United Polaris Review: 777-300ER Business Class SFO to SYD

The first long haul flight on my mini round-the-world adventure is a 14-hour plus experience in United Polaris business class. Flying between San Francisco and Sydney, Australia, this long-haul flight provided ample time to experience the highs and lows of United’s premium service.

From the luxurious seats and questionably gourmet dining to the sometimes quirky service and onboard amenities, this journey was a comprehensive test of what United Polaris business class has to offer. Join me as I explore every aspect of the experience, highlighting the exceptional features and areas for improvement.

This is my United 777-300ER business class review.

Flight Details

Booking: The Long Way to Asia

With my first stop on this trip being 3 days in Taipei (where I was going to eat all the things), you might wonder why I chose a detour down under and through Singapore. The answer lies in my curiosity and a bit of opportunity.

I have long been curious about United Airlines’ business class product, Polaris. However, I haven’t heard particularly glowing reviews, so I have often opted to fly with other airlines for my international journeys. Additionally, finding United business class seats through Aeroplan can be quite challenging. However, as luck would have it, I found a seat on short notice and at a great value.

This unique route to Singapore popped up with a business class seat on United’s Polaris 777-300ER to Sydney, followed by a business class flight on Singapore Airlines’ A380 from Sydney to Singapore. Given my curiosity about Polaris and the chance to experience Singapore Airlines’ A380 business class, I jumped at the chance. This detour, while seemingly roundabout, provided a perfect opportunity to satisfy my long-standing curiosity and experience a highly acclaimed service, all for just 75,000 Aeroplan points.

If you are curious how I booked this segment along with my other flights on this trip, I suggest reading my Aeroplan mini-RTW booking post.

What is United Polaris?

United Polaris is United Airlines’ premium international business class service, designed to offer travelers a luxurious and comfortable experience on long-haul flights. Introduced in 2016, United Polaris focuses on enhancing sleep and relaxation with features like fully lie-flat seats, Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, and elevated dining options curated by award-winning chefs. The service includes access to Polaris Lounges at select airports, offering amenities like pre-flight dining, spa-like showers, and relaxation spaces. United Polaris aims to provide a seamless, restful journey for passengers flying across continents.

United Polaris SFO Ground Experience

As highlighted in my SFO Maple Leaf Lounge review, I also chose this route to check out one of Air Canada’s newest lounges. I had heard great things about it and wanted to experience it firsthand.

Maple Leaf Lounge Experience

My trip kicked off with an uneventful flight from Vancouver to San Francisco, where I was catching my United Polaris flight to Sydney. Although I encountered some issues due to the three-hour restriction the lounge enforces, the experience itself was worth it. The decor is among the nicest I’ve seen in an Air Canada product, similar to what you find in the Air Canada Café, which I love. The bartender was attentive, and the terrace is undoubtedly one of the best airport lounge features. It provided a relaxing space to enjoy the views and unwind before my flight.

For my full review of the Maple Leaf Lounge at SFO, see here.

United Polaris Lounge Experience

As this is a United Polaris review, I decided to check out the United Polaris lounge before boarding. Initially, I planned to split my time between the two lounges. However, I enjoyed the Maple Leaf Lounge so much that I spent most of my time there. When I finally decided to check out the Polaris Lounge, I was glad I spent most of my time at Air Canada’s lounge. The United Lounge was very crowded and loud compared to the spacious Maple Leaf Lounge.

That said, from my brief visit, the Polaris Lounge impressed me with its clean, elegant furnishings, white marble accents, and plenty of seating options. The selection of preflight meals and snacks looked appetizing as well. However, the crowded environment made it less enjoyable than the Maple Leaf Lounge.

If you find the Polaris Lounge crowded, I highly recommend United Polaris passengers take the short walk to the Maple Leaf Lounge for a more pleasant and spacious experience.

United Polaris 777 Business Class Cabin

The United Polaris 777 business class cabin is thoughtfully designed with a total of 60 seats, divided into two distinct sections. Typically, I would choose a seat in the forward cabin for its proximity to the front of the aircraft. However, when selecting my seat, I observed a significant number of empty ones in the rear cabin. This prompted me to select seat 15L, a decision that proved to be advantageous as the forward cabin was nearly full by comparison.

The seating arrangement in the Polaris business class cabin follows a 1-2-1 configuration except for rows 7 and 8 where there are no center seats. This layout ensures that every passenger has direct aisle access, enhancing convenience and comfort. The odd-numbered seats are positioned closer to the windows, providing significantly more privacy than the even-numbered seats, which are situated directly on the aisle.

United 777 300er Business Class Seat Map

Choosing a window seat in the odd rows offers a secluded and intimate experience, perfect for those seeking a quiet space to relax or work during the flight. The seat design includes a suite-style setup, complete with high walls. This added privacy is ideal for long-haul flights, allowing passengers to unwind and enjoy the journey with minimal disturbances.

For couples traveling together, odd number centre seats are positioned closer together.

United Polaris Seats Features

In addition to the privacy, the seats are well-appointed with luxurious amenities. Each seat converts into a fully flat bed, providing a restful sleeping experience. The bedding, provided by Saks Fifth Avenue, includes a plush duvet, large pillows, and a mattress pad, ensuring a comfortable rest.

Storage is ample, with dedicated spaces for personal items, a large side table, and compartments for smaller belongings. The in-flight entertainment system is top-notch, featuring a large, high-resolution screen and a wide selection of movies, TV shows, and music. Noise-canceling headphones are provided, further enhancing the in-flight entertainment experience.

The cabin’s lighting can be adjusted to create the perfect ambiance, whether you’re working, dining, or sleeping. The dining experience in Polaris business class is another highlight, with gourmet meals and a selection of fine wines and beverages served throughout the flight.

The seat itself is quite comfortable, with intuitive controls. The footwell is deep, and when laid flat, the seat is second only to Singapore Airlines’ A380 in terms of comfort and space on this trip. The unique curve of the entrance adds to the comfort, making it easy to sleep on your side. Overall, the Polaris seat design combines privacy, comfort, and convenience, making for an excellent long-haul experience.

United Polaris Business Class In-flight Entertainment

Wi-Fi and IFE

Despite being advertised and announced in pre-takeoff announcements, the Wi-Fi onboard the United Polaris flight did not function for the entirety of the journey. This was disappointing, especially since one of my reasons for choosing these flights was to catch up on work during the long hours in the air.

That said, when it did work, download speeds were impressive.

IFE

With work distractions sidelined, I turned to the in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, which offered a decent selection of movies and shows, albeit lacking in recent releases compared to airlines like Emirates in business class. One downside was the subpar quality of the provided headphones; mine even had a short in the cable. Fortunately, I travel with my Avantree Bluetooth adapter, which allowed me to connect my Apple AirPods Pro, providing excellent noise-canceling capabilities and enhancing my viewing experience significantly. Despite the initial setback with Wi-Fi, the IFE system kept me entertained throughout the flight.

United Airlines Polaris Business Class Service and Amenities

United Polaris Service

While the United Polaris seats and amenities shine, the service onboard was a mixed bag of highs and lows. The journey began with a welcome drink of champagne or water, albeit served in plastic cups—a detail that seemed unusual for business class and somewhat wasteful.

After the hot towel service, the flight manager introduced himself, marking a polite start to the service. However, there were moments of confusion and even humor during the flight. Due to enjoying a few too many cocktails in the lounge, I needed to use the restroom shortly after takeoff. Despite patiently waiting for the seatbelt sign to turn off, I found the drink carts already blocking the aisle. Politely asking to pass, I encountered a slight delay as the attendant served nearby seats first.

With some of the older crew members, there appeared to be less emphasis on customer service compared to other airlines—a contrast to the exceptional service I’ve experienced elsewhere.

However, amidst these moments, my flight attendant was a sweetheart, despite not being able to provide details on the red wines served and sharing a laugh when I asked about espresso with breakfast, noting, “No, this is United.” These quirks added to a unique experience that, while notable, might have been perceived differently if I had paid cash instead of using points for the journey.

United Polaris Amenity Kit

The United Polaris amenity kit stands out as one of the most unique in the industry. Designed by Therabody, makers of the Theragun it takes the form of a stylish fanny pack, a practical item I’ll certainly use beyond this flight. I appreciate kits like this as there is some functionality put into the design. It reminded me of the kits from Ethiopian Airlines which I’ve repurposed for camping adventures.

Inside the kit, practicality meets luxury. Instead of disposable items, the United Polaris amenity kit includes thoughtful essentials that I found useful both during the flight and throughout my travels. Highlights included a small tissue pack, facial wipes, and a comfortable eye mask.

Note: As per the United Polaris menu, pajamas are available upon request for flights exceeding 14 hours—an amenity I unfortunately missed out on but one you should definitely consider for your journey.

Lavatories

Spacious and well-appointed, United Polaris lavatories are large enough to comfortably change clothes in. They feature amenities like a refreshing face mist, premium soap, lotion, and a spot remover that proved to be surprisingly effective during my journey.

United Polaris Food and Drink

One of the areas that fell short in my United 777 business class experience was the onboard dining.

United Polaris Menu

Unlike airlines that boast extensive menus curated by renowned chefs, United’s Polaris service presents a single placard, akin to what you might find on a regional flight like Air Canada’s 737 Max business class service.

For my United Polaris 777-300ER business class review, the menu featured a choice between a shrimp or bruschetta appetizer, followed by main course options such as beef short rib, lemongrass chicken, grilled salmon, or butternut squash ravioli.

Opting for the shrimp appetizer and the fragrant lemongrass chicken—even though I was en route to Thailand—I found the shrimp to be rather bland, while the chicken, though visually unremarkable, was surprisingly flavorful, especially paired with coconut rice.

Although nothing special, dessert was a highlight thanks to the ice cream sundae, a beloved staple on United that adds a special touch. While it may not be as elaborate as the offerings on Eva Air’s 777-300 business class, there’s something undeniably comforting about enjoying ice cream at 35,000 feet.

Throughout the flight, à la carte options and a variety of snacks were available in the galleries, catering to different tastes and preferences. I pocketed a few packs of Whisps gluten free cheese crackers which came in handy when I was feeling snacky and dealing with jet lag in Singapore.

Despite a humorous encounter when inquiring about espresso for breakfast, the Horchata steel-cut oats turned out to be a decent morning choice. The coffee and creamer, however, was not.

As for the drinks on board, while the selection didn’t stand out, I did appreciate the California cabernet and found the blended Chivas Regal 18 Year-Old whisky to be particularly smooth and enjoyable after starting with champagne. Despite the initial surprise of plastic champagne glasses, I opted not to explore further cocktail options.

Final Thoughts on This United Polaris Review

Would I fly United Polaris again? Despite its quirks, including broken Wi-Fi and headphones, I surprisingly would.

The 14-hour flight turned out to be unexpectedly enjoyable. Why? The seat itself is exceptional. As someone who struggles to sleep on planes, I managed a solid six hours and a few naps thereafter. The comfortable bedding and innovative seat design provided a cozy and private sleeping experience that exceeded my expectations.

Moreover, I found the quirks of the service oddly endearing. While there were moments of confusion and lack of attention to detail, the flight attendants were generally friendly and accommodating. The meal options, although not standout gourmet, were decent and satisfying.

Would I want this all the time? Probably not, but it was strangely refreshing to encounter something different in air travel. United Polaris business class offers a comfortable and restful journey, despite its occasional hiccups. For anyone looking for a solid, reliable business class experience with good privacy and comfortable amenities, United Polaris is worth considering, especially at 75,000 Aeroplan points including an 8-hour plus flight with Singapore Airlines.

Next up, my 8-hour layover split between the Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines business class lounges in Sydney.

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For more luxury travel reviews from business class and beyond see HERE.