United Airlines is set to introduce a new premium seating option called Polaris Studio on its upcoming Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Positioned at the front of the business class cabin, Polaris Studio aims to provide passengers with enhanced comfort and amenities while remaining part of business class rather than a separate first class cabin of service.

Inside United’s New Polaris Studio Business Class Suites

United will debut two rows of Polaris Studio seating on its new 787-9 aircraft, four seats in row one and four seats in row nine.

Seat Design and Features

Each Polaris Studio suite is approximately 25% larger than United’s standard Polaris business class seats. The suites feature privacy doors and 6/8 seats will feature a companion seat with a seatbelt, allowing a guest to join for dining or conversation.

Why only 6/8? The center seats in row one will be herribgone-style (facing toward one another) and not conducive to guest seating unlike in row nine, where the center seats will be reverse-herringbone style, making a guest ottoman more accessible.

The suites are equipped with a 27-inch 4K OLED touchscreen, currently the largest in-flight entertainment screen offered by a U.S. carrier. Additional features include:

• wireless charging
• Bluetooth connectivity
• digital seat controls
• elevated finishes such as quartzite tables and wool-blend upholstery

Amenities and Services

Polaris Studio passengers will enjoy check-in at the posh Global Services Reception (currently reserved for United’s invite-only high-spending elite tier) at hub airports and will be invited to board ahead of other Polaris passengers.

Onboard, passengers in Polaris Studio will receive upgraded amenities, including Perricone MD skincare kits, United-branded playing cards, Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, a velvet throw pillow, and exclusive hoodie-pajamas and slippers.

The dining experience includes an amuse-bouche of Ossetra caviar paired with Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne, followed by a specialty post-dessert snack box.

Availability and Pricing

United plans to introduce Polaris Studio on its new Boeing 787-9 aircraft (no retrofits will occur on existing aircraft), with the first deliveries expected by the end of 2025. Initial international routes will include flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Singapore (SIN) and London (LHR).

The airline has not yet announced pricing for Polaris Studio seats, but they will represent an upgraded offering within the cabin rather than the separate class of service.

United Strikes The Right Balance

United faced a dilemma: what to do with the extra real estate made possible by the Adient Ascent seat design. It could have simply offered more legroom in these bulkhead seats, as it currently does with its Polaris product. It also could have reintroduced Polaris First Class, a whole new cabin of service.

Instead, it struck a reasonable balance in offering an upgraded product without trying to call it first class. United offered a “Global First” cabin until 2018, but in its last decade or so of its existence, the class of service did not offer a meaningful differentiation between business class and became known as “employee class” since so few would buy it (leaving empty seats for employee standby travel).

This new approach will offer “first class” amenities like caviar and rosé Champagne without tricking people into thinking it is a first class product along the lines of Lufthansa or SWISS (two of United’s joint venture partners that still offer first class seating onboard).

CONCLUSION

United will debut the “Polaris Studio” seat next year as a subset of business class, which will offer elevated service and extra room…for a price. The sub-section within business class represents a more economical use of real estate and a realistic product offering than a separate class of service.

> Read More: United Airlines Unveils “United Elevated” Cabins On 787-9