Key takeaways
- Polaris is United’s long-haul international business class with lie-flat seats, Saks bedding, lounge access, and Premier Access at the airport. You get two 70 lb checked bags included.
- Access to a Polaris Lounge is only for travelers flying United Polaris or Star Alliance long-haul business or first that day. Not for United Club members, not for domestic first.
- Seat specs vary by aircraft, but you can expect around 76–78 inches of bed length and 20–22 inches of width, with 1-2-1 all-aisle access on the modern cabins.
- Coming soon, United’s new Polaris Studio suites launch on select new 787-9s, with privacy doors, 27-inch screens, and caviar service. First routes start from San Francisco to Singapore and London in 2026.
Why you’re seeing “United Polaris business class” everywhere
United uses “Polaris” as the brand name for its international business class. If a search result says “United Polaris business class,” it is talking about the same cabin, the same lounges, the same bedding and meals. United also sells United Business and United First on domestic and regional routes, which are different products. Think of Polaris as United’s flagship for long-haul international flights, with a consistent seat that goes fully flat and a ground experience built around rest and real food.
On some domestic flights you may sit in a Polaris-equipped seat when United rotates wide-bodies within the U.S., but the service is usually the domestic standard, not full Polaris. If your boarding pass does not say United Polaris, you will not get Polaris Lounge access.
The seat, the bed, the sleep kit
United’s current Polaris cabins use 1-2-1 seating, so every seat hits the aisle. Typical bed length runs 76–78 inches when fully flat, with ~20–22 inches of width depending on aircraft. You get Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, including a duvet and the small cooling gel pillow that frequent flyers protect like treasure. Amenity kits are by Therabody, and crews can provide a mattress pad on request. On flights over 14 hours, United provisions pajamas for everyone on request now, a change from the old 12-hour rule. Ask early.
Practical tip from frequent flyers: Eat in the Polaris Lounge Dining Room if you can, get to your seat, ask for water bottles, a mattress pad, and pajamas, then skip the first meal and sleep. It maximizes rest on eastbound overnights. That strategy shows up again and again in traveler reports, and it works. (Yes, still grab the sundae later.)
Lounges, access rules, and the SFO scene
United runs dedicated Polaris Lounges at ORD, IAH, LAX, EWR, SFO, and IAD. These are not United Clubs. You get sit-down dining, showers, quiet daybeds, and better booze. Access is tightly controlled:
- Flying United Polaris long-haul that day, you can use Polaris Lounges at departure, during connections, and on arrival.
- Flying a Star Alliance partner in long-haul business or first, you can use a Polaris Lounge at the departure airport of the international segment.
- Status, credit cards, and United Club memberships do not override these rules. No day passes.
If you are Bay Area-based, the SFO Polaris Lounge is the move. The Dining Room is a proper restaurant behind the buffet, and you can be in and out in 30–40 minutes if you tell the host you are on the clock. If you plan to sleep onboard, eat here, then go straight to bed on the plane. (Polaris dining is solid, but the lounge kitchen turns food faster and lighter before a short night.)
What you actually get with a Polaris ticket
- Airport flow: Premier Access for check-in and security queues, priority boarding, and priority tagged luggage.
- Bags: two checked bags up to 70 lb each included on the ticket.
- Seat and power: lie-flat bed, big screen, AC and USB power, storage cubbies for phone and passport.
- Food and drink: multi-course service and the make-your-own sundae, plus an express option if you want everything at once and then lights out.
- Sleep kit: Saks bedding and Therabody amenity kit on all long-hauls, pajamas and slippers by request on flights 14+ hours.
2026 preview, and why SFO flyers should care
United’s next-gen 787-9s roll out a new premium interior. Two things matter to you:
- Polaris Studio suites in the first rows of business, with doors, a 27-inch screen, and an Ottoman seat for a guest.
- All new Polaris seats get doors too, so privacy steps up across the cabin.
United says the first routes launch from San Francisco to Singapore and London in 2026, with at least 30 aircraft joining by 2027. Translation, if you are SFO-based and value privacy, your best bet for a door is on the SFO-SIN and SFO-LHR rotations once those frames start flying.
We’ll track the exact tail numbers flying Polaris Studio. Follow the TalkTravel forums for updates.
Polaris vs Premium Plus vs Domestic United Business
| Feature | Polaris (long-haul international) | Premium Plus (premium economy) | United Business / First (domestic & short-haul) |
| Seat | Lie-flat, all-aisle access | Wider recliner, more pitch, footrest | Recliner or, occasionally, lie-flat seat when a wide-body is subbed |
| Bed length & width | ~76–78 in long, ~20–22 in wide | 38 in pitch, 6 in recline, no bed | Varies by aircraft, no bed on narrow-bodies |
| Lounge access | Polaris Lounge and United Club when no Polaris Lounge | United Club access not guaranteed by ticket | United Club access not guaranteed by ticket |
| Bags included | 2 x 70 lb | Often 2 x 70 lb, route dependent | Usually 2 x 70 lb on domestic First/Business |
| Typical routes | Transoceanic, deep South America | Many long-hauls and select domestic | U.S., Canada, Mexico, Caribbean |
Not sure if your ticket gets you Polaris perks? Ask in our Polaris forum, flyers will check your booking and share what to expect.
Booking, upgrades, and avoiding rookie mistakes
Cash vs miles: United dynamically prices awards, but Europe in Polaris often shows from 60k–80k on partners like Aeroplan, while United may want 80k+. Shop Star Alliance partners, not just United, when you have transferable bank points. (Fees differ, but the mileage savings can be big.)
PlusPoints: If you hold Premier Platinum or 1K, you can request a Polaris upgrade with PlusPoints. Expect 40 PlusPoints from higher economy fares, 80 PlusPoints from deep discount fares on long-hauls. Watch for PZ or RN upgrade inventory if you like to nerd out in Expert Mode. If you do not clear, points refund.
Want to see which SFO–LHR upgrades cleared this week? Flyers post screenshots and daily updates in our Polaris Upgrade Waitlist forum.
Waitlist reality: United now shows your upgrade waitlist position up to 30 days before departure. Within the window, remember the priority stack: invite-only Global Services, then
instrument-supported upgrades like PlusPoints and miles, then status and fare class. Choose flights that historically go out with emptier business cabins, and avoid peak Monday evenings to Europe if you want a seat to clear.
Lounge access gotcha: booking a partner business flight with United miles gives you Polaris Lounge access at the departure airport of the partner’s long-haul segment, but not at your domestic origin if that leg is not international. Plan meals accordingly.
Field notes that actually help on board
- Stow smart during taxi: phones and passports like to launch out of the little shelf during takeoff roll. Use the latching cubby and keep must-haves in reach.
- Ask for a mattress pad and pajamas early on flights 14+ hours, they go fast. Crews will bring extra water if you ask at boarding.
- Sleep angle: do not drop the seat 100 percent flat if you feel a “falling” sensation, keep the head slightly raised.
- Traveling together: in the center section, the straight-ahead pair feels more social, the staggered/diagonal pair feels more private.
These are the little things you only learn after a few overnight hauls. They matter more than the champagne label.
Is Polaris worth it?
If you will cross an ocean or sit on a plane for 8+ hours, yes, especially eastbound overnights. The difference is sleep. You arrive human, you actually enjoy the first day, and you do not spend two days digging out of jet lag. United’s food will not beat ANA or Qatar, but the total package, especially paired with a true Polaris Lounge, is reliably good. With the door-equipped suites coming online, privacy and consistency take another step up, and SFO flyers will see the benefits first.
FAQs
Is United Polaris the same as “United Polaris business class”?
Yes. That phrasing describes the same branded long-haul business cabin, the same lounges, and the same amenities. If your reservation says United Polaris, that is the flagship business class. If it says United Business or United First without the Polaris name, that is not Polaris.
Which airports have Polaris Lounges and who can enter?
United operates Polaris Lounges at ORD, IAH, LAX, EWR, SFO, and IAD. You can enter if you are flying United Polaris long-haul that day, or Star Alliance business or first on a long-haul at the departure airport of that international segment. Status and United Club membership do not grant access, and there are no paid day passes.
Do I get lounge access on arrival?
Yes, if you arrived on a same-day United Polaris flight, you can use a Polaris Lounge on arrival where available. The practical snag is getting back through security at some airports. Plan for that.
Do I get bags and priority at the airport automatically?
Yes. Polaris tickets include two 70 lb checked bags and Premier Access for check-in, security lanes where available, boarding, and priority bag handling.
Are pajamas a thing on United?
Yes, on flights 14 hours or longer, and they are now provisioned for everyone upon request. You still need to ask. Mattress pads are also available on request.
What is Polaris Studio, and when can I try it?
Polaris Studio is a new mini-cabin within business class with larger suites, privacy doors, caviar service, and 27-inch 4K screens. United says the first airplanes will enter service in 2026 on SFO–SIN and SFO–LHR. Expect more frames through 2027.
Keep going
- Related guides on TalkTravel:
- Using United PlusPoints for Polaris Upgrades, Step-by-Step
- United Polaris Lounges at SFO, Access Rules and Review
- Waitlist Process for Polaris Upgrades, Explained
Have a live question about a specific SFO flight, upgrade waitlist, or lounge crowding right now? Drop your flight number and date in the United Polaris thread in our forums. Frequent Flyers post real-time seat maps and waitlist clears daily.