Nov 10, 2020, 12:21 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Start of service has been delayed -- now 28 March 2021
In April 2021, single flight M,Th,F,Sa,Su
SFO UA520,UA523
LAX UA514, UA517
UA's 2021 Return to JFK - Inaugural Flights on 28 March thread
AS (and VX) Moved to T7 at JFK; New Alaska Lounge (April, 2018)
Earlier related threads
FlightGlobal: United seeks return to New York JFK
United Airlines President: Leaving New York’s JFK ‘Was the Wrong Decision’ {2017}
p.s. Operations Transitioning to EWR on October 25, 2015
In April 2021, single flight M,Th,F,Sa,Su
SFO UA520,UA523
LAX UA514, UA517
UA's 2021 Return to JFK - Inaugural Flights on 28 March thread
AS (and VX) Moved to T7 at JFK; New Alaska Lounge (April, 2018)
We are Back! United Announces Return to New York's JFK Airport
Airline to offer new transcontinental service from JFK to the west coast starting February 1
November 10, 2020
-- United Airlines announced today that it will be returning service to New York City's John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) on February 1, 2021 with nonstop service to the west coast. The airline's entry back into JFK after five years reflects not only its strong commitment to the New York City area, but a continuation of aggressively and strategically managing the impact of COVID-19 by increasing service to and from the places where customers want to fly. The new United service will operate out of Terminal 7.
Effective February of next year, United will serve both JFK to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and JFK to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) with two round-trips for each west coast city. The flights will utilize the reconfigured Boeing 767-300ER aircraft on the routes offering customers an extended premium cabin featuring 16 additional United Business class seats –providing all-aisle-access seating – bringing the total premium cabin seat count to 46. The aircraft will also feature 22 United Premium Plus® seats, 47 Economy Plus® seats and 52 Economy seats. United offers the most premium seats between the New York City area and Los Angeles and San Francisco markets. Tickets are now available for purchase on United.com.
"I have been waiting a long time to say this - United Airlines is back at JFK," said United's Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby. "Come early next year, we will be serving all three major New York City area airports with a best-in-class product to provide our customers unmatched transcontinental service from New York City and the west coast."
Airline to offer new transcontinental service from JFK to the west coast starting February 1
November 10, 2020
-- United Airlines announced today that it will be returning service to New York City's John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) on February 1, 2021 with nonstop service to the west coast. The airline's entry back into JFK after five years reflects not only its strong commitment to the New York City area, but a continuation of aggressively and strategically managing the impact of COVID-19 by increasing service to and from the places where customers want to fly. The new United service will operate out of Terminal 7.
Effective February of next year, United will serve both JFK to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and JFK to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) with two round-trips for each west coast city. The flights will utilize the reconfigured Boeing 767-300ER aircraft on the routes offering customers an extended premium cabin featuring 16 additional United Business class seats –providing all-aisle-access seating – bringing the total premium cabin seat count to 46. The aircraft will also feature 22 United Premium Plus® seats, 47 Economy Plus® seats and 52 Economy seats. United offers the most premium seats between the New York City area and Los Angeles and San Francisco markets. Tickets are now available for purchase on United.com.
"I have been waiting a long time to say this - United Airlines is back at JFK," said United's Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby. "Come early next year, we will be serving all three major New York City area airports with a best-in-class product to provide our customers unmatched transcontinental service from New York City and the west coast."
"The upcoming return of United to JFK while continuing service at Newark Liberty and LaGuardia Airports will offer more choices for transcontinental flights just as travelers return to the skies," said Kevin O'Toole, Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. "As the recovery begins, we're pleased to see these increased options for those who choose to fly in and out of the Port Authority's airports."
"United Airlines' return to JFK Airport is a clear sign that air travel is returning in New York and across the region," said Rick Cotton, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. "As numbers start to rise, the Port Authority is ready to welcome travelers back to JFK, Newark Liberty and LaGuardia Airports with increased cleaning and sanitizing in all terminals and touch-free options from curb to gate to ensure a world-class travel experience even in these unprecedented times."
United's premium cabin will feature flat-bed seats on all flights similar to the current Newark-Los Angeles and Newark-San Francisco offerings, providing a consistent and comprehensive NYC-west coast product. Additionally, United's wide-body service can participate in the robust cargo market between JFK and the west coast.
"United Airlines' return to JFK Airport is a clear sign that air travel is returning in New York and across the region," said Rick Cotton, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. "As numbers start to rise, the Port Authority is ready to welcome travelers back to JFK, Newark Liberty and LaGuardia Airports with increased cleaning and sanitizing in all terminals and touch-free options from curb to gate to ensure a world-class travel experience even in these unprecedented times."
United's premium cabin will feature flat-bed seats on all flights similar to the current Newark-Los Angeles and Newark-San Francisco offerings, providing a consistent and comprehensive NYC-west coast product. Additionally, United's wide-body service can participate in the robust cargo market between JFK and the west coast.
FlightGlobal: United seeks return to New York JFK
United Airlines President: Leaving New York’s JFK ‘Was the Wrong Decision’ {2017}
p.s. Operations Transitioning to EWR on October 25, 2015
UA service JFK<> SFO/LAX , experiences, lounge, ....
Sep 9, 2021, 11:01 pm
#811
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,455
Sep 9, 2021, 11:53 pm
#812
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
Looks like at least some of the the Hi-J 763s used for JFK are going to be doing EWR-MCO 
https://thepointsguy.com/news/united...67-to-orlando/
https://thepointsguy.com/news/united...67-to-orlando/
Sep 10, 2021, 8:42 am
#813
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,324
Had quite a nice day flight working in F on the 753 with the granite table seats. Frankly it was a great experience. Love turning left, and the vegetarian enchiladas were really good! The newish UA domestic F may not have the same padding as the old barcas, but the storage and style of that seat makes up for that.
Sep 10, 2021, 10:06 am
#814
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: EWR
Programs: Latam Pass Black; UA 1K, 1MM; Marriott LT
Posts: 300
Did JFK - LAX roundtrip for the holiday weekend.
Alaska lounge at JFK was nice. Not a huge choice of food but adequate. Was pleasant interior decor and good coffee.
Coming back there was a last minute plane swap going from a high J thing to a 757 with not many J, but we kept our seats and didn't get relegated.
It was fine. Nothing to write home about. I took the snackbox from the back rather than the food offered. Service was blah on the way out and ok on the way back in.
Both flights were on time.
There is a marginal benefit for me with regards to JFKs location versus EWR, but other than that, six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Alaska lounge at JFK was nice. Not a huge choice of food but adequate. Was pleasant interior decor and good coffee.
Coming back there was a last minute plane swap going from a high J thing to a 757 with not many J, but we kept our seats and didn't get relegated.
It was fine. Nothing to write home about. I took the snackbox from the back rather than the food offered. Service was blah on the way out and ok on the way back in.
Both flights were on time.
There is a marginal benefit for me with regards to JFKs location versus EWR, but other than that, six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Sep 10, 2021, 10:49 am
#815
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,502
I was there as well last weekend and agreed. I was there because the flight to SFO was delayed.
The lounge had the AC on blast - I had shorts and T-shirt on; luckily I was prepared heading to a much cooler (in temps) SF.
I really really like the entire operations at AS.
The lounge had the AC on blast - I had shorts and T-shirt on; luckily I was prepared heading to a much cooler (in temps) SF.
I really really like the entire operations at AS.
Sep 11, 2021, 8:54 am
#816
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,502
What happened here?
UA516: LAX-JFK (Sep 9) didn't depart until the following day, Sep 10, 19 hours late
This caused UA515 (JFK-LAX) to leave 11 hours late on Sep 10.
UA516 on Sep 10 relied on a inbound from EWR (instead of a JFK inbound normally), left 5 hours late (around 8pm) became a red-eye flight, took over 6 hours to travel (maybe at reduced speed) so it would not arrive in the middle of the night at JFK; ultimately arrived just before 5am.
No reasons given per UA flight status on the long delays.
Rough couple of days of ops.
UA516: LAX-JFK (Sep 9) didn't depart until the following day, Sep 10, 19 hours late
This caused UA515 (JFK-LAX) to leave 11 hours late on Sep 10.
UA516 on Sep 10 relied on a inbound from EWR (instead of a JFK inbound normally), left 5 hours late (around 8pm) became a red-eye flight, took over 6 hours to travel (maybe at reduced speed) so it would not arrive in the middle of the night at JFK; ultimately arrived just before 5am.
No reasons given per UA flight status on the long delays.
Rough couple of days of ops.
Sep 11, 2021, 9:15 am
#817
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Manhattan, Palm Beach Island, San Francisco, Boston, & Hong Kong
Programs: Lifetime United Global Services, Delta Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador, & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,165
I was there as well last weekend and agreed. I was there because the flight to SFO was delayed.
The lounge had the AC on blast - I had shorts and T-shirt on; luckily I was prepared heading to a much cooler (in temps) SF.
I really really like the entire operations at AS.
The lounge had the AC on blast - I had shorts and T-shirt on; luckily I was prepared heading to a much cooler (in temps) SF.
I really really like the entire operations at AS.
Sep 11, 2021, 10:03 am
#818
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,452
https://flight-report.com/en/report/...os_Angeles_LAX
A few photos in that trip report from the very end (2015). Here is another review from the late pre-merger era https://loungereview.com/lounges/united-club-jfk/. There are lots of other trip reports out there with more photos of the club as p.s. was an oft-reviewed product.
Typical 90s-era RCC with the benefit of a small IFL (GFL) for p.s. F and GS pax once it went to a 2-cabin service. Rarely *crowded*, per se, but when LAX/SFO flights were departing around the same time, either early AM or evening, it would be busy.
Nice staff, but the rest of the facility was pretty dated and in need of a refresh by the time it closed.
A few photos in that trip report from the very end (2015). Here is another review from the late pre-merger era https://loungereview.com/lounges/united-club-jfk/. There are lots of other trip reports out there with more photos of the club as p.s. was an oft-reviewed product.
Typical 90s-era RCC with the benefit of a small IFL (GFL) for p.s. F and GS pax once it went to a 2-cabin service. Rarely *crowded*, per se, but when LAX/SFO flights were departing around the same time, either early AM or evening, it would be busy.
Nice staff, but the rest of the facility was pretty dated and in need of a refresh by the time it closed.
Sep 11, 2021, 1:30 pm
#819
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,324
Well a) JetBlue has a big impediment to overcome because Mint frankly isn’t on a wide body. So there’s that, and B) that you used what I’d call an unfair photo of Polaris.
I was perfectly content flying on a 777-300ER ORD-SFO last night. I wasn’t “wishing” I was in (or even thinking about) a Mint Studio suite, and I can’t imagine that many will. For all the clamoring about JetBlue being the grand disruptor of the legacy airlines on the cusp of permanently changing intl. premium pricing structures as we know it, let’s not lose track that MileagePlus, a global network, schedule, and yes, a wide body product, all give UA the advantage here, not JetBlue. There’s a space for them, but UA is a huge huge whale with many resources that we shouldn’t lose sight of just because Jetblue is launching a gimmicky “studio suite” on a narrow body. Let’s put this in perspective.
I was perfectly content flying on a 777-300ER ORD-SFO last night. I wasn’t “wishing” I was in (or even thinking about) a Mint Studio suite, and I can’t imagine that many will. For all the clamoring about JetBlue being the grand disruptor of the legacy airlines on the cusp of permanently changing intl. premium pricing structures as we know it, let’s not lose track that MileagePlus, a global network, schedule, and yes, a wide body product, all give UA the advantage here, not JetBlue. There’s a space for them, but UA is a huge huge whale with many resources that we shouldn’t lose sight of just because Jetblue is launching a gimmicky “studio suite” on a narrow body. Let’s put this in perspective.
Last edited by tuolumne; Sep 11, 2021 at 2:01 pm
Sep 11, 2021, 7:57 pm
#820
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Manhattan, Palm Beach Island, San Francisco, Boston, & Hong Kong
Programs: Lifetime United Global Services, Delta Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador, & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,165
Well a) JetBlue has a big impediment to overcome because Mint frankly isn’t on a wide body. So there’s that, and B) that you used what I’d call an unfair photo of Polaris.
I was perfectly content flying on a 777-300ER ORD-SFO last night. I wasn’t “wishing” I was in (or even thinking about) a Mint Studio suite, and I can’t imagine that many will. For all the clamoring about JetBlue being the grand disruptor of the legacy airlines on the cusp of permanently changing intl. premium pricing structures as we know it, let’s not lose track that MileagePlus, a global network, schedule, and yes, a wide body product, all give UA the advantage here, not JetBlue. There’s a space for them, but UA is a huge huge whale with many resources that we shouldn’t lose sight of just because Jetblue is launching a gimmicky “studio suite” on a narrow body. Let’s put this in perspective.
I was perfectly content flying on a 777-300ER ORD-SFO last night. I wasn’t “wishing” I was in (or even thinking about) a Mint Studio suite, and I can’t imagine that many will. For all the clamoring about JetBlue being the grand disruptor of the legacy airlines on the cusp of permanently changing intl. premium pricing structures as we know it, let’s not lose track that MileagePlus, a global network, schedule, and yes, a wide body product, all give UA the advantage here, not JetBlue. There’s a space for them, but UA is a huge huge whale with many resources that we shouldn’t lose sight of just because Jetblue is launching a gimmicky “studio suite” on a narrow body. Let’s put this in perspective.
Also, MileagePlus and it’s pitiful benefits/miles does very little to sway me outside of my desire to burn through my PlusPoints. I say all of this as someone with Global Services status and PlusPoints to burn. I would love this to be better and have every reason to be biased for it.
No product will universally appeal to everyone. However, I suspect that most “regular” people will take a look at both and (cost aside) vastly prefer Mint Studio to this Polaris seat. I will say, the Mint Studio not having a second arm rest is not ideal
Last edited by WasKnown; Sep 11, 2021 at 10:03 pm
Sep 11, 2021, 9:49 pm
#821
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
But yes, if one needs to talk - Mint is a good alternative.
Sep 11, 2021, 10:33 pm
#822
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Manhattan, Palm Beach Island, San Francisco, Boston, & Hong Kong
Programs: Lifetime United Global Services, Delta Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador, & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,165
I agree the layout is fine for people that want to be alone. But it is IMO very terrible for people that enjoy socializing with others. I think many premium cabin experiences have been increasingly designed with this social use case in mind (ie the Qsuite quad seat which is quite the experience). For business travelers, this layout seems fine for United and will probably work out in the long run. For leisure travelers, I just don't struggle to see how groups traveling together can view this as anything close to ideal.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 11, 2021 at 10:50 pm Reason: Removed response to deleted content; Let's stick to the UA issue
Sep 11, 2021, 10:35 pm
#823
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,595
Don’t want to judge something by one photo, but that Mint seat just doesn’t look comfortable.
Sep 12, 2021, 6:13 am
#824
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,487
Sep 12, 2021, 7:12 am
#825
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
What was unfair with my photo? What is gimmicky about the Mint Studio? That was 5A which was the same setup as your seat. Even in your photo, there is clearly no space for another person to sit or even reasonably interact with you. Conversely, the Mint Studio seat seems to be designed for on-flight interactions.
Also, MileagePlus and it’s pitiful benefits/miles does very little to sway me outside of my desire to burn through my PlusPoints. I say all of this as someone with Global Services status and PlusPoints to burn. I would love this to be better and have every reason to be biased for it.
No product will universally appeal to everyone. However, I suspect that most “regular” people will take a look at both and (cost aside) vastly prefer Mint Studio to this Polaris seat. I will say, the Mint Studio not having a second arm rest is not ideal
Also, MileagePlus and it’s pitiful benefits/miles does very little to sway me outside of my desire to burn through my PlusPoints. I say all of this as someone with Global Services status and PlusPoints to burn. I would love this to be better and have every reason to be biased for it.
No product will universally appeal to everyone. However, I suspect that most “regular” people will take a look at both and (cost aside) vastly prefer Mint Studio to this Polaris seat. I will say, the Mint Studio not having a second arm rest is not ideal
This should be the end of discussion of UA vs. Mint Studio seats. Just vote with your wallet if you do not like UA's product..