United Polaris Studio: Inside United’s New 787-9 Elevated Business Class
United Airlines has unveiled its most premium long-haul aircraft to date: a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fitted with an entirely new cabin concept called United Elevated. The aircraft features new Polaris business class suites with sliding privacy doors, and a small number of enhanced front-row seats branded as Polaris Studio — United’s closest equivalent to a traditional first class product. It is now bookable, with the first international flight from San Francisco to London Heathrow launching on 30 April 2026.
For UK travellers, this is a genuinely significant development. The San Francisco to London Heathrow route is one of the first two to receive the new aircraft, making the Elevated interior accessible from the UK almost immediately.
United’s new 787-9 Elevated interior features 64 Polaris business class suites (including 8 Polaris Studio seats), 35 Premium Plus seats, 33 Economy Plus seats, and 90 standard economy seats — 222 in total. The first London Heathrow service (flight UA901) departs San Francisco on 30 April 2026. The aircraft is now bookable at united.com.
What is United Elevated?
United Elevated is the name for a nose-to-tail redesign of the cabin on newly delivered Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Every cabin has been updated — from new Polaris suites in business class through to larger seatback screens in economy. The overall layout is significantly more premium-heavy than United’s existing 787 configurations, with 99 premium seats out of a total of just 222 — the highest proportion of premium seating of any US carrier.
The key changes by cabin are:
- Polaris (business class): 64 lie-flat suites in a 1-2-1 configuration, all with direct aisle access. 56 are standard Polaris suites; 8 are Polaris Studio seats. All feature sliding privacy doors and 19-inch 4K OLED screens — up from 16-inch on older United 787s. The cabin is split into two sections: seats in the forward section face inward toward the windows, while those in the rear section face outward toward the aisle. This is worth considering when choosing seats, particularly for solo travellers.
- Premium Plus (premium economy): 35 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration across five rows — up from 21 on older United 787 configurations. New privacy dividers with built-in reading lights, 16-inch 4K OLED touchscreens, and wireless charging, which is a first for United Premium Plus.
- Economy Plus and Economy: 33 Economy Plus seats and 90 standard economy seats (123 in total), in a 3-3-3 configuration. All feature 13-inch 4K OLED seatback screens — claimed by United to be the largest economy screens of any US airline — with Bluetooth connectivity and six power outlets per row.
All seats across all cabins have Bluetooth connectivity, and the aircraft is equipped with Starlink satellite Wi-Fi.
What is Polaris Studio?
Polaris Studio is United’s new business-class-plus tier — a small number of enhanced seats within the Polaris cabin, positioned in the first row of each of the two business class sections. There are just eight Polaris Studio suites per aircraft. They are 25% larger than standard Polaris seats and come with a distinct set of additional features:
- A 27-inch 4K OLED seatback screen — the largest of any US airline
- A sliding privacy door
- An ottoman seat alongside the main seat, with a certified seatbelt in six of the eight suites, allowing a companion to dine or sit across from you
- Wireless charging and Bluetooth connectivity
- Exclusive entrée options not available in standard Polaris
- An Ossetra caviar amuse-bouche paired with Laurent-Perrier Rosé Champagne
- An enhanced amenity kit featuring Perricone MD skincare
- Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, including duvet, day blanket, and two pillows
Privacy doors on Polaris Studio suites are temporarily unavailable at launch due to pending FAA certification. This is a standard regulatory process — the doors are installed and will become functional once approved. Passengers will still receive every other Studio benefit from day one.
Polaris Studio makes United only the third US airline to offer a dedicated business-class-plus tier, after JetBlue (Mint Studio) and American Airlines (Flagship Preferred seats). United’s version features the largest screen of any US carrier in this category.
Which routes will have the Elevated 787-9?
The aircraft is initially based at San Francisco (SFO) and will operate on two international routes from late April 2026:
| Route | Flight number | Launch date |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco (SFO) to Singapore (SIN) | UA1 | 22 April 2026 |
| San Francisco (SFO) to London Heathrow (LHR) | UA901 | 30 April 2026 |
United plans to take delivery of 20 Elevated 787-9s in 2026, and 30 in total by the end of 2027. All future Boeing 787 deliveries will feature the Elevated interior. More routes will follow as additional aircraft enter service, though specific route assignments beyond the initial two have not yet been confirmed. Existing United 787s are not currently scheduled for retrofit.
How much does Polaris Studio cost?
Polaris Studio is not a separate bookable cabin. It is an add-on fee charged on top of any standard Polaris booking — whether booked with cash or MileagePlus miles. The current flat fee is $499 per segment, regardless of route or seat position within the Studio section.
That flat fee makes the longer Singapore route (over 17 hours) considerably better value per hour than the London route for the Studio upgrade. Both are priced identically at $499 one-way on top of the underlying Polaris fare.
How to book with MileagePlus miles
The aircraft is bookable now at united.com. United uses dynamic award pricing for MileagePlus redemptions, so the number of miles required varies by date and availability. For the inaugural SFO to Singapore service as a reference point, Polaris business class was priced at 300,000 MileagePlus miles one-way at launch — these were not saver-level prices for the inaugural flight. It is worth checking regularly as pricing can vary significantly by date.
For Polaris saver award pricing on transatlantic routes such as SFO to London, United typically prices these at approximately 80,000 MileagePlus miles one-way, though this figure is subject to dynamic pricing and will vary. In 2026, United has expanded saver award availability for Premier members and holders of United co-branded credit cards, which may make it easier to find lower-priced award space on these routes.
The $499 Polaris Studio fee applies on top of award bookings as well as cash fares. If you redeem MileagePlus miles for a standard Polaris seat on an Elevated 787-9, you can then pay $499 to upgrade to a Studio suite, subject to availability.
Can UK travellers use points to book?
United is a Star Alliance member, so Avios — which are tied to the Oneworld alliance — cannot be used to book United flights directly. The most practical points currencies for UK-based travellers looking to fly Polaris on the new 787-9 are:
- MileagePlus miles — earned by flying United or Star Alliance partners, or through United’s US co-branded credit cards. UK-issued credit cards do not currently earn MileagePlus miles directly, but miles can be earned on flights credited to MileagePlus when flying on Star Alliance carriers including Lufthansa, Swiss, and Singapore Airlines.
- Air Canada Aeroplan — a well-established route to United award flights. Aeroplan miles can be used to book United Polaris on partner award space, and Aeroplan has transfer partners including Amex Membership Rewards (UK), Chase, and Capital One. Aeroplan typically prices transatlantic Polaris awards at around 60,000–75,000 miles one-way, making it a competitive option.
The most direct approach for UK travellers is a positioning flight to San Francisco, then onward on UA901 to London. Alternatively, look for through-ticketing options from UK departure points via a US connection on a United itinerary, which would allow a single MileagePlus redemption covering the full journey including the Elevated 787-9 segment.
United’s new Elevated 787-9 is comfortably the best business class product currently operated by any US carrier. The Polaris Studio suites offer a near-first-class experience for a $499 add-on above the Polaris fare. The SFO to London Heathrow route launches 30 April 2026. For most UK readers, Air Canada Aeroplan is likely to be the most practical points currency for accessing Polaris on this aircraft.
