew last year, United has introduced improved Meridian headphones in business class. The photo below is what it looked like before.
Just once I’d like to board a plane with the “From the Flight Deck” audio channel on. Alas, I wasn’t online on the plane, so I’ll have to keep dreaming.
The Polaris amenity kit is well stocked, and this is another area where United has made some updates since the flight. The kit now features the Brooks Brothers brand, which includes Perricone MD skincare products.
The lake was number 767. Nothing special.
And here we come to perhaps Polaris’ greatest strength: the water. Dual pillows and blankets from the Saks Fifth Avenue brand will give you an amazing night’s rest.
Seat in full-flat mode:
Bed width and legroom were average for a business class seat.
The transatlantic flight from New York to London is not very long. I generally wake up for every meal to make the most of my time on the plane. But an objectively smarter approach would be to fill up on dinner in the lounge and go straight to bed after takeoff.
I woke up at sunrise about an hour before landing.
I managed to squeeze in a simple but delicious brioche French toast breakfast.
As the sun finally set over the horizon, we began our descent into Heathrow Airport.
The level of detail on the map was very high, but when we tried to zoom in, frustratingly the airplane icons didn’t shrink, obscuring most of the map. It’s a small complaint. i know.
There are a number of transatlantic flights arriving at Heathrow at this time, so we had to hover above the clouds for a few minutes before arriving.
This concludes my Polaris adventure.
The current verdict on Polaris
There weren’t really any surprises on this flight. It was a really good thing! Polaris provided the following known areas of strength:
- The seat design still feels quite fresh even 10 years after it was first released. Additionally, consistency across fleets is a huge advantage compared to other major airlines whose business class seats vary widely across different aircraft.
- In particular, the bedding can be said to be the best in its class.
- United has made specific investments in some areas of its inflight product, including wine lists, headphones and amenity kits.
- The Polaris Lounge is fantastic, with restaurant-quality dining, showers, and other features that set it apart from other standard domestic airline lounges. The planespotter tables lining the window of the Newark Lounge’s newly expanded dining room may be one of my favorite AvGeek happy places.
There are some drawbacks to be aware of.
- Polaris has a relatively dense business class cabin, with less space per seat than other airlines. And without privacy doors, the Polaris can’t compete with elite-level business class cabins. At least not yet. More details on this can be found in the section.
- Meal service using carts and trays improves efficiency and speed of service, but sacrifices a sense of luxury. United says it’s working to improve Polaris meals, but it’s starting from a very sad standard. On a flight like this short transatlantic red-eye, it objectively makes the most sense to enjoy dinner in the Polaris lounge on the ground and focus on sleeping on board.
- Although Polaris lounges have their overall advantages, they also have some drawbacks. Overcrowding during peak hours is a huge problem. Not all Star Alliance business class passengers will have access to Polaris lounges, and the crowd factor will likely get better with a new limited access policy where some United business base fares do not include access to Polaris lounges. However, these restrictive policies have their own drawbacks. It’s also as good as the Polaris lounge, but better than Delta’s newer Delta One flagship lounge (at least in NYC).
Key 2026 updates across United’s fleet
A key driver for revisiting these 2025 flights is that United recently unveiled several key updates to the passenger experience.
The headliner is the new 787 with an “Elevated” interior. The business class seats are gated suites, United’s first new long-haul premium cabin seating update since Polaris was first unveiled.
The front row of each of the two business class cabins is equipped with a ‘Business Class Plus’ product called Polaris Studio. It features soft product enhancements such as 25% more space, an ottoman for a second passenger to spend time in, larger screens, improved amenity kits and caviar service.
United is also introducing the A321neo and A321 At least some of the A321neos are designated as “coastal” premium transcontinental routes. The XLR aircraft are expected to handle routes in Europe and South America. Both vehicles include new flat suite style offerings.
Coastliners has a self-service snack bar that you can walk into.
Another major update from United is that it is offering new basic bundles for business class and premium economy. For example, the basic business class bundle prohibits flight changes, seat selection, and only provides standard United Club access, not Polaris lounge access. It’s not fun to think about, but basic bundled products are becoming a trend in the aviation industry these days.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
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