7 years later, United's Polaris rollout is finally finished
United Airlines just hit a major milestone that's sure to excite many frequent travelers.
As of July 11, every long-haul international United flight operated on a wide-body aircraft will offer lie-flat Polaris business-class pods.
That wasn't the case until just a few days ago when the last of United's Boeing 767-400ERs were taken out of service and ferried to Shanghai for a nose-to-tail retrofit.
The 22-year-old jet, registered N66051, last operated a revenue flight from Madrid to Newark on July 8; it was then ferried to Honolulu, Hong Kong and, finally, Shanghai, where it will remain until new cabins are installed.
Upon modification, United will have a total of 197 international wide-body aircraft outfitted with Polaris. All long-haul international flights now feature the "true" Polaris product, and just a handful of wide-body planes primarily flying domestic missions don't sport these seats (more on that below).
This is undoubtedly exciting news for travelers since they'll no longer need to play the guessing game of what aircraft configuration they'll experience.
The last jets to be reconfigured are the 16 Boeing 767-400ERs, which were parked indefinitely at the outset of the pandemic. They were recently reactivated and were originally flying around with their old and outdated cabins. United embarked on a retrofit project last year to bring these planes to the latest onboard experience standards, and the finish line is finally here.
While it's undoubtedly an exciting moment for United's onboard experience, the Polaris retrofits have hit plenty of turbulence over the past seven years.
The product was first announced in 2016, and the ensuing months were nothing short of chaotic for the carrier's business-class offering. Multiple Polaris Lounges suffered yearslong delays, the retrofit strategy wasn't clear and the onboard service kept getting tweaked.
Add on a pandemic, which temporarily halted the retrofit project, and here we are — seven years later — with a completed rollout.
Though the Polaris retrofits might've taken (what seemed like) forever, United seems to have found its beat with the introduction of Premium Plus, the airline's take on premium economy.
The product first started rolling out in 2019. As the cabin has grown in popularity, United has been quick to meet that demand by introducing an all-new flight experience across its entire international wide-body fleet — all in just four years.
Fleet-by-fleet Polaris and Premium Plus retrofit update
Boeing 767-300ER
United splits its 37 Boeing 767-300ERs into two different layouts. There’s a premium “high-J” version with a whopping 46 business-class pods, 22 Premium Plus recliners and 99 coach seats, as well as a revised “standard” layout with 30 Polaris pods, 24 Premium Plus recliners and 149 coach seats.
Thirteen of United’s 767-300s sport the “standard” layout, while 24 of the jets feature the “high-J” version.
There is just one "standard" 767-300 that's currently being retrofitted with Premium Plus.
Once complete, all 767-300s will feature a three-cabin experience.
Boeing 767-400ER
This is the final major fleet type to receive the Polaris and Premium Plus cabins.
United has 16 Boeing 767-400ERs in its fleet, and 12 of them already feature the updated three-cabin layout. Four of them are currently undergoing modifications in Asia, but all flights currently operated by the Boeing 767-400ER feature both Polaris and Premium Plus.
Boeing 777-200
All United Boeing 777-200s that operate long-haul international routes have already been updated with the latest cabins.
The carrier has a subfleet of 777-200s that primarily serve domestic destinations, including Hawaii and other short-haul markets. These planes have a very outdated 2-4-2 “dorm-style” business-class cabin, and there are no plans to upgrade these cabins with the Polaris and Premium Plus retrofits.
Boeing 777-300ER
All 22 of United’s Boeing 777-300s are already outfitted with the Polaris and Premium Plus cabins.
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
All 12 of United’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners have already been retrofitted with Polaris and Premium Plus cabins.
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
All United’s 38 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners have already been retrofitted with Polaris and Premium Plus cabins.
Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
All United's 21 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners feature Polaris and Premium Plus cabins.
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- 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.
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| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
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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)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- 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.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $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.