The wait for United Airlines’ most premium aircraft ever is nearly over.
The Chicago-based carrier has announced the first destination for its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner featuring the United Elevated interior, the nose-to-tail cabin redesign first unveiled last May that introduces the brand-new Polaris Studio suites as well as new Polaris pods with closing doors.
Flight UA 1, departing San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on April 22 for Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), is the first long-haul route with the new Elevated product. A second service from SFO to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) as Flight UA 901 will commence April 30.
Here’s why this new product represents an upgrade for all passengers, regardless of cabin, and how to book it with points and miles.
Related: United’s ultraluxe Polaris product, fancy new cabin is just weeks away
United Polaris with the Studio suite
United’s newly configured Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will mark the debut of the airline’s new Elevated cabin concept, which includes updated Polaris pods and an entirely new business-class-plus experience called the Polaris Studio.
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In all, there will be eight Polaris Studio suites occupying the bulkhead rows of the two business-class cabins (rows 1 and 9) in a 1-2-1 layout.
Each lie-flat suite is 25% larger than a standard United Polaris seat and comes with a 27-inch 4K OLED touchscreen, the largest seatback entertainment display offered by any U.S. airline. Six of the eight suites include an ottoman with a seat belt, so a companion can sit and dine with you during the flight.
It’s not just the seat United has upgraded for these eight lucky passengers on each flight. Studio passengers will receive osetra caviar as an amuse-bouche, hoodie-style pajamas and slippers, noise-canceling headphones powered by Meridian technology, amenity kits featuring Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ skincare, and a set of United-branded playing cards. There is also wireless charging and Bluetooth connectivity.
United notes that privacy doors on the Polaris Studio suites are temporarily unavailable. That can sometimes be the case with new airline seating that requires special certification.
Related: Is United Polaris business class worth it to Singapore?
Upgrades across every cabin
Beyond the Studios, the aircraft with Elevated interiors also has 56 standard new Polaris suites with 19-inch 4K OLED touchscreens and two distinct seating orientations. Seats in the forward cabin (rows 1 to 8) face away from the aisle, while those in the rear cabin (rows 9 to 17) face the aisle, with center-pair dividers that lower to bed height for couples.
Farther back, 35 United Premium Plus (premium economy) seats will have new privacy dividers with built-in reading lights and 16-inch 4K OLED touchscreens. Even in economy, all 123 seats (39 Economy Plus and 84 standard) will have 13-inch seatback screens with Bluetooth connectivity and six power outlets per row.
In total, the aircraft offers 99 premium seats, which United says is the highest proportion among U.S. carriers. The airline plans to have at least 30 787-9 Dreamliners with Elevated interiors flying by the end of 2027.
How to book United’s new product with points and miles
The nonstop flight from SFO-SIN departs at 10:40 p.m. and arrives in Singapore at 6:45 a.m. two days later, an epic journey of around 17 hours, and one you’ll ideally want a lie-flat Polaris seat for, whether that is a Studio suite or a regular business-class seat.
Cash fares for the April 22 inaugural United Elevated service start at $704 in economy, $2,718 in United Premium Plus and $6,258 in United Polaris business class, a noticeable price premium in Polaris class over the other San Francisco-to-Singapore flight that day that does not feature the new cabin, which is going for $3,646.
United MileagePlus members can book this flight for 75,000 miles in economy, 200,000 miles in Premium Plus and 300,000 miles in Polaris business class, plus $5.60 in taxes and fees. These are dynamic award prices, not saver-level availability, so it is worth checking back regularly as the departure date approaches in case lower pricing opens up.
Note that the Polaris cabin is likely to be very popular for this flight, so this is unlikely to drop for this particular flight.
Related: United MileagePlus program: How to redeem miles for flights, hotels and more
At the time of writing, there is no separate Polaris Studio fare class or pricing tier visible. The seat map currently displayed on United’s website also appears to show the older 787-9 Polaris layout rather than the new Elevated configuration, so it is likely that United has not finished updating its systems to reflect the new aircraft.
We will update this article once Studio-specific booking details become available.
Bottom line
United’s first Polaris Studio flight takes off next month and marks the beginning of a new era for the carrier’s long-haul product. The most excitement is up front, with Studio suite passengers enjoying more space and a host of inflight comforts including elevated sleepwear, food and beverages, and other goodies.
Passengers can enjoy improvements across all cabins, especially with modernized tech, and with United receiving a sizable fleet of these aircraft over the next 18 months, this is a plane worth going out of your way to experience.
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