Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > United Airlines | MileagePlus
Reload this Page >

✨ Polaris (& PP) Retrofits: Schedule, ....

Community
Wiki Posts
Search
Old May 29, 2017, 1:21 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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, 46 86 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

Print Wikipost

✨ Polaris (& PP) Retrofits: Schedule, ....

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 30, 2018, 10:26 am
  #1276  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,454
Originally Posted by PsiFighter37


Out of curiosity - where did the 17 frames for the J-heavy configuration for the 763s come from? I know about the retrofit plan, but I was unaware of the exact number of frames that would be getting that layout.
14 current 2-cabin 763s (former 'Ghetto Birds' now in Diamond J-cabin configuration, N664UA to N677UA, 1998-2001 builds) and 3 ex-HA 763s (N684UA to N686UA), for total of 17.
EWR764 is online now  
Old Aug 30, 2018, 10:41 am
  #1277  
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
Originally Posted by EWR764
14 current 2-cabin 763s (former 'Ghetto Birds' now in Diamond J-cabin configuration, N664UA to N677UA, 1998-2001 builds) and 3 ex-HA 763s (N684UA to N686UA), for total of 17.
Those aren't going to fly the newly (today officially) seasonal (presumably) leisure routes to Napoli and Praha, are they
EmailKid is offline  
Old Aug 30, 2018, 10:49 am
  #1278  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,454
Originally Posted by EmailKid
Those aren't going to fly the newly (today officially) seasonal (presumably) leisure routes to Napoli and Praha, are they
Impossible to say, but probably not. I doubt the high-J retrofits will be complete by next summer. Those are reportedly primarily targeted at LHR, and some other premium EU markets like ZRH or GVA.

These routes are much more likely to see 30J Polaris birds (that program WILL be finished by next year) and 2-cabin 763s in current 2-1-2 J configuration.
EWR764 is online now  
Old Aug 30, 2018, 11:27 am
  #1279  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
Originally Posted by EWR764
14 current 2-cabin 763s (former 'Ghetto Birds' now in Diamond J-cabin configuration, N664UA to N677UA, 1998-2001 builds) and 3 ex-HA 763s (N684UA to N686UA), for total of 17.
Wow - had no idea that the non-3 class sUA birds were going to all go to that configuration. Good to know! Wonder if they will fly to LHR from IAD or ORD as well...
PsiFighter37 is offline  
Old Aug 30, 2018, 11:41 am
  #1280  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: UA Million Mile, Mileage Plus Premier 1K, SkyMiles Gold Medallion, AAdvantage Gold
Posts: 875
Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
Wow - had no idea that the non-3 class sUA birds were going to all go to that configuration. Good to know! Wonder if they will fly to LHR from IAD or ORD as well...
I have got to believe that some of them are. 17 birds to Europe means ~16-17 routes. 5x EWR-LHR, 1x EWR-ZRH, 1x EWR-GVA, 3x ORD-LHR, 1x IAD-ZRH, 1x IAD-GVA, 3x IAD-LHR makes 15 total. EWR-AMS wouldn't surprise me too much either, making 16. I am struggling to think of 16-17 European flights ex-EWR that could use such a premium heavy aircraft.
DA201 is offline  
Old Aug 30, 2018, 11:57 am
  #1281  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,468
Originally Posted by DA201
I have got to believe that some of them are. 17 birds to Europe means ~16-17 routes. 5x EWR-LHR, 1x EWR-ZRH, 1x EWR-GVA, 3x ORD-LHR, 1x IAD-ZRH, 1x IAD-GVA, 3x IAD-LHR makes 15 total. EWR-AMS wouldn't surprise me too much either, making 16. I am struggling to think of 16-17 European flights ex-EWR that could use such a premium heavy aircraft.
EWR-ZRH has been on the larger B764 for some time. Not sure they will downgauge to the smaller 763. I could rather see that route as a candidate for the 78J.
IAD-ZRH switched to a 788 (part of the SFO-ZRH rotation) this summer until 28 Oct, and will be back 30 April 2019.
cesco.g is offline  
Old Aug 30, 2018, 12:02 pm
  #1282  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,454
Originally Posted by DA201
I have got to believe that some of them are. 17 birds to Europe means ~16-17 routes. 5x EWR-LHR, 1x EWR-ZRH, 1x EWR-GVA, 3x ORD-LHR, 1x IAD-ZRH, 1x IAD-GVA, 3x IAD-LHR makes 15 total. EWR-AMS wouldn't surprise me too much either, making 16. I am struggling to think of 16-17 European flights ex-EWR that could use such a premium heavy aircraft.
It's unlikely that all 17 would ever be scheduled and flying at the same time, but this is a good thought. I doubt they'll be isolated to EWR. I also think IAH-LHR on at least one frequency is a candidate because the 763 fleet is rotated through IAH for maintenance.
EWR764 is online now  
Old Aug 31, 2018, 2:09 am
  #1283  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 311
Polaris Seats on 767-400?

I see conversion status for nearly entire UA long-haul fleet including the 767-300 - but the 767-400 is conspicuously missing. Is there any info on whether UA is retrofitting the -400s? Or will they leave with the sCO BusinessFirst them like the 787-9s? Thanks!

https://view.ceros.com/united/polari...-desktop-4/p/3

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Aug 31, 2018 at 2:14 am Reason: merged with existing discussion
northpole999 is offline  
Old Aug 31, 2018, 2:30 am
  #1284  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
There is a layout mocked up for it, but I believe the 764s might (will be?) the last planes to potentially be retrofittted.
PsiFighter37 is offline  
Old Aug 31, 2018, 6:53 am
  #1285  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,454
Originally Posted by northpole999
I see conversion status for nearly entire UA long-haul fleet including the 767-300 - but the 767-400 is conspicuously missing. Is there any info on whether UA is retrofitting the -400s? Or will they leave with the sCO BusinessFirst them like the 787-9s? Thanks!

https://view.ceros.com/united/polari...-desktop-4/p/3
The tracker only shows retrofit programs in progress. The 787s are due to start next summer, and the 767-400s thereafter, but no firm timeline for those ships yet.

Polaris is planned for the entire international WB fleet, except the 77Gs.
EWR764 is online now  
Old Aug 31, 2018, 7:18 pm
  #1286  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
Someone upthread mentioned a 767-300 configuration with 46 J seats, but I can't find any news/information on that anywhere. Does anyone else have more?
belfordrocks is offline  
Old Aug 31, 2018, 7:31 pm
  #1287  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: EWR, BDL
Posts: 4,471

Originally Posted by belfordrocks
Someone upthread mentioned a 767-300 configuration with 46 J seats, but I can't find any news/information on that anywhere. Does anyone else have more?
14 2-cabin 763s plus the 3 763s from HA will be reconfigured into a 46J/22W/99Y configuration 167 seats total.
FlytheTail likes this.
JOSECONLSCREW28 is offline  
Old Aug 31, 2018, 8:21 pm
  #1288  
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Anywhere but home
Programs: UA 1K/MM, DL GM/MM, HH Dia, PC Plat, MR Gold, ALL Sil,
Posts: 4,552
The Polaris tracker has been updated to now include additional aircraft:

jsloan, ajGoes and east_west like this.
FlytheTail is offline  
Old Sep 1, 2018, 1:05 pm
  #1289  
formerly Goflyer100
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Programs: DL Platinum Medallion - Hilton Diamond
Posts: 161
Does anyone know on which routes I can find the new Polaris business class on the retrofitted 767 and 77W? It's for a roundtrip from AMS to EWR. I've heard that the retrofitted 767 are now operating on EWR-LHR but I cannot see them when making a booking on united.com. Is the 77W with new Polaris not flying to Europe right now?
Upon Boarding is offline  
Old Sep 1, 2018, 1:22 pm
  #1290  
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
Originally Posted by Goflyer100

Does anyone know on which routes I can find the new Polaris business class on the retrofitted 767 and 77W? It's for a roundtrip from AMS to EWR. I've heard that the retrofitted 767 are now operating on EWR-LHR but I cannot see them when making a booking on united.com. Is the 77W with new Polaris not flying to Europe right now?
I believe what you seek is in Polaris retrofit schedule thread.

That said, most routes don't have it on every flight, as many frames follow a W rather than A-B-A pattern.

And unless something has changed, EWR-AMS will most likely be sCO bird, which will not go in for mods for some time.
EmailKid is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.