Earlier this week, United announced would begin flying the newly delivered Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with its long-awaited new Elevated interiors – including elegant new business plus modules called Polaris Studio plus new regular Polaris seats with closed doors, between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) starting April 22.
That first long-haul route would be followed shortly after, on April 30, by the launch of a second route between SFO and Heathrow Airport (LHR) in London.
As with many new aircraft, and especially those with entirely new products and seating configurations on board, United plans to operate some shorter domestic “familiarization flights” with its new Dreamliners so crew can get used to the flow of service.
While United previously said these familiarization flights would be operated on some of its primary routes, such as those between SFO and one of its other hubs, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), it was unclear which exact flights would have the new seats on board as the airline’s website did not display updated seat maps.
Now, however, some United AvGeeks entrepreneurs on social media, including @theaircraftkinghave identified some of the domestic flights that will be served by United’s new Dreamliners.
So, if you want to experience the new seating options for yourself, including the exclusive Polaris Studio Suites, this could be your chance to do so for a relatively low cost.
What domestic flights will have the new United Polaris Studio?
Based on some quick searches on United’s website, it looks like a Dreamliner with new interiors will begin flying on March 29 between SFO and IAH with the following schedule running through April 29, when the new Dreamliners will presumably be deployed primarily on their long-haul routes.
Here is the domestic flight schedule so far:
- UA 2498 from SFO to IAH, departing at 9:10 a.m. and arriving at 3:05 p.m.
- UA 382 from IAH to SFO, departing at 4:45 p.m. and arriving at 6:58 p.m.
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From San Francisco to Houston, one-way tickets start at $394 in economy, $528 in Economy Plus, and $789 in first class, which is actually the new United Polaris. However, airfares are much higher in all cabins for several days within the first two weeks of service.
If you want to exchange United MileagePlus Miles For one ticket, prices start at 21,800 miles in economy class or 64,500 miles in first class.
For the first week or so, one-way tickets from Houston to San Francisco are priced at $499 in coach, $633 in Economy Plus, and $894 in first class. Those fares drop to $304 in economy class, $488 in Economy Plus and $744 in first class starting in the second week.
Mileage prices in this direction also start at 21,800 miles in economy class and 64,500 in first class.
On the plus side, if you book a first class seat, it doesn’t seem like it will cost you more to book one of the special Polaris Studio suites in rows 1 and 9 instead of one of the other 56 new “regular” Polaris seats. We found that on long-haul flights, United will initially charge and collect a $499 surcharge each way to book one of these Business Plus modules, so at least there are no additional fees here.
Of course, since these are only short domestic hops, service on Polaris Studio seats will be no different than other Polaris seats (or any other domestic first class flight of this length), for that matter. But at least you’ll get to see the cool new seating option.
How can you tell if your flight has the new United Polaris Studios?
If you want to be sure you’re flying the new United Dreamliner, you’ll need to check the aircraft type and seat map for your flight.
First, make sure your flight is operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Then, on the booking page, click on the “Seating” link and you should see the cabin configuration.
The Dreamliners with new seats will have two Polaris cabins. The first goes from rows 1 to 8 and the second goes from rows 9 to 17. The middle seats in the forward cabin will be angled towards each other, while those in the aft cabin will be away from each other.
Please note that like any aircraft deployment, plane changes can occur, so if you have your heart set on experiencing the new seats, check your specific flight in the days before departure to ensure you don’t have a last-minute plane change.
United’s new elevated interiors
But what’s so special about United’s new elevated interiors and why bother trying to book one of these flights?
We learned for the first time about United’s plans for new “elevated” interiors last May. As a reminder, here’s what awaits passengers who can fly with this exciting new product.
United’s new Dreamliners will have:
- Eight Polaris studies
- 56 Polaris suites
- 35 Premium Plus (Economy Plus on these domestic flights)
- 123 seats in the main cabin, including 33 seats with extra legroom
Interiors will feature new exclusive finishes, such as quartzite surfaces and dark wood paneling.
The Polaris Studios will be approximately 25% larger than regular Polaris suites and will feature 27-inch 4K OLED touchscreen entertainment systems with Bluetooth connectivity. Six of them on each plane will even have ottomans where another passenger can sit and enjoy a meal with you. On long-haul flights, passengers who book Polaris Studios will also receive upgraded amenities, including hooded pajamas and amenity kits stocked with Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ skin care.
Meanwhile, regular Polaris suites will have 19-inch entertainment screens. Like Polaris Studios, these seats will also have doors that close, although they will not initially be operable, according to United. No deadline has been given for its activation.
The 35 United Premium Plus seats have new, more substantial winged privacy dividers and 16-inch 4K OLED entertainment touchscreens, while the new economy seats have 13-inch screens.
You can bet that several TPG staff members are already reviewing flight options so we can cover you on these new seats soon, but if you beat us to it, be sure to share your experience with us on social media!
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