Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Update 2017: United p.s. is now called Transcontinental Service. This service is available on flights between EWR<>LAX, EWR<>SFO, and BOS<>SFO.
Cross Country Comfort: Introducing United Airlines New Transcontinental Service
The first PS flights to/from EWR started 25 Oct 2015
E+ passengers -- hot meals and drinks included
Aircraft 757-200
Original config 28 lieflat BF / 42 E+ / 72 E-
Everything You Want to Know About Where to Sit on a 757-200 (pmUA Domestic and p.s.)
Re-purposed TATL config 16 lieflat BF / 45 E+ / 108 E-
Consolidated "Seats on International 757"
other lie-flat aircraft will be used on the route, such as
Everything You Wanted to Know About Where to Sit on 777-200 HD (28BF,102E+,234E-)
Everything you want to know about where to sit on the 787-10
FAQs
Are all flights on these routes lie-flat, etc?
Yes -- all non-stop flights from SFO/LAX to/from EWR and SFO<>BOS are configured as such regardless of aircraft used. All scheduled aircraft have a lie-flat premium cabin.
Are these CPU-eligible flights?
No -- no CPU on these flights. It will take RPU/GPU/mileage+copays to upgrade. Generally, these are "hard" upgrades.
Are TODs / Cash upgrades offered?
Yes, $298 cash OW upgrades are regularly offered.
Archive: Premium Transcon Service SFO-EWR/BOS, LAX-EWR flights-Questions&Experiences {Archive}
Cross Country Comfort: Introducing United Airlines New Transcontinental Service
Originally Posted by United POLARIS FAQ
How does the switch to United Polaris affect United p.s. Premium Service transcontinental flights?
On December 1, 2016, BusinessFirst service on p.s. transcontinental routes became United Business, and now features our custom Saks Fifth Avenue pillow and duvet. Previous p.s. features did not change other than the new bedding.
On December 1, 2016, BusinessFirst service on p.s. transcontinental routes became United Business, and now features our custom Saks Fifth Avenue pillow and duvet. Previous p.s. features did not change other than the new bedding.
United offers transcontinental travelers the features and comfort of long-haul international flights. Customers enjoy modern aircraft interiors with all-new seats, inflight Wi-Fi, free personal on-demand entertainment at every seat, in-seat power and USB ports.
United also provides:
* Premier Access check-in, security screening, boarding and baggage handling;
* United Club access;
* up to 6 feet, 4 inches of sleeping space in a 180-degree flat-bed seat; and
* pre-departure beverages, hot towel service, multi-course meals and a pre-arrival snack.
United also provides:
* Premier Access check-in, security screening, boarding and baggage handling;
* United Club access;
* up to 6 feet, 4 inches of sleeping space in a 180-degree flat-bed seat; and
* pre-departure beverages, hot towel service, multi-course meals and a pre-arrival snack.
Travelers in Economy Plus on our premium transcontinental flights now enjoy more than just extra legroom theyll also receive a complimentary hot entre, fruit and dessert, as well as their choice of free alcoholic beverages, including our featured cocktail and more.
Original config 28 lieflat BF / 42 E+ / 72 E-
Everything You Want to Know About Where to Sit on a 757-200 (pmUA Domestic and p.s.)
Re-purposed TATL config 16 lieflat BF / 45 E+ / 108 E-
Consolidated "Seats on International 757"
other lie-flat aircraft will be used on the route, such as
Everything You Wanted to Know About Where to Sit on 777-200 HD (28BF,102E+,234E-)
Everything you want to know about where to sit on the 787-10
FAQs
Are all flights on these routes lie-flat, etc?
Yes -- all non-stop flights from SFO/LAX to/from EWR and SFO<>BOS are configured as such regardless of aircraft used. All scheduled aircraft have a lie-flat premium cabin.
Are these CPU-eligible flights?
No -- no CPU on these flights. It will take RPU/GPU/mileage+copays to upgrade. Generally, these are "hard" upgrades.
Are TODs / Cash upgrades offered?
Yes, $298 cash OW upgrades are regularly offered.
Archive: Premium Transcon Service SFO-EWR/BOS, LAX-EWR flights-Questions&Experiences {Archive}
Premium Transcon Service SFO-EWR/BOS, LAX-EWR flights-Questions&Experiences {Archive}
#1217
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,329
Paper boarding passes, unless for some historical reasons, are just bunch more paper I don't need in my life.
#1218
Moderator: United Airlines
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,579
#1219
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: UA GS, AA PLAT, DL PLAT, EK SILVER
Posts: 250
Any update on BOS-LAX? I know it's not PS, but it's still exclusively 752. I have an upcoming flight in F and curious about meal but more importantly bedding...
#1220
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Tel Aviv (TLV), Chicago (ORD)
Programs: United Premier 1K, Starwood/Marriott Gold
Posts: 248
It is PS. Any route between SFO/LAX and EWR/BOS is a PS route. You will receive typical PS bedding (much better than Domestic First but not quite Polaris Business bedding). Also typical PS service which is comparable (although scaled down from Polaris Business).
#1221
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Latin America and USA
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold
Posts: 453
Looking further it seems EWR-SFO/LAX is PS, and BOS-SFO is PS, but BOS-LAX is not PS.
#1222
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,324
BOS-LAX is not p.s. It will have standard domestic TCON service, but the bedding is the wildcard. The lie-flat 752s sometimes show up with Polaris bedding and sometimes not.
#1223
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Tel Aviv (TLV), Chicago (ORD)
Programs: United Premier 1K, Starwood/Marriott Gold
Posts: 248
Hmm... wow! You are right. I never knew that. I usually fly SFO<>BOS in PS and always assumed LAX was the same. I guess I was just thinking about the menus that they bring you in Business, they list the cities on top of it as Los Angeles, San Fransisco, New York, Boston, so I just assumed. I went to the PS website on UA.com and you are completely correct!
#1224
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,925
Boston - New York and LAX - SFO arent p.s. either, even though they both appear on your menu
#1225
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: UA GS, AA PLAT, DL PLAT, EK SILVER
Posts: 250
Thanks everyone. Wonder what the tcon westbound meals are these days. Been a while since I did something other than (a) BOS-SFO or (b) a breakfast flight.
#1226
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Programs: UA Premier Gold, Delta Gold Medallion, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 46
I flew EWR -> LAX last Friday night on the 787-10 in business. It was my first premium transcon flight in J on UA in a while.
Pros: the plane (brand new Polaris seats, nice larger lavs behind business, extremely quiet and comfortable flight) and congeniality from most of the crew.
Cons: the only non-pop up United Club in EWR is still an overcrowded disaster, despite being friendly, the crew was seriously ill-trained or prepared to serve the business cabin (no one asks to take your coat, no PDBs offered or requests taken other than for OJ/water, pre-arrival snacks only offered to the front of the cabin and then none offered to the back half for some unknown reason), catering is really underwhelming in terms of quality and preparation, IFE offering not as broad as what DL offers.
On the return I flew a DL A330, and while the hard product on UA was superior in every way, the service and soft product on DL (other than a few quibbles with plating everything at once and a cheapskate dessert) was mostly superior to UAs. Imagine what flying this route would be like if just one airline got both areas right.
Pros: the plane (brand new Polaris seats, nice larger lavs behind business, extremely quiet and comfortable flight) and congeniality from most of the crew.
Cons: the only non-pop up United Club in EWR is still an overcrowded disaster, despite being friendly, the crew was seriously ill-trained or prepared to serve the business cabin (no one asks to take your coat, no PDBs offered or requests taken other than for OJ/water, pre-arrival snacks only offered to the front of the cabin and then none offered to the back half for some unknown reason), catering is really underwhelming in terms of quality and preparation, IFE offering not as broad as what DL offers.
On the return I flew a DL A330, and while the hard product on UA was superior in every way, the service and soft product on DL (other than a few quibbles with plating everything at once and a cheapskate dessert) was mostly superior to UAs. Imagine what flying this route would be like if just one airline got both areas right.
#1227
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,299
IMO the biggest DL advantage is the SkyClub (T4 JFK and SFO).
#1228
Join Date: Dec 2015
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 3
I do most of my flying between SFO-EWR and SFO-BOS and am generally booking business — increasingly over $3k for a roundtrip ticket. I recently flew MINT on JetBlue and was generally impressed (new aircraft, good food, great entertainment and friendly FAs). The entire experience made we start thinking whether I should consider changing my preferred carrier. It could be JetBlue but would also consider DL as it seems like they have a very good premium product. I just feel that UA is charging a premium price for just a undifferentiated product. The p.s. product hasn’t really changed in a positive way since it was first introduced (same planes, food quality comes and goes) despite all the Polaris marketing hype (okay slightly better amenities and pillows).
#1229
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS 1MM / Hilton Diamond / Bonvoy Gold / Hertz PC
Posts: 395
I do most of my flying between SFO-EWR and SFO-BOS and am generally booking business increasingly over $3k for a roundtrip ticket. I recently flew MINT on JetBlue and was generally impressed (new aircraft, good food, great entertainment and friendly FAs). The entire experience made we start thinking whether I should consider changing my preferred carrier. It could be JetBlue but would also consider DL as it seems like they have a very good premium product. I just feel that UA is charging a premium price for just a undifferentiated product. The p.s. product hasnt really changed in a positive way since it was first introduced (same planes, food quality comes and goes) despite all the Polaris marketing hype (okay slightly better amenities and pillows).
#1230
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 141
Regarding the discussion of BOS-LAX, I just noticed that some domestic first class fares are now including carve-outs for BOS-LAX along with EWR-SFO/LAX and BOS-SFO. For example, fare basis LAA2AHFN BOS-SAN says
Compared to the same fare published last week, which said:
I checked a few other markets and I see the same thing. Not sure what that means...
Code:
04.FLIGHT APPLICATION THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL BETWEEN EWR AND LAX. AND THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL BETWEEN EWR AND SFO. AND THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL BETWEEN BOS AND SFO. AND THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL BETWEEN BOS AND LAX.
Code:
04.FLIGHT APPLICATION THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL BETWEEN EWR AND LAX. AND THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL BETWEEN EWR AND SFO. AND THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL BETWEEN BOS AND SFO.