Well, it’s official. United Airlines has gone full Gatsby at 35,000 feet.
With all the restraint of a Bond villain’s penthouse, the airline has pulled the curtain back on its new “United Polaris Studio”—a swanky sky suite rolling out aboard the latest Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from late 2025. This is no mere upgrade. United is thumping its chest in the face of stiff global competition and saying, “We’re not just in the game—we’re rewriting the rulebook.”
Think caviar served mid-air, privacy doors to shut out the world, and seatback screens so large they’d make your living room blush. And that’s just row one.
The Suite Life, Reimagined
In what United’s top brass call a “nose-to-tail transformation,” the reimagined 787-9 fleet boasts the highest concentration of premium seating in its history. But the Polaris Studio—a new upper echelon within Business Class—truly catches the eye.
These eight new Studio suites are 25% larger than your standard Polaris fare, cocooned behind privacy doors and kitted out with 27-inch 4K OLED screens, wireless charging, and an ottoman so spacious it’s fitted with its own seatbelt (presumably for your emotional support travel companion).
Travellers will dine like czars with an amuse-bouche of Ossetra caviar paired with Champagne Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé, as if to whisper: “The golden age of air travel didn’t die; it just took a long nap.”
And yes, there’s a bespoke snack bar too. Because when you’re flying 13 hours from San Francisco to Singapore, what’s a little Garrett’s popcorn between caviar courses?
Polaris Goes Personal
Not to be left behind in their own shadow, the standard Polaris suites have been souped up, too. Think sliding privacy doors, upgraded 19-inch 4K screens, new noise-cancelling headphones by Meridian, and full lie-flat seats that now face the window for solitude or the aisle for sociability.
For the first time in U.S. aviation history, you can lower the divider between two seats to bed level. Whether it’s a romantic getaway or a travelling duo keen to play cards (United provides those, naturally), the airline has studied the art of long-haul companionship.
Premium Plus Steps Up
The Premium Plus cabin gets a welcome glow-up too: soft-touch finishes, privacy dividers with reading lights, quartzite cocktail tables, and the industry’s first wireless charging in this class. It’s a clear nod to the growing middle-ground market—those who want comfort without going full platinum.
The 35 seats in this section are flanked by 33 Economy Plus and 90 standard Economy seats, all of which benefit from United’s trademark cradle seats and the largest Economy seatback screens in the world (13 inches).
Starlink and a Star Turn in Service
Connectivity doesn’t get left on the tarmac either. United’s partnership with Starlink means fast, free internet for MileagePlus members—even over oceans and polar regions. No more mid-air buffering while trying to stream “Yes Minister” reruns or send a quick spreadsheet to Sydney.
The entire aesthetic of the Elevated interior—United’s branding for this makeover—is brighter, warmer, and unmistakably designed to say, “We’ve grown up.” Gone are the sterile greys, and in come softer tones, tactile finishes, and lighting designed to say “luxury” without shouting it.
Dining Above the Clouds
Let’s talk about the nosh.
United has funnelled over US$150 million this year by revamping its onboard food and beverage service. Polaris Studio passengers get a post-dessert snack box tailored to the sweet, salty, and savoury trifecta. There’s also a rotating tapas-style mid-flight meal. Economy class passengers finally get their moment in the sun, with an appetiser course, three entrees, premium salads and upgraded desserts.
But back in Studio class, one almost expects Sinatra to be piped in as a velvet-gloved steward hands you a glass of Shafer Vineyards red.
Timing and Fleet Details
The first 787-9 with the Elevated interior is expected to debut by the end of 2025, with San Francisco to Singapore and San Francisco to London slated as launch routes in 2026. United says at least 30 of these reimagined birds will fly by 2027.
For the record, the cabin layout reads like a who’s-who of comfort:
- 8 Polaris Studio suites (1-2-1 configuration)
- 56 upgraded Polaris business class suites
- 35 Premium Plus seats (2-3-2)
- 33 Economy Plus seats
- 90 Economy seats
For comparison, current 787-9s have fewer premium seats overall—a clear shift in focus for an airline determined to win the high-value flyer.
A Move With Muscle
United’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Andrew Nocella, minced no words in the announcement: “We never stand still. These new innovations give customers more reasons to choose United and set us up to grow into the next decade and beyond.”
It’s a confident call in a crowded market, but fair. With international travel rebounding, premium cabin demand surging, and global players investing heavily in luxury, United’s bet on the upper crust seems right on the money.
Final Boarding Call
In an increasingly beige air travel age, United’s Polaris Studio feels like an opulent throwback to the golden days of aviation, with a modern twist. It’s a gutsy attempt to set a new benchmark—they may have pulled it off.
If you’ve got the coin, the caviar’s waiting. And so is your velvet pillow.
By Michelle Warner
