halls120

The advice in post#5 can't be emphasized enough.

cesco.g

Excellent suggestion. I ask for it on EVERY single flight.
Still surprised how few of them are handed out - most likely a lot of pax are not aware of them.

seanp7

Polaris Lounge (if applicable), and Mattress Pad. I like the coolness of the Gel Pillow, but the regular one is usually what I use for sleeping.

Oh, and ask for the Old Fashioned.

trmbn65

Haha I did this once and knocked over an entire glass of red wine. Luckily the Hemispheres magazine soaked up the entire thing!

arma5

In the lounge, yes! (Especially if you can go back in time a few years and get one from the bartender in the SFO Polaris lounge, who made them particularly well.)

On the airplane, no. (A few years ago United added this premixed bottle that they call an Old Fashioned, but it seems to be made out of rubbing alcohol. Avoid.)

MSPeconomist

In addition to planning for sufficient lounge time before the flight, my suggestions are as follows:

If you're departing from a major airport, look for the premium check in area/line. You might want to check in advance to verify which line(s) you're entitled to use, depending on cabin class, status, etc.

Similarly, look for premium airport security lines, although they can be slower than the PreCheck and/or CLEAR lines (if you have a membership, etc.)

If you want to board with your premium cabin group, get yourself to the gate a few minutes before boarding time and get into the premium line or get close to the podium. OTOH, you can board at the end if you wish. The advantage of boarding early is to get settled in your seat in a relaxed way, enjoy a PDB (assuming not eliminated due to COVID-19), select and start watching a movie (if cabin crew has turned on the AVOD system during boarding), avoid losing your seat if there is (very slight chance) a duplicate seat assignment, check that your seat works (recline, lights, AVOD) while on the ground when there's some chance that it can be fixed, possibly be more likely to get your meal choice if FAs take meal orders during boarding (although meal choices are likely to be allocated based on status), ensure sufficient overhead bin space near your seat (unlikely to be a problem in business class), etc.

On board, FAs should offer to hang your coat; there's no reason to put it into an overhead bin. It will be delivered to you at your seat shortly before landing. Don't leave anything of value (passport, wallet, etc.) in coat pockets and be careful not to lose hat, scarf or gloves (which you might want to keep with you rather than in a coat pocket).

Also on board, either on the ground or shortly after takeoff, don't be surprised if a FA or purser greets you by name at your seat, perhaps when delivering menus or taking F&B orders. Sometimes there's also a personal thank you at the end of the flight.

Don't be shy about asking for drink refills, etc.

Before going to sleep, fasten your seat belt (perhaps loosely) on top to the duvet so that FAs can check without waking you if the seat belt sign comes on in the middle of the flight.

If you prefer to sleep rather than eat breakfast (or the pre-landing snack) on board, tell your FA or the purser this before going to sleep.

Don't forget to check all storage areas around your seat for personal belongings before deplaning; business class seats have lots of hidden places where you can lose things.

BTW, you can take water bottles (empty, full or in between) with you at the end of the flight. Depending on the rules of the country you're entering, you can also discretely take small food items such as a wrapped piece of chocolate or an unopened package of crackers (handy if you wake up starving the the middle of the night due to jet lag and your hotel has no room service at that time).

Wear comfortable clothes, preferably in layers since you cannot predict cabin temperatures. I don't like to have bare skin (on legs, upper arms, etc.) that touches public seats and I do assume that I'll get cold on long flights. There's no need to dress up, although you might want to look semi-respectable when passing through immigration and customs.

Finally, enjoy the experience!

tarheelnj

One more....check to see if your arrival airport has a "Fast Pass" lane for business class passengers, and if so if you get a card that you show to access that lane. If so, ensure the FA gives you the card. Also if you write down your passport information on a piece of paper you keep with you, you won't have to go rooting for your passport in your carry on bag (you didn't leave it in your sport coat, did you?) when you're filling out your Arrival Card.

HNLbasedFlyer

While things happen - if a Polaris lounge is open I'd spend all my time in the lounge and board at the end. There will be plenty of carryon room.

FLYMSY

I’m in the camp of always declining it. I have no problem sleeping without it.

wpcoe

To avoid side-eye, glares, and/or outright hostility one occasionally gets when asking them during the (granted, sometimes hectic) boarding process, on my first contact with the F/A I say something like "I know you're busy now, but when is a good time to ask for a mattress pad (or pj's or whatever)?" Never failed that they would do it right then and without giving off any attitude.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Yeah - even with return of PDBs, I'd just enjoy lounge until the last of boarding, enjoying some of the fine cocktails UA's dreamed up (hopefully someone remembers how to make a Cloud Cover when SFO PL re-opens). Once I found out there was penty of overhead in Polaris, I've always strolled aboard late (not T-15 late). I have no interest in beng among all the pre-boarders and group 1 scrumming at the gate to be first on board - so they can sit and wait while everyone else boards. I guess the one outlier is if one doesn't have status (or much status) and wants better chance of choice of meal, one might want to board early in case FAs are of the type who take orders during boarding process. For the Delhi flight, I would have eaten at lounge and wouldn't be interested in dinner anyway.

AirbusFan2B

Having flown Polaris Business many times on 767/777/787, I will be embarking on my first trip on a 752 ORD-DUB later this month. Blocked at just 7h45m, I’m expecting no PJ. Anyone know if cool gel pillow and large feather pillow will be provided? What about mattress cover? Not sure if UA has invested in ones that fit this old seat. Any other differences I should expect vs widebody Polaris?