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United Confirms First Routes for the 777-300ER, New Polaris Seat
Zach Honig
Contributor
Dec. 09, 2016
•
3 min read
United Confirms First Routes for the 777-300ER, New Polaris Seat
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United's very first 777-300ER is almost here! This particular aircraft model isn't terribly exciting on the surface — other airlines, including American, have been flying the -300ER (or "77W") for years — but United's latest plane is the first to offer the new Polaris business-class seat, which represents a huge step up from what you'll currently have when flying United.
The new aircraft will have a whopping 60 Polaris business seats (the most of any United plane) and 306 economy seats:
The airline will be installing the new seat on many of its existing long-haul aircraft, including the 777-200s and 767s, but initially it's only going to be available on the yet-to-be-delivered 777-300ER. (All long-haul flights now offer the new Polaris bedding, amenity kits and food/beverage options.) With that in mind, there's been a lot of interest in which routes United will operate with this plane first. And now we know.
Your first opportunity to fly the 777-300ER will likely be on February 16, when UA begins round-trip service between Newark and San Francisco. That aircraft will continue flying between EWR and SFO six days per week through May 3. Then, on March 25, the airline will add the 77W to its San Francisco-Hong Kong route, which currently employs a 747-400. More routes will likely be announced in the weeks and months to come, as United plans to be flying all 14 of its new 777-300ERs by the end of next year.
While the new plane represents a huge step up in business class, unfortunately coach is going to be a much tighter squeeze, with 102 Economy Plus seats and 204 regular coach seats, all in a 3-4-3 configuration (with 34 and 31 inches of pitch, respectively). The 777-300ER will be a much more entertaining ride, at least — the 747s flying to Hong Kong today don't even have seat-back entertainment, though they do offer streaming entertainment. By comparison, the new aircraft will offer both on-demand seat-back displays and streaming media, so you can still choose to watch movies and TV shows on your own device, if you prefer. All seats will have power outlets and USB ports for keeping gadgets charged. There will be Wi-Fi available for purchase as well.
You should see the 777-300ER pop up on these routes very soon — perhaps even later today. It's not clear if upgrade availability or cash fares will be impacted by the rollout, but if you have a flight booked before the 777-300ER is swapped in, you'll obviously keep the class of service that's already confirmed. Notably, these planes will not have a first-class cabin, so if you've purchased (or redeemed for) a fare in United Polaris first on the SFO-HKG route, you'll want to contact United about a partial refund.
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Rewards Rate
| 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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$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
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.Pros
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- 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.