Inside United's New Polaris and Premium-Cabin Amenity Kits
Good news for United premium cabin flyers — new amenity kits are coming your way. To celebrate its partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue, United is launching redesigned amenity kits for passengers flying internationally in Polaris First and Business Class as well as premium transcontinental flights.
Polaris passengers are in for a treat with these new structured Saks bags that resemble a slightly larger sunglass case. Both first and business-class passengers will get similar bags, which comes in two colors — black and white, but with slightly different contents (more on that below).
Both kits contain a signature padded eye mask for improved sleep at 35,000 feet, a calming pillow mist and skincare products from Soho House & Co's Cowshed Spa, cozy yet fashionable socks, plus many other wellness items such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, tissues and earplugs.
In addition to the business-class offerings, first-class passengers also get a bottle of mouthwash, a larger tube of toothpaste, a lens cleaner and a tube of Bullocks Soothing Moisturizer. Nothing too different from what's being currently offered onboard.
By comparison, here are the previous Polaris amenity kits:
On transcontinental routes between Newark (EWR) and Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO), as well as Boston (BOS) to SFO, passengers in the business-class cabin will instead get a goodie-filled Saks Fifth Avenue cloth pouch.
The pouch contains an eye mask, earplugs, toothpaste, toothbrush, lip balm and a pack of hand sanitizer.
While the contents haven't changed much, it's nice to see United shaking things up on the amenity kit front, continuing its collaboration with Saks Fifth Avenue, which also provides the much-raved-about bedding that's offered in first and business class. United's planning a soft rollout for the new kits — do expect to see these onboard within the next few weeks as they're progressively introduced across the fleet.
The Polaris rebrand, while it hasn't been a total game changer, has definitely improved the inflight experience for premium travelers. We definitely do recommend booking yourself on United's 777-300ER (77W) to experience their newest lie-flat seats, as TPG Editor-In-Chief Zach Honig did from Hong Kong (HKG) to San Francisco (SFO).
What do you think of these new amenity kits? Comment and let us know, below.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- 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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.