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United Gives Us a Tour of Polaris on the Very First 777-300ER

Dec. 14, 2016
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2 min read
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United Gives Us a Tour of Polaris on the Very First 777-300ER
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It's been just over six months since United unveiled its new Polaris business class, and the airline's first aircraft with the new product — a 777-300ER (or 77W) — is just about ready to take off. While UA rolled out some Polaris amenities on December 1, including a fantastic new lounge and updated service in business and first class, we've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the airline's 77W, given that it'll be the first plane to offer the new Polaris seat.

Officially, the 777-300ER launches with Newark-San Francisco p.s. service on February 16, followed by San Francisco-Hong Kong on March 25, but United should be taking delivery of its first plane any day now, at which point it'll perform FAA tests followed by "surprise and delight" service on TBD domestic routes.

With the delivery now just around the corner, it looks like United employees managed to get an early look at the new plane, which they've shared with us on Instagram. You can catch the tour in full on United's Instagram page via your smartphone app, but we're also including the images below.

Here's our first look at the new business-class cabin. The 777-300ER has a whopping 60 Polaris seats in a modified 1-2-1 configuration, divided between two cabins. There's no first class on this plane.

The finishes look fantastic — there's far more attention to detail here than we've seen on any other US-based carrier, down to the wall panels and ceiling lights.

These new biz seats are by far the most private in United's fleet — they're the first to offer a Do Not Disturb light, sure, but even more exciting is the mechanical divider that adds privacy between center seats.

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We'll be on the inaugural flight in February, so stay tuned for a full aircraft tour. In the meantime, if you happen to catch the 777-300ER on an unscheduled domestic flight, please send along some pictures to tpgtips@thepointsguy.com.

What do you think of United's first 777-300ER?

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.