United won't stop Polaris, Premium Plus retrofits after all
The pandemic will have many lasting changes on the airline industry.
Though the adjustments are far-reaching, perhaps the most noticeable for aviation enthusiasts (like me) are the early fleet retirements.
The coronavirus — and the associated drop in demand for flights — is killing jumbo jets like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747. (In fact, the last Airbus A380 ever was just assembled earlier this week.) Plus, airlines are now consolidating and simplifying their fleets. American is retiring the Boeing 757 and 767, Delta is bidding farewell to the Boeing 777. The list goes on.
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United is in a unique position though. The Chicago-based carrier retired its 747s in 2017, leaving its long-haul international fleet with an assortment of more economical Boeing wide-bodies: the 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliner.
And while UA hasn't announced any fleet retirement plans during the pandemic (yet), the airline did stop its Polaris and Premium Plus retrofit program for existing international jets.
In May, United confirmed that it was indefinitely halting all cabin retrofits across the fleet. Although these international jets had some serious downtime, the carrier clearly prioritized conserving cash.
While it was assumed United would eventually resume the retrofits, some United customers undoubtedly feared a permanent or long-term halt to the cabin update.
Now, four months later, we've got some great news for United flyers. The airline will indeed flip the switch back on.
A United spokesperson confirmed that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner fleet will ultimately receive the Polaris and Premium Plus retrofits. There isn't a specific timeline yet, but the airline has confirmed that the project is no longer paused indefinitely.
United Polaris business class was first introduced in 2016. At the time, the airline started taking delivery of new planes with these top-notch biz pods.
Related: Ultimate guide to United Polaris
Along with the new planes, the airline launched a years-long retrofit process of the existing widebody fleet. Plus, United started building business-class-only Polaris Lounges at its largest hubs for its long-haul biz flyers.
Then, in 2018, the carrier decided to add a premium economy cabin, dubbed Premium Plus, to its long-haul jets.
Fast forward two years later, and about 80% of United’s international wide-body fleet has been equipped with the new Polaris product.
United is already halfway done converting the "baby Dreamliners" (787-8) to the new Polaris and Premium Plus configuration. Six of the 12 jets have the cabin.
In January, I had the opportunity to catch a ride on the first retrofitted 787-8, and I was impressed. The 28 business-class pods are split across two cabins. In fact, the two-row Polaris mini-cabin offers eight of the most private seats in the entire United fleet.
Related: United’s retrofitted 787 is better for everyone — except those looking to upgrade
The 21 Premium Plus seats are spread across three rows in a 2-3-2 configuration. Meanwhile, the 194 coach seats are arranged in a 3-3-3 configuration, split between 36 Economy Plus and 158 United Economy seats.
While it's great news that United is committed to putting Polaris on its 787-8s, these planes represent a small proportion of the carrier's overall long-haul fleet. As mentioned, there are just twelve of them in the fleet.
Plus, these baby Dreamliners aren't scheduled to fly that many of the carrier's long-haul flights. According to the latest October schedule data from Cirium, just 201 international flights will be operated by the 787-8, roughly 11% of the total. Meanwhile, the carrier's 32 787-9s will fly 817 flights — or nearly 50% of the total. (United has just nine 787-9s retrofitted with the new cabins).
Hopefully, United's recommitment to Polaris is just the beginning. As lucrative corporate travel returns in the years to come, flyers will expect the latest and greatest cabins.
Time will tell whether United will deliver on that expectation across its entire international fleet.
All photos by Zach Griff/The Points Guy
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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
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- 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.
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- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
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. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked 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
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. (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.