It has been more than eight years since United Airlines first introduced the seats of its Polaris Business Class. It took several years, but by 2023, the retrofitting of the entire long-haul fleet was completed. Now, another update is already on the horizon. Yesterday, the Star Alliance airline unveiled a new seat.
This new seat is expected to debut starting in 2026 on newly delivered Boeing 787 aircraft. The onboard configuration is especially premium-heavy, with Business Class taking up more space than Economy. However, there are also a few changes in Premium Economy and Economy Class.
This Is the New Polaris Business Class
The newly delivered Boeing 787-9s will feature a total of 64 Business Class seats. The arrangement is particularly interesting. United is moving away from its previous staggered layout and opting for a (reverse) herringbone configuration. In the centre of the cabin, there will be a herringbone setup where passengers’ heads are positioned close together. In the forward Business Class cabin, a reverse herringbone layout will be used, meaning passengers’ heads face away from each other, offering more privacy. This is designed to appeal to both solo travellers and couples. This layout can be clearly seen in Aerolopa’s seat map:
This is made possible by the new Ascent seat model from American manufacturer Adient Aerospace. The seat itself isn’t entirely new—Qatar Airways uses it in its Boeing 787s without QSuite (but with a door), and American Airlines will also be using the same seat in the future.
Rows 1 and 9 will feature especially spacious seats. These so-called Polaris Studios will only be available for an (expensive) surcharge, but they’ll offer amenities such as a 27″ screen, a companion ottoman for dining together, caviar service, etc. A similar concept can be seen with Lufthansa’s Allegris Business Suites—essentially a “First Class Light.”
Even the other 56 Business Class seats will come with closing doors for additional privacy. The biggest change, however, is likely the new seating layout, with all its pros and cons. In addition, there will be a 19″ 4K monitor (up from 16″), more charging options (including wireless charging and USB-C), and a revamped design featuring marble and wood-like finishes. United also promises an improved food selection.
Small Upgrades for Premium Economy & Economy Class
The Premium Economy cabin will retain its familiar 2-3-2 layout. New additions include small privacy wings at head height, and the entertainment screen grows from 13 to 16 inches diagonally. Seat pitch hasn’t been disclosed but is expected to remain around the usual 97 cm (38 inches).
In Economy Class, the screen size increases from 9 to 13 inches. The number of Economy seats will significantly decrease, from 188 in the previous Boeing 787-9 configuration to just 123. The number of lavatories is also being reduced. Passengers in Economy and Premium Economy will share a total of three lavatories.
In Service Starting 2026
The Dreamliners with the new configuration are scheduled for delivery starting in 2026. The first planned routes include San Francisco–Singapore and San Francisco–London. In general, these aircraft will likely only be used on routes with very high Business Class demand.
According to One Mile at a Time, there are also plans to retrofit existing aircraft, though no timeline has been set. Meanwhile, Executive Traveller reports that no such plans currently exist. One thing is clear: the existing seats will continue flying for many years to come.
Conclusion
Even though Polaris has many fans, I personally am not one of them. Over the years, the catering quality has significantly declined, and the seats are so narrow that it’s hard to even bend your knee while sleeping. The new seats should improve on that a bit. However, the ability to select the bulkhead seats with the wider footrest is gone—they are now branded as “Studios” and come with a steep surcharge.
Aside from that, the new product looks promising—at least in the photos. And compared to Lufthansa’s Allegris, the layout seems attractive to both business travellers and couples. It will be interesting to see how the new Polaris Business Class performs in day-to-day operations. A comparison with rival American Airlines will also be worth watching. The seats are essentially the same and only differ in small details. AA’s first flight with the new seat is already scheduled: June 5, 2025.
Translated by Ditmar
Cover Picture: New United Polaris Business Class | © United Airlines
Comments (3)
The recent catering on Polaris is awful. Worse than barding school meals when I’ve flown with them. I really liked the seat though and found the window seats extremely private and comfortable. You need to face the aisle if you are a side sleeper and want to bend your knees.
How tall are you? Being 6’6″ (198 cm), no matter which way I try to sleep, my legs will begin to cramp after about 2 hours because I can’t properly bend then. I’m not even able to get them into the cut-out at the aisle.
It’s great for daytime flights, though
Ok you beat me on height. I’m only 6’2 😂