News

First look at United Airlines' all-new Polaris, economy seats

Zach GriffSenior reporter
Zach Griff is a senior reporter at TPG. He writes travel and product reviews, deep dives into loyalty programs, news about the airline industry and more.

May 14, 2025 • 10 min read

The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

Quick summary

United Airlines has unveiled new cabins for its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, branded as United Elevated, featuring upgraded experiences across all classes.
The highlight is the Polaris Studio, a business-class-plus suite with 25% more space, a large 4K TV, customizable lighting and enhanced privacy with sliding doors.
Standard Polaris pods are also refreshed, offering new configurations including the first-ever double bed option and upgraded amenities like wireless charging and wood-grain finishes.
Premium Plus and economy cabins receive improvements such as larger 4K screens, Bluetooth support and increased storage, with the economy cabin also gaining more legroom by removing under-seat entertainment boxes.

What to consider

Polaris Studio suites are limited to eight per aircraft, with only six offering buddy seating for in-flight companionship.
The new cabins debut on flights from San Francisco to Singapore and London starting early next year, with further upgrades and announcements expected in the coming months.
Some privacy features, like sliding doors, may not fully close, and the new Polaris pods could feel tighter than previous versions.

What you'll miss from the article

Hands-on impressions of seat comfort, privacy features and detailed comparisons between new and existing cabin products.

Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.

In case you missed it, United Airlines has officially debuted all-new cabins coming to new Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets.

The cabin experience, dubbed United Elevated, introduces the Polaris Studio, a business-class-plus experience with more onboard space and an elevated ground experience and service flow, including a caviar appetizer.

United is also introducing new Polaris pods with sliding doors, and revamped Premium Plus and standard economy seats that should further elevate (no pun intended) your onboard experience.

Though the first jet equipped with United Elevated cabins won't be flying until early next year (from San Francisco to Singapore and then to London), the airline celebrated the unveiling with a takeover of a warehouse in Brooklyn's Navy Yard.

Inside the space, CEO Scott Kirby and other top execs showed off the flashy new products for media and select customers and employees. As a seasoned Polaris traveler myself, I've been excited about this announcement for quite some time, and here are my impressions from a few minutes testing out each of the seat mock-ups.

United Polaris Studio impressions

United new Polaris Studio Premium Plus — ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

The star of the show was no doubt the Polaris Studio suite, an all-new cabin experience for United. This seat takes advantage of the bulkhead location and cabin curvature to offer 25% more living space than the traditional Polaris pod. There will be eight Studios on the 787-9 Dreamliner in a 1-2-1 configuration.

Once inside the pod, you'll notice that everything feels bigger, especially the massive 27-inch 4K TV, the largest offered by any U.S. airline. The footwell area is also supersized, with more room for your feet and an ottoman for a buddy to join you during the flight. Unfortunately, just six of the eight Polaris Studios feature buddy seats — the ones that are missing them are seats 1D and 1F.

The ottoman will have a seat belt so someone can sit there while the plane is cruising.

That said, it might not be the most comfortable place to sit for extended periods of time, as there's not much room in the suite for two people's legs.

The Polaris Studio also features an oversized tray table that's got my 11-inch iPad Pro on it for scale. I didn't have time to take measurements, but this must be one of the larger tray tables flying on a U.S. airline.

Next to the tray table is a small enclosed storage compartment that should be great for glasses or wallets.

The seat itself felt supremely comfortable, as it was well padded with soft-to-the-touch fabric. I also found the design accents and colorways inviting without being too blingy or cheap-looking.

Better yet, you can customize the mood lighting at each seat with eight different color options. This feature wasn't enabled in the mock-ups, but I'm excited to play around with it once the plane is flying.

I briefly reclined the seat into a bed and found it to also be comfortable. The tray table storage area does get in the way of being able to extend your legs freely, but it wasn't worse than any of the similar seats that are flying these days.

(United chose a highly customized version of the Adient Ascent seat for the Polaris cabins — a seat that's used on other carriers like American Airlines and Qatar Airways).

The best part of the seat is that there's plenty of privacy thanks to a sliding door.

There was a small gap even when the door was fully closed, so I'm not sure if this was an issue with the preproduction seat mock-up or just a design choice by United's product team.

United Polaris impressions

Meanwhile, just behind the Studios are the standard Polaris pods. The new 787-9 Dreamliners will have 56 Polaris pods in an industry-standard 1-2-1 configuration.

For the first time ever, United will offer multiple arrangements of Polaris pods. In the forward business-class cabin, seats will face away from the aisle. In the rear business-class cabin, seats will face toward the aisle. The latter layout should be preferred by couples traveling together, and it also allows United to offer the first-ever double bed in Polaris history.

Both the center Polaris Studios and regular Polaris pods have a privacy divider that can be lowered all the way to bed level. Once the divider is down and the doors are closed, you'll enjoy a spacious double bed configuration that'll make it easy to stay close to your loved one throughout the flight.

United will even provide an additional mattress pad that's specially fitted to go on top of the privacy divider.

Just in case you were wondering, you can't play footsies as the footwell areas remain separate for each passenger.

I demoed the double bed in the Polaris Studio, as did TPG's Ben Mutzabaugh and Clint Henderson. We all walked away impressed with the setup. I imagine, however, the experience would feel more cramped in a regular Polaris pod.

Speaking of feeling cramped, the standard Polaris seat definitely felt a bit tighter relative to the existing product. I'll mark this as developing and reserve judgment until I try a long-haul flight with these new seats.

The seats themselves were very comfortable, and they had a similar design motif to the Polaris Studio. I love the wood-grain finishes that United chose; they really add an extra premium touch.

Some of the bells and whistles that you'll find in Polaris include customizable mood lighting, small storage closets with mirrors, entertainment remotes with trackpads, an AC outlet, two USB-C ports, and a Qi wireless charging pad.

While there are digital and manual seat controls, United didn't opt for one-touch buttons, meaning that you need to keep the buttons pressed to move the seat around.

Just like in the Polaris Studios, the sliding doors in Polaris didn't close all the way. The gap wasn't big enough to be annoying during the event, but I'm sure it will be noticeable during a flight.

United Premium Plus impressions

The purple seats, as they're affectionately called by many United flight attendants, also got an upgrade. While the shell of the Premium Plus product remains unchanged, the airline made some thoughtful upgrades throughout.

For one, they're no longer entirely black and purple, as they now feature a mix of colors. They also feature larger (and super-crisp) 4K TVs with Bluetooth, repositioned outlets, water bottle storage areas and a wireless charging pad.

United's new Premium Plus product, showcased in April in Brooklyn.

The storage pocket contains a new well-positioned headphone hook, and new winged privacy dividers provide additional personal space.

All in all, the Premium Plus product is certainly an upgrade, though it's not nearly as exciting as what's happening in the pointy end of the plane.

United economy impressions

Finally, you can't forget about the economy cabin, which will be arranged in a 3-3-3 layout across 15 rows. In total, United will offer 33 extra-legroom Economy Plus seats and 90 standard economy seats.

The economy seats haven't changed much. Perhaps the biggest upgrade you'll immediately notice is larger 13-inch 4K screens with Bluetooth support. The one upgrade you actually won't see when walking up the aisle is the elimination of the entertainment box below the seats — that means that your legroom and storage space won't be taken up by an unwieldy and awkwardly positioned box going forward.

Bottom line

All in all, United's new cabins promise to offer a better flying experience across all cabins.

The new Polaris Studios are sleek and spacious, while the regular Polaris seats got some stylish upgrades as well. I'm a little concerned that the Polaris pods aren't as spacious as the existing product, especially the popular odd-numbered window seats, but we'll reserve judgment until these new planes are flying.

Regardless, the good news is that United is flexing its premium muscle with these new cabins — and the carrier promised Tuesday even more cabin upgrades and announcements coming over the next few months.

Related reading:

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

TPG editor's rating

at American Express's secure site.
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.

Rewards rate

Rewards rate
Rate	Category
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	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.

Intro offer

As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

Annual fee

$325

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Recommended credit

Excellent to Good

Pros + cons

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

More details

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.
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.
$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.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status 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.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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.

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.
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.
$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.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status 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.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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.

In case you missed it, United Airlines has officially debuted all-new cabins coming to new Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets.

United is also introducing new Polaris pods with sliding doors, and revamped Premium Plus and standard economy seats that should further elevate (no pun intended) your onboard experience.

United Polaris Studio impressions

The ottoman will have a seat belt so someone can sit there while the plane is cruising.

That said, it might not be the most comfortable place to sit for extended periods of time, as there's not much room in the suite for two people's legs.

Next to the tray table is a small enclosed storage compartment that should be great for glasses or wallets.

The seat itself felt supremely comfortable, as it was well padded with soft-to-the-touch fabric. I also found the design accents and colorways inviting without being too blingy or cheap-looking.

(United chose a highly customized version of the Adient Ascent seat for the Polaris cabins — a seat that's used on other carriers like American Airlines and Qatar Airways).

The best part of the seat is that there's plenty of privacy thanks to a sliding door.

There was a small gap even when the door was fully closed, so I'm not sure if this was an issue with the preproduction seat mock-up or just a design choice by United's product team.

United Polaris impressions

Meanwhile, just behind the Studios are the standard Polaris pods. The new 787-9 Dreamliners will have 56 Polaris pods in an industry-standard 1-2-1 configuration.

United will even provide an additional mattress pad that's specially fitted to go on top of the privacy divider.

Just in case you were wondering, you can't play footsies as the footwell areas remain separate for each passenger.

The seats themselves were very comfortable, and they had a similar design motif to the Polaris Studio. I love the wood-grain finishes that United chose; they really add an extra premium touch.

While there are digital and manual seat controls, United didn't opt for one-touch buttons, meaning that you need to keep the buttons pressed to move the seat around.

Just like in the Polaris Studios, the sliding doors in Polaris didn't close all the way. The gap wasn't big enough to be annoying during the event, but I'm sure it will be noticeable during a flight.

United Premium Plus impressions

The storage pocket contains a new well-positioned headphone hook, and new winged privacy dividers provide additional personal space.

All in all, the Premium Plus product is certainly an upgrade, though it's not nearly as exciting as what's happening in the pointy end of the plane.

United economy impressions

Bottom line

All in all, United's new cabins promise to offer a better flying experience across all cabins.

Related reading:

Comments

By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.

United Polaris Studio impressions

United Polaris impressions

United Premium Plus impressions

United economy impressions

Bottom line

Comments

Comments

Related stories

Everything you need to know about United Polaris business class

This is now American Airlines' most premium plane: Here's what it's like on board

The best business-class winners from the 2026 TPG Awards — and new seats we're excited about

A review of Turkish Airlines A350-900 business class: Standout dining, uneven execution

TPG featured card

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

United Polaris Studio impressions

United Polaris impressions

United Premium Plus impressions

United economy impressions

Bottom line

Comments

Everything you need to know about United Polaris business class

This is now American Airlines' most premium plane: Here's what it's like on board

The best business-class winners from the 2026 TPG Awards — and new seats we're excited about

A review of Turkish Airlines A350-900 business class: Standout dining, uneven execution

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Annual fee

Regular APR

Recommended credit

Pros + cons