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Which of United's 767s Will Get the New Polaris Seats?

Sept. 08, 2017
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3 min read
Which of United's 767s Will Get the New Polaris Seats?
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Until today, United's much-improved Polaris business-class seats have been available on just 14 of the airline's new 777-300ERs, which are currently assigned to a small selection of United's longest international routes. With the exception of San Francisco to Frankfurt (which launches next month), the 777 doesn't operate any transatlantic service, which means premium-cabin passengers traveling to Europe fly a variety of the carrier's older seats — some perfectly serviceable, others not so much.

That all changes tonight, when United launches service with its first retrofitted 767-300ER, N644UA — while the plane has been flying for a whopping 26 years, having entered service way back in 1991, United just completed an overhaul of the aircraft's interior, making it in many ways feel brand new.

The 767-300 currently serves as the backbone of United's East Coast-Europe fleet, operating the majority of transatlantic flights from the carrier's Newark hub, in addition to some flights from Chicago to Europe, Houston to Europe and South America, and some domestic flights, including United's Honolulu nonstop from Newark and a selection of shorter hops between hubs in the US.

As of September 8, 2017, the following aircraft already have the new Polaris seats or will be getting them soon:

So as of today, three of the 14 planes United's planning to update are currently making their way through the process. Right now, United is focusing only on the three-cabin 767s, 11 of which are still flying with first class, business and economy cabins. All 14 should be complete by the end of 2018 — in the meantime, they'll be added to flights currently assigned to two-cabin aircraft, since both configurations offer 30 business-class seats. The Polaris seats on the 767 are two inches narrower than their 777 counterparts, though, measuring 21 inches, compared to 23. In bed mode, the seats measure at least 6 feet, 3 inches in length, which is comparable to the 777.

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These planes offer a much more comfortable ride in economy — unlike with the 777-300ER, where seats are arranged in a 3-4-3 configuration and measure just 17 inches wide, the updated 767s will maintain the 2-3-2 configuration, with each seat offering a whopping 18.5-inch width, making this the largest economy seat in United's entire fleet. There's power and on-demand entertainment at every seat, in addition to larger overhead bins, new lavatories and other cabin design updates.

United plans to begin retrofitting select 777-200s this year as well, however plans have not been detailed for other older members of the international fleet, including the current two-cabin 767-300s and -400s and the 787 Dreamliners.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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 $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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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $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.