ATOL Protected · 12118
IATA TIDS · 96108924
0203 322 7866WhatsAppinfo@travelinbusiness.co.uk
Replied within the hour, every hour.
Get a Quote
Home / Airlines / United Airlines
UA
Airline

United Airlines

Polaris, now an enclosed suite — and the most complete reach into America from London.

Request a Quote
from £X,XXX return · less than booking the airline direct
Request a Quote
Hub
Newark · IAH Houston · ORD Chicago · SFO · IAD Washington · DEN
Alliance
Star Alliance
Fleet
≈ 970 aircraft
Founded
1931
Cabins held
Polaris Business · Premium Plus · Economy Plus
United Airlines
About the carrier

United flies the broadest hub network of any US carrier — six hubs that put most of America one connection from London. Its long-haul Business cabin, Polaris, is being rebuilt around a sliding door: on the new Elevated 787-9 it becomes an enclosed suite, with eight larger Polaris Studio suites at the front of the cabin, while the lie-flat Polaris seat across the rest of the fleet — 1-2-1, full aisle access, Saks Fifth Avenue bedding — gains doors over time.

Polaris Lounges sit at LHR, EWR, IAD, ORD, SFO and LAX. Each has à la carte dining (a sit-down restaurant inside the lounge, with multiple courses), shower suites with day-beds, and significantly better service than the standard United Club. Premium Plus is the step-up Premium Economy and is fitted across the widebody fleet.

Signature services

What makes them different.

Polaris Lounges

Polaris Lounges

À la carte dining at LHR / EWR / IAD / ORD / SFO / LAX

Saks bedding

Saks bedding

Three-piece Saks Fifth Avenue bedding service

Six hubs

Six hubs

Deepest secondary-city US network in alliance

All-aisle access

All-aisle access

1-2-1 Polaris on every long-haul widebody

Where they shine

What we book them for.

01

Hub reach

Six US hubs — Newark, IAH, ORD, SFO, IAD, DEN — means almost any US secondary city is one connection from London. Strongest US carrier for secondary destinations.

02

Polaris Lounges

LHR, EWR, IAD, ORD, SFO, LAX. À la carte dining, shower suites with day-beds, real plated meals. The best US carrier lounge collection by some margin.

03

Star Alliance

Through-fares with Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, Singapore, ANA, Air Canada. Particularly useful for clients connecting onto Europe through FRA / MUC or Asia through SIN / HND.

04

Premium Plus

United's Premium Economy is a properly executed step-up — Recaro PL3530, 38-inch pitch, leather, plated dining. Available across the long-haul fleet.

There is no First Class to buy — and, as with Virgin Atlantic, that reads as confidence rather than absence: Polaris is the whole show, never the second-best cabin on the aircraft. Against American it is Polaris against Flagship Suite, close enough that the choice comes down to lounge and timing; against the Gulf carriers, United wins on the one thing they cannot offer — America, deep, in a single connection. For the best of it, ask for the new Polaris Studio on the Elevated 787-9; tell us your dates and we'll find the aircraft that has it.

The take

Our honest read on United Airlines

Where United’s consistency and network win, and the details worth a call before you book.

Why we rate them
  • Polaris is consistent across the long-haul fleet A flat 1-2-1 Business seat with direct aisle access on the 767, 777 and 787 — United standardised it, so you rarely get a nasty surprise. Dependability counts.
  • The new Polaris Studio is a standout An enclosed suite with a door, around 25% more space and a 27-inch screen, on the “Elevated” 787-9 — building on SFO–London through 2026. The new high end is genuinely competitive.
  • The deepest US network of any carrier here Six Polaris lounges and a domestic map nobody matches — if your trip runs beyond the big gateways, United connects it.
  • A Heathrow arrivals lounge most rivals don’t offer Land, shower and reset before your meeting — a small thing frequent flyers notice.
Good to know
  • Polaris Studio is on a handful of aircraft The Elevated 787-9 entered service in April 2026 and is concentrated on SFO–London — we’ll tell you whether your dates and routing catch it.
  • No First Class Polaris is the top cabin. If you want a true First, we’ll show you who flies one on your route.
  • Some secondary routes fly an older seat A few 757-200s on US–Europe routes carry an older 2-2 seat still marketed as Polaris — we steer you away from those.
  • Seasonal UK routes come and go Beyond Heathrow, Edinburgh and Manchester to Newark run seasonally — confirm with us before you assume the nonstop.
The network

Where they fly.

The UK services we book most, and the onward sectors that matter beyond the US.

From London
  • Heathrow (T2)United’s UK gateway — the Star Alliance terminal
  • Edinburgh · ManchesterSeasonal services to Newark (we confirm at enquiry)
Strongest sectors
  • London → New York (Newark)Multiple daily
  • London → San FranciscoNew Polaris Studio 787-9 — building to several daily
  • London → Chicago (ORD) / Houston (IAH)Daily
  • London → Washington / Denver / Los AngelesDaily
  • Onward via US hubs300+ destinations and the largest transpacific network of any US carrier

From the UK, United connects through its US hubs to more than 300 destinations and the largest transpacific network of any US carrier — if United flies it, we price it. UK service is primarily from Heathrow, with seasonal flights from Edinburgh and Manchester to Newark; fares are quoted from London.

The seat products

The cabins, in detail.

Each cabin product United Airlines flies, with the seat type, configuration, bed length and the aircraft you'll find it on.

Business
Business · cabin imageryPolaris Business
Business

Polaris Business

1-2-1 configuration
1-2-1 · all-aisle access · 767 / 777 / 787

United's long-haul Business product. Collins Super Diamond reverse herringbone, lie-flat 78-inch bed, Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, all-aisle access from every seat. No sliding doors. The 767-300ER fleet recently completed Polaris refit, bringing the product to thin transatlantic routes (BWI, IAH on certain frequencies). The 787-9 is the most common widebody on London services.

  • SeatCollins Super Diamond, UA-spec
  • Pitch / bed78" fully flat
  • Configuration1-2-1
  • Aircraft777-300ER, 777-200ER, 787-9, 787-10, 767-300ER (refit)
  • NotablePolaris Lounge access at LHR, EWR, IAD, ORD, SFO, LAX
Premium Economy
Premium Economy · cabin imageryPremium Plus
Premium Economy

Premium Plus

2-3-2 (787) · 2-4-2 (777) configuration
2-3-2 / 2-4-2 · widebody fleet

United's Premium Economy. Leather Recaro PL3530, 38-inch pitch, 7-inch recline, calf rest. Plated dining on china. Available across the long-haul fleet. The 767-300ER refit included Premium Plus, which is unusual for an older widebody — useful on the thinner London services.

  • SeatRecaro PL3530, leather
  • Pitch / bed38" pitch · 7" recline
  • Configuration2-3-2 (787) · 2-4-2 (777)
  • Aircraft767-300ER (refit), 777-200ER, 777-300ER, 787-8/9/10
  • NotableSame United Club / Star Alliance Gold lounge access
Economy Premium
Economy Premium · cabin imageryEconomy Plus
Economy Premium

Economy Plus

Same as Economy configuration
Extra-legroom economy · entire fleet

Not strictly Premium Economy — Economy Plus is the same Economy seat with an additional 4-6 inches of legroom. Useful as a buy-up when Premium Plus is sold out, but the seat itself is not upgraded. Available across the entire fleet, including narrowbody.

  • SeatStandard Economy with extra legroom
  • Pitch / bed34-37" pitch
  • ConfigurationSame as Economy
  • AircraftEntire fleet
  • NotableOften paired with Premier Access for the priority benefits
On board
A restaurant in the skyPolaris Dining
On board · in flight

Polaris Dining

The Polaris Lounge sit-down restaurant — a full multi-course meal inside the lounge before you board — is the genuine differentiator versus other US carriers. The on-board service is good; the ground service is exceptional.

  • Polaris Dining
    Sit-down lounge restaurant with multi-course menu — open to Polaris Business
  • On-board Polaris
    Three-course plated service, Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, optional pre-arrival snack
  • Wines
    Rotating Polaris wine list curated by Doug Frost MW; pre-departure Champagne service
  • Premium Plus
    Plated dining on china, separate from Economy — across the widebody fleet
The fleet

Aircraft & the premium seats on board.

What United Airlines operates today, and which cabin you'll be seated in on each. Cabin counts are typical configuration — sub-fleets vary.

AircraftFirstBusinessPremium EconomyNotes
Boeing 787-10—44 Polaris21 Premium PlusNewer; LHR, FRA, NRT
Boeing 787-9—48 Polaris21 Premium PlusLong-haul workhorse
Boeing 787-8—36 Polaris21 Premium PlusMid-range; thinner routes
Boeing 777-300ER—60 Polaris24 Premium PlusHigh-density transpacific
Boeing 777-200ER—50 Polaris24 Premium PlusLHR / FRA / SCL workhorse
Boeing 767-300ER (Polaris refit)—30 Polaris22 Premium PlusThin transatlantic; BWI, IAH alts
From the UK

UK departures: what you'll actually fly.

United flies one long-haul Business product — Polaris — but the seat is newest on the “Elevated” 787-9. This is the current picture, aircraft by aircraft, and we confirm what you will fly before you book.

AircraftWhere you'll find itBusinessFirst
787-9 "Elevated"The newest — San Francisco–London (building to several daily through 2026)The new Polaris suite with a sliding door (64 seats)Yes — 8 Polaris Studio (the larger front-cabin suite)
777-300ERLong-haul, incl. LondonPolaris (1-2-1, direct aisle access)No
777-200ERLondon and US–Europe routesPolaris (1-2-1)No
787-10 / 787-9 / 787-8Various long-haul, incl. LondonPolaris (1-2-1) — doors being added over timeNo
767-300ERTransatlantic, incl. some UK routesPolaris (1-2-1)No
757-200Secondary US–Europe (being retired)Marketed as Polaris but an older 2-2 lie-flat — the one to checkNo

Verified against United Airlines schedules · June 2026. Equipment changes — we re-check your exact flight at booking.

Not sure which aircraft is on your dates? That's exactly what we're for— tell us whether the seat, the timing or the fare matters most, and we'll match the flight to it.

Before the gate

The ground experience.

Lounges, transfers and small differences that make a long itinerary easier.

Heathrow T2

Polaris Lounge LHR

Sit-down restaurant with multiple courses, shower suites with day-beds, full bar with cocktail program. Open to Polaris Business passengers, Star Alliance Gold on international, and qualifying United premium-cabin connections.

EWR / IAD / ORD / SFO / LAX

Polaris Lounges (US)

Five US Polaris Lounges across the major hubs. Each has à la carte Polaris Dining, shower suites, day-beds, full bar. EWR and SFO are the largest; ORD is the newest.

Globally

United Clubs

United Club is the standard tier — comfortable but functional. Bar, light snacks, work zones. Open to Business passengers (no Polaris Dining), Star Alliance Gold, and Club members.

Before you ask

Questions we're asked about United Airlines.

Does United have First Class?

United doesn’t sell a separate First Class — and that works in your favour: with nothing above it, Polaris and the Polaris Lounges are the top of the experience, never the second-best option on the aircraft. The new Polaris Studio is the most exclusive seat United offers, and we’ll get you into it where it flies.

What is the Polaris Studio, and which flights have it?

It is an enclosed suite about 25% larger than a standard Polaris seat, with a sliding door, a 27-inch screen and a companion ottoman, on the new “Elevated” 787-9. From the UK it is on San Francisco–London, building to several daily through 2026, and it is a paid upgrade over standard Polaris.

Is United Polaris the same on every aircraft?

The seat is broadly standardised — 1-2-1 with direct aisle access — across United’s 767s, 777s and 787s, and sliding doors are being added over time. Two things to watch: the Elevated 787-9 has the newest suite, while some older 757s on secondary US–Europe routes carry an older 2-2 seat still marketed as Polaris. We confirm the aircraft before booking.

What is the Polaris Lounge?

United’s flagship business lounges — six across its US hubs, including Newark, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington — with sit-down dining and shower suites. There is also a Polaris arrivals lounge at Heathrow for United Business passengers landing in the morning.

How much is United Polaris from the UK?

Indicatively from £X,XXX return on the contracted trade fares we hold, below United’s own price. Tell us your dates and the exact figure follows the same hour.

Is United part of an airline alliance?

Yes — United is a Star Alliance member, so connections and lounge access extend across Lufthansa, SWISS, Singapore Airlines and the rest of Star Alliance, which is useful well beyond United’s own US network.

Book with us

Fly United Airlines for less.

Share your route and dates — we'll come back within the hour with the fare we hold, secured below published.

The same seat the airline sells — for less than booking direct.

Request a United AirlinesQuote →

Cookie preferences

Choose which cookies we can use. Necessary cookies are always enabled.

Necessary

Required for the site to function.

Analytics

Help us understand how visitors use the site.

Marketing

Enable personalised ads and social media features.