Domestic flights now on sale with United’s new Polaris Studio suites
Earlier this week, United Airlines announced it would start flying newly delivered Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with its much-anticipated new Elevated interiors — including swanky new business-class-plus pods called Polaris Studio in addition to regular new Polaris seats with closing doors — between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) beginning 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 London's Heathrow Airport (LHR).
As with many new jets, and especially those with all-new seat products and configurations on board, United plans to operate some shorter domestic "familiarization flights" with its new Dreamliners so that crew members can get the hang of service flow.
While United previously said that these familiarization flights would be operated on some of its mainline routes, like those between SFO and some of its other hubs, Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C., it was not clear which exact flights would have the new seats on board since the airline's website was not displaying updated seat maps.
Now, however, some enterprising United AvGeeks on social media, including @theaircraftking, have pinpointed 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 those exclusive Polaris Studio suites, this might be your opportunity to do so for a relatively low cost.
Which domestic flights will have the new United Polaris Studio?
Based on some quick searches of United's website, it looks like a Dreamliner with the new interiors will start flying March 29 between SFO and IAH with the following schedule running through April 29, when the new Dreamliners will presumably be deployed mostly on long-haul routes.
Here's the schedule of flights between SFO and IAH so far:
- UA 2498 from SFO to IAH, departing at 9:10 a.m. PDT and arriving at 3:05 p.m. CDT
- UA 382 from IAH to SFO, departing at 4:45 p.m. CDT and arriving at 6:58 p.m. PDT
It looks like the airline will also put new Dreamliners into service between SFO and IAD starting March 29 and running through April 23.
Here's the schedule of flights between SFO and IAD so far:
- UA 755 from SFO to IAD, departing at 12:35 p.m. PDT and arriving at 8:46 p.m. EDT
- UA 1434 from IAD to SFO, departing at 12:35 p.m. EDT and arriving at 3:22 p.m. PDT
On this particular route, just be aware that United operates two daily frequencies using 787-9 Dreamliners; only these particular flights have the latest seats on them. What's more, new Dreamliners are only operating these flights on certain days (for instance, you'll find them on April 21 and 23 but not on April 22), so before you book anything, be sure to check your flight's specific seat map.
From San Francisco to Houston, one-way tickets start at $394 in economy, $528 in Economy Plus and $789 in first class, which is the new United Polaris. However, airfares are much higher in all cabins on several days within the first two weeks of service.
If you want to redeem United MileagePlus miles for a ticket, prices start at 21,800 miles in economy 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 economy, $633 in Economy Plus and $894 in first class. Those fares drop to $304 in economy, $488 in Economy Plus and $744 in first class starting the second week.
Mileage prices in this direction also start at 21,800 miles in economy and 64,500 miles in first class.
On the route between SFO and IAD, the lowest pricing we found each way was $334 in economy, $650 in Economy Plus and a mere $884 in first class, which would be a steal for a transcontinental flight in the new Polaris seats. Those same tickets would cost you 33,400 miles in economy and 80,000 miles in first class. Most days, though, airfares and award redemption rates are much higher.
On the upside, if you book a first-class seat, it does not look like it will cost you extra to reserve one of the special Polaris Studio suites in the bulkhead rows 1 and 9 instead of one of the 56 other "regular" new Polaris seats. We have found that on long-haul flights, United will initially levy an upcharge of $499 each way to book one of these business-class-plus pods, so at least there's no additional fee here.
Granted, since these are just short domestic hops, the service in Polaris Studio seats won't be any different from what you'll receive in the other Polaris seats (or from any other domestic first-class flight of this length, for that matter), but at least you'll get to check out 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 have to look at the aircraft type and seatmap for your flight.
First, make sure your flight is operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Then, on the booking page, click on the link to "Seats" and you should see the cabin configuration.
Dreamliners with the new seating will have two Polaris cabins. The first runs from rows 1 to 8, and the second runs from rows 9 to 17. The middle seats in the forward cabin will be angled toward one another, while those in the aft cabin will be angled away from each other.
Keep in mind that, as with any plane deployment, aircraft swaps can occur, so if you have your heart set on experiencing the new seats, check your specific flight in the days leading up to departure to make sure you don't get a last-minute plane change.
United's new Elevated interiors
But what's so special about United's new Elevated interiors, and why would you bother trying to book one of these flights?
We first learned of United's plans for new "Elevated" interiors last May. As a reminder, here's what's in store for passengers who get to fly this exciting new product.
United's new Dreamliners will have:
- Eight Polaris Studios
- 56 Polaris suites
- 35 Premium Plus seats (Economy Plus on these domestic flights)
- 123 main cabin seats, including 33 extra-legroom seats
The interiors will feature upscale new finishes like quartzite surfaces and dark woodgrain paneling.
The Polaris Studios will be about 25% larger than the regular Polaris suites and will have 27-inch 4K OLED touchscreen entertainment systems with Bluetooth connectivity. Six of them on each jet 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 hoodie pajamas and amenity kits stocked with Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ skin care products.
Regular Polaris suites, meanwhile, will have 19-inch entertainment screens. Like the Polaris Studios, these seats will also have closing doors, though these will not be operable initially, according to United. No time frame has been given for their activation.
The 35 new United Premium Plus seats have more substantial winged privacy dividers and 16-inch 4K OLED entertainment touchscreens, while the new economy seats have screens that clock in at 13 inches.
You can bet that a number of TPG staffers are already checking out flight options so we can bring you coverage of 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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