Unveiled: New United Polaris Business Class, Including Polaris Studio

The wait is finally over. United Airlines has today revealed its next generation long haul business class experience, and it looks mighty impressive. There’s even a special “business class plus” product, with quite the elevated soft product. Let’s go over all the details.

Details of new United Elevate long haul cabins

United has announced plans to overhaul its long haul travel experience, with a project that the Chicago-based carrier is referring to as United Elevate. This includes all-new Polaris business class seats, a special front row business class experience, and more.

Here’s how United Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella describes these cabins:

“We already deliver a superior international experience and fly to the most places across the Atlantic and Pacific – these new innovations provide a more premium experience overall, give customers even more reasons to choose United, and set our airline up to grow into the next decade and beyond. We never stand still and are always looking for more ways to set ourselves apart from other carriers. And we’re confident this elevated experience will take international flying to new heights.”

These cabins will debut on the carrier’s new Boeing 787-9s, which will be in an ultra-premium configuration, with a total of 64 business class seats (56 standard Polaris seats, and eight Polaris Studio seats).

United’s new Polaris business class seats

As expected, the new United Polaris business class seat will be a customized version of the Adient Ascent product. This is of course a fully flat seat in a 1-2-1 configuration, with direct aisle access for all.

Qatar Airways was the launch customer for this product, on its Boeing 787-9s, and Hawaiian Airlines was the second airline to introduce this, also on its 787-9s. This is also American’s new 787-9 business class, for its newly delivered premium jets.

The new Polaris cabin will boast reverse herringbone seats along the windows, and then center seats will either be in a herringbone or reverse herringbone configuration. The Adient Ascent product is highly customizable in terms of configuration, and United is taking an interesting approach here.

Since new 787-9s have a huge business class cabin (with two sections), roughly half of the cabin will have herringbone seats in the center (better for those traveling together), while the other half will have reverse herringbone seats in the center (better for those traveling alone).

United’s new Polaris business class seats will feature sliding doors, 19″ 4K OLED touchscreen monitors with bluetooth audio, four ways to charge devices, and digital seat controls. Seats will be made of breathable, wool-blend materials.

The new Polaris cabin will also have a grab-and-go snack counter, with treats from brands like Garretts, Community, and Joe & Seph’s.

Special front-row United Polaris Studio seats

We’ve increasingly seen a trend whereby airlines have introduced “business class plus” products, essentially taking advantage of the extra space at bulkhead seats to create a special product. United will be doing that, with a product that will be marketed as United Polaris Studio, featuring 25% more space than the standard seats.

There will be eight of these on premium 787-9s (four seats at the front of each of the two business class cabins). Each United Polaris Studio suite will have a 27″ 4K OLED touchscreen monitor, the largest you’ll find at any US airline. Seats will also have a buddy seat.

It’s not just the hard product that will be upgraded, but also the soft product. United Polaris Studio amenities will include exclusive hoodie-pajamas and slippers on all flights, new noise canceling headphones powered by Meridian technology, amenity kits featuring Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ skincare products, United-branded playing cards, and a plush velvet throw pillow on the ottoman.

United Polaris Studio customers will even get upgraded food and drinks, including an Ossetra caviar amuse-bouche service, Champagne Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé, and a specialty snack box with salty, sweet, and savory treats.

The experience will even be differentiated on the ground. United Polaris Studio customers will have access to the Global Reception area, and receive preferential boarding, alongside Global Services members. They’ll also receive United’s tarmac transfer program, on a surprise and delight basis.

United hasn’t yet revealed how it will price this product, though it sounds like it might be sold as a totally separate experience, rather than just a fixed upgrade cost. It remains to be seen if it’ll be possible to redeem miles for this, or to upgrade.

New United Premium Plus & economy seats

United is also investing in its premium economy and economy cabins on long haul jets. United’s new Premium Plus premium economy seats will be in a 2-3-2 configuration, and will feature 16″ 4K OLED touchscreen monitors, privacy wings with a reading light, and a dedicated water bottle and headphone storage area.

Meanwhile in economy, customers can expect 13″ 4K OLED touchscreen monitors, and bluetooth connectivity.

Timeline for new United Elevate cabins rolling out

So, when can customers anticipate that these new cabins will be available? United expects to take delivery of its first 787-9 with the updated interiors before the end of 2025, with the first international passenger flights planned for early 2026, from San Francisco (SFO) to Singapore (SIN) and London (LHR).

All of United’s future delivery 787s will feature these new interiors, and United expects to have around 30 of them in service by the end of 2027. These plans will also feature Starlink Wi-Fi, so they’ll be among United’s first wide body aircraft to get this service.

United also has plans to retrofit existing aircraft with these interiors, but no timeline has been provided as of yet.

My take on United’s new Polaris business class cabins

The new United Elevate concept sounds like a significant improvement over the current long haul experience the airline offers. A few thoughts:

• It’s kind of funny that American and United have selected the same product for their updated long haul business class; unsurprisingly, United’s finishes look quite a bit nicer
• Don’t expect these new seats to be earth shattering; the Adient Ascent product is good, but isn’t anything that’s going to blow anyone away
• The new United Polaris Studio soft product sounds excellent, though of course inconsistent service delivery on United remains a challenge
• United deserves credit for the consistency it currently offers with its Polaris business class product, as you always know exactly what to expect; as a new product is introduced, there will be less consistency again

Bottom line

United Airlines has just revealed its new long haul travel experience, known as United Elevate. We should see this product enter service on international flights as of early 2026, on newly delivered Boeing 787-9s.

United is installing the Adient Ascent product on these aircraft, which is a business class suite with doors, and greatly improved tech. We’re also seeing the introduction of the United Polaris Studio concept, whereby the front row seats will be much more spacious, with a differentiated soft product, ranging from a caviar amuse bouche, to better champagne.

United’s new long haul experience seems like a very nice upgrade. Most importantly, the airline selected a product that can actually be delivered on, which is great. It is kind of funny that both American and United have selected the same product, though.

What do you make of United’s new Polaris business class?