May 29, 2017, 1:21 pm
Last edit by: kirkwoodj
Check the current status of aircraft reconfigured (or delivered) with new Polaris seats: http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris...-desktop-4/p/3.
A Polaris Update and Polaris Mod Schedule to indicate the status of specific aircraft are maintained by those that manage the United Airlines Fleet Website.
Except for 773- and 781-operated flights, and those markets selling Premium Plus, Polaris-equipped planes have not been allocated to specific routes. You won't know until approx. 36-48 hours before departure if you'll have a newly reconfigured aircraft, and even then, it may be replaced with a non-retrofitted aircraft.
777-300ER - All 22 aircraft have Polaris (60 seats) and installation of Premium Plus cabins (24 seats) is complete.
767-300ER - As of September 2020, 31 of the 38 aircraft have been reconfigured with the Polaris seats.
- Retrofit is from 3-cabin to 2-cabin with direct-aisle-access seats. No 3-cabin 767s remain in service.
- 76A configuration is 30J/50Y+/134Y, total of 214; fleet to consist of 17 ships (former 3-cabin 767s).
- 76L configuration is 46J/22PE/47Y+/52Y; fleet to consist of 21 ships (18 former 2-cabin 76C and 3 used ships from Hawaiian).
767-400ER - [16 aircraft] None updated yet; modifications put on hold due to Covid-19.
777-200ER - As of September 2020, 46 of the 50 aircraft have been reconfigured with Polaris and Premium Plus seats.
- Configuration is 50 Polaris seats, 32 in the front cabin and 18 in the second cabin (behind 2L/R)
- Configuration is 10 across in economy, with 24 Premium Plus seats, 4686 E+ seats and 156 E seats, with E+ in front economy cabin plus exit rows and bulkhead at 3L/R, i.e., almost the same as current pmCO planes, except with 4 seats in middle section.
- Seat map (v5) on united.com
787-8, 787-9 - As of November 2022, all 787-8/9 are converted or in mod. No chance of flying old configuration anymore.
- 788 configuration has 28 Polaris seats (20 in front cabin, 8 in rear mini-cabin), and 21 Premium Plus seats (2-3-2).
- 789 configuration has 48 Polaris seats (32 in front cabin, 16 in rear mini-cabin), and 21 Premium Plus seats (2-3-2).
787-10 - 13 787-10s have been delivered in 2020. All come with Polaris and Premium Plus cabins factory-installed. Another 19 should be added by 2024.
FAQ:
Q: Does a Polaris ticket mean the aircraft has the new Polaris seat?
A: No, Polaris is the label UA uses for long haul international business class. It is also the label UA uses for the new seats, so this does create some confusion.
All the 773s and 787-10s are 100% the new seat.
The rest of the long haul fleet in various stages of conversion, see http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris...-desktop-4/p/3
Q: How to tell if my aircraft is the new style Polaris seats?
A: If the unassigned business class section is showing orange seats or all the seats are side-by-side or there is a section for 4 adjacent seats in the middle, this is an old style lie-flat aircreaft
If the unassigned bussines class seats are dark blue seats or the all the seats appear to have direct aisle access, then you aircraft is the new Polaris seat.
You can also look at the FT maintained, United Fleet Site and crosscheck the tail number or check thePolaris Update tab
Q: How to tell if my aircraft has the new PremiumPlus (PP) / Premium Economy seats?
A: If the unassigned seats just behind business class are purple seats or the aircraft is 773 or 787-10, then yes. However, the purple color seat will only show on routes where PP is being sold.
Aircraft with PP seats are being used on some routes but are not being sold as PP. In those cases, the seats are considered to be a part of E+. In those cases, an indicator of PP sold as E+ will be if the first few rows of economy, there are just 2 seats on the sides (with the rest of E+ showing 3 seats).
Q: Will the aircraft I see at booking be the same configuration at flight time?
A: Unfortunately with the fleet in transit, aircraft swaps happen. UA tends to use placeholders until 2 days before travel and even after that last minute swaps do happen.
Q: My flight seat map shows 772 with polaris seats is it a retrofit?
A: Possibly. The flight status page shows the most accurate scheduled aircraft. If a 77W is swapped in, it will list the aircraft as 777-300ER. However, if the 772's seatmap shows blue rectangular boxes in the business class cabin instead of orange "pointy rounds", this would indicate that a retrofit aircraft has been swapped.
See also: United Future/Changed Routes w/ Polaris seats
A Polaris Update and Polaris Mod Schedule to indicate the status of specific aircraft are maintained by those that manage the United Airlines Fleet Website.
Except for 773- and 781-operated flights, and those markets selling Premium Plus, Polaris-equipped planes have not been allocated to specific routes. You won't know until approx. 36-48 hours before departure if you'll have a newly reconfigured aircraft, and even then, it may be replaced with a non-retrofitted aircraft.
777-300ER - All 22 aircraft have Polaris (60 seats) and installation of Premium Plus cabins (24 seats) is complete.
767-300ER - As of September 2020, 31 of the 38 aircraft have been reconfigured with the Polaris seats.
- Retrofit is from 3-cabin to 2-cabin with direct-aisle-access seats. No 3-cabin 767s remain in service.
- 76A configuration is 30J/50Y+/134Y, total of 214; fleet to consist of 17 ships (former 3-cabin 767s).
- 76L configuration is 46J/22PE/47Y+/52Y; fleet to consist of 21 ships (18 former 2-cabin 76C and 3 used ships from Hawaiian).
767-400ER - [16 aircraft] None updated yet; modifications put on hold due to Covid-19.
777-200ER - As of September 2020, 46 of the 50 aircraft have been reconfigured with Polaris and Premium Plus seats.
- Configuration is 50 Polaris seats, 32 in the front cabin and 18 in the second cabin (behind 2L/R)
- Configuration is 10 across in economy, with 24 Premium Plus seats, 46
- Seat map (v5) on united.com
787-8, 787-9 - As of November 2022, all 787-8/9 are converted or in mod. No chance of flying old configuration anymore.
- 788 configuration has 28 Polaris seats (20 in front cabin, 8 in rear mini-cabin), and 21 Premium Plus seats (2-3-2).
- 789 configuration has 48 Polaris seats (32 in front cabin, 16 in rear mini-cabin), and 21 Premium Plus seats (2-3-2).
787-10 - 13 787-10s have been delivered in 2020. All come with Polaris and Premium Plus cabins factory-installed. Another 19 should be added by 2024.
FAQ:
Q: Does a Polaris ticket mean the aircraft has the new Polaris seat?
A: No, Polaris is the label UA uses for long haul international business class. It is also the label UA uses for the new seats, so this does create some confusion.
All the 773s and 787-10s are 100% the new seat.
The rest of the long haul fleet in various stages of conversion, see http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris...-desktop-4/p/3
Q: How to tell if my aircraft is the new style Polaris seats?
A: If the unassigned business class section is showing orange seats or all the seats are side-by-side or there is a section for 4 adjacent seats in the middle, this is an old style lie-flat aircreaft
If the unassigned bussines class seats are dark blue seats or the all the seats appear to have direct aisle access, then you aircraft is the new Polaris seat.
You can also look at the FT maintained, United Fleet Site and crosscheck the tail number or check thePolaris Update tab
Q: How to tell if my aircraft has the new PremiumPlus (PP) / Premium Economy seats?
A: If the unassigned seats just behind business class are purple seats or the aircraft is 773 or 787-10, then yes. However, the purple color seat will only show on routes where PP is being sold.
Aircraft with PP seats are being used on some routes but are not being sold as PP. In those cases, the seats are considered to be a part of E+. In those cases, an indicator of PP sold as E+ will be if the first few rows of economy, there are just 2 seats on the sides (with the rest of E+ showing 3 seats).
Q: Will the aircraft I see at booking be the same configuration at flight time?
A: Unfortunately with the fleet in transit, aircraft swaps happen. UA tends to use placeholders until 2 days before travel and even after that last minute swaps do happen.
Q: My flight seat map shows 772 with polaris seats is it a retrofit?
A: Possibly. The flight status page shows the most accurate scheduled aircraft. If a 77W is swapped in, it will list the aircraft as 777-300ER. However, if the 772's seatmap shows blue rectangular boxes in the business class cabin instead of orange "pointy rounds", this would indicate that a retrofit aircraft has been swapped.
See also: United Future/Changed Routes w/ Polaris seats
✨ Polaris (& PP) Retrofits: Schedule, ....
Jun 27, 2018, 8:22 am
#1096
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 129
Jun 27, 2018, 8:27 am
#1098
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA MM | BA Silver
Posts: 7,192
United Premium Plus is not for sale currently. No date is set for the product to be available for purchase.
Jun 27, 2018, 8:47 am
#1100
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Boston MA
Programs: UA 1K/1.5 million miler, SU Gold, JL Sapphire
Posts: 529
But this is a bit of an outlier. Still, could often get TPAC for 3000-4000, most often than not Air Canada, Swiss, sometimes Lufthansa. More rarely UA, but then more than once *A flights plated on 016 stock.
I wouldn't dream to pay 6K for J. I would be priced out for sure. But I assume there are plenty of corporate travel out there where people say "I need X" and the travel dept just books at whatever the cost or so since I regularly see United quoting much higher for similar flights. Maybe has to do with the flights ex-EWR.
As for the seats, well now that I have the right to book J, I obviously am looking forward for more Polaris hard product. Besides the little "marble-like" table (which I just felt was dirty, so just not a great imitation), I think it is an improvement over IPTE. But then I also remember the long, long years spent in Y and I can definitely empathize with the souls still in Y. 3-4-3 in a 777 for a 12+ hour flight is a horrible idea and I am expecting more air rage incidents as a result.
Jun 27, 2018, 11:29 am
#1101
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Francisco Penninsula
Programs: Bear Backers
Posts: 931
just saw j fir $2500 rt on united
next May. return on Lufthansa. if I see that in July, I'll take it. Doubt the price will be the same then. lufthansa flies am A 380 from Munich to sfo with 78 J seats on the upper deck. would entail a bit of a longer flight ad you have to go L from Lhr to Munich. Also some similar fares on thevreturn using Swiss or Air Canada.
Jun 28, 2018, 8:29 am
#1103
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,448
Jun 28, 2018, 7:44 pm
#1104
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 21
2. Regardless this is more than disappointing. I’ve been watching May 2019 fares for a few weeks and the fares have inexplicably increases (by $1000 RT/pp), so I interpreted this as a notable change in service (Polaris & P+).
Jun 28, 2018, 7:48 pm
#1105
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SJC / DPS
Programs: AS G75K, UA Silver
Posts: 1,757
If the plane changes back to a normal Int'l 777, then you may have a chance.
2. May 2019 is an eternity away when it comes to booking airfares, and it's not uncommon to see wild swings in price this far out.
Jun 28, 2018, 8:52 pm
#1106
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,448
Jun 29, 2018, 8:11 am
#1107
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,448
It is very early to be making reservations for May 2019. That's literally at the extreme end of inventory United can sell. At this point, there is so little certainty as to schedule, equipment, product, fares, etc. that getting "more than" disappointed over a fare change is not worth the aggravation. Fares will change hundreds of times between now and your departure; just keep an eye on it.
Further, I would not read any fluctuation in fare as an indication of product United intends to deploy on a route.
I guess so... for some reason I thought 77G was the now-superseded configuration with 32 recliners in J. I must have mixed them up.
Last edited by EWR764; Jun 29, 2018 at 8:18 am
Jun 29, 2018, 10:45 am
#1108
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: UA Million Mile, Mileage Plus Premier 1K, SkyMiles Gold Medallion, AAdvantage Gold
Posts: 875
If fares stay that high for EWR-BCN, look at what Norwegian is offering. I'm flying them EWR-BCN later this summer because UA's price was about twice what theirs was. Not sure how far out Norwegian releases inventory.
Jul 8, 2018, 5:19 am
#1109
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Delaware
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 1,393
I got excited this morning when I looked at the Fleet Site and saw that 777 N222UA was released from XMN today, after being in mod for only 6 weeks. I looked at Flight aware and saw that it was currently in the air HGK-ORD as 896(08) revenue flight. My bubble got burst when I went on .bomb and saw that the seatmap shows the old IPTE configuration. Ugh!!!
So, since the cabin wasn't modified in XMN, what else are they doing over there? Purely speculation, but it seams like a waste of 6 weeks since they could have Polarisized it as well at the same time.
While I'm sure they had their reasons, it was frustrating to look at. I'm still holding out with hope that the seat-configuration wasn't updated to that plane yet, and it will change on .bomb in the next couple of days, but something tells me I'm dreaming, especially since it was only in XMN for 6 weeks.
So, since the cabin wasn't modified in XMN, what else are they doing over there? Purely speculation, but it seams like a waste of 6 weeks since they could have Polarisized it as well at the same time.
While I'm sure they had their reasons, it was frustrating to look at. I'm still holding out with hope that the seat-configuration wasn't updated to that plane yet, and it will change on .bomb in the next couple of days, but something tells me I'm dreaming, especially since it was only in XMN for 6 weeks.