Hello. I am flying back home to the US and am trying to decide between three different options, all of which are in business class. And all have convenient times, with very similar departure and arrival times. What I am asking for advice on is which plane/seat is the most comfortable and which will have better hard and soft services. Here are my options.

1. United Business Polaris 777-200
2. United Business Polaris 767-400ER
3. Lufthansa Business 788-9

Thank you

I can't help you with the hard/soft products of each, but I would choose the routing that gives you the longest overwater segment. The worst international J is still way better than domestic F.

LAX

Since this will be a daytime flight I would rank Lufthansa well ahead of UA for food - but the Polaris seat is really good - I would choose the 777 not the 764 on UA - all depends on what you care about - hard product choose UA - soft product choose LH�

I�d go with LH. Their 787s have LH�s new business cabin and their soft product in J is much better than what UA offers.

If you have a connection in a UA hub (except for DEN) then the Polaris lounge is your friend and will beat LH soft product out of the water. Agree with the others...the Polaris seat is the better seat but the onboard service (soft product) from LH will beat UA. LH already announced their new Allegris business product doesn't start flying until later in 2024 although it's possible some newly delivered aircraft may have the new seats. Apparently supply chain issues...

If you give us specific routes we can help you with the options. But it sounds like you're looking ex-FRA or ex-MUC. UA flies a 764 out of MUC but not out of FRA.

-RM

Ah, some good points. Thank you. Here are some more details on those three flight options. I am returning home to Denver.
1. United Business Polaris 777-200 - goes from BCN to EWR to DEN. So customs in EWR
2. United Business Polaris 767-400ER - goes from BCN to IAD to DEN. So customs in IAD
3. Lufthansa Business 788-9 - goes from BCN to MUC to DEN. Customs in Denver. Obviously, I am on the overseas flight longer with no domestic flight.
I looked up on a government website data on CBP times and Denver is one of the fastest.

Thank you. I probably won't have time to go into the Polaris lounge on my connection as I will have to go through CBP. The only exception would be in MUC where I will have some time.

I read where LH does not provide a mattress pad like UA Polaris does. Is this accurate and make a difference?

You sure that MUC-DEN is 789 on LH? It’s A350 right now with 2-2-2 (LH does have A359 with 1-2-1, like their 789’s, but fly them mostly to Canada/India - not US). That LH A359 seat is not as nice as Polaris. No mattress pad IIRC on LH (I flew MUC-EWR on LH a few weeks ago).

Check that the LH MUC-DEN segment isn’t actually UA codeshare (given that UA flies 789s MUC-DEN)

food will be better LH > UA, wine better on UA (but close).

EWR Polaris lounge almost not worth it - usually packed and worse quality food/beverage than other Polaris lounges. IAD is nice, but need >2hrs cnx to enjoy. LH lounges in MUC are fine, but definitely not same quality as Polaris.

I would avoid connecting in US to avoid re-checking bags (if checking bags).

I’d probably pick LH, unless you could get UA 789 DEN-MUC to get Polaris J seat.

Thank you. I just checked the LH website to verify the plane. I have pasted it here.

Munich - Denver

Departs on Monday, 11 March 2024

Total duration: 10h 45m

Total duration: 10 hours and 45 minutes
10h 45m
16:05Munich
Munich International (MUC)
Terminal 2
19:50Denver
Denver International (DEN)
Flight duration 10 hours and 45 minutes
SN 8902
operated by United Airlines
BOEING 787-9


And this is a copy paste from UA website
UA 761
4:05 PMDeparting at 4:05 PM
7:50 PMArriving at 7:50 PM
MUC Origin Munich, DE (MUC)
10H, 45MDuration 10 hours and 45 minutes
DENDestination Denver, CO, US (DEN)
Munich, DE (MUC) to Denver, CO, US (DEN)
UA 761 (Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner)

Right, so it is a 787-9, but it's a United 787-9, not Lufthansa! So all 3 routes have the long-haul in United Polaris.

Going via EWR or IAD presumably gives you the domestic segment in United First. Going via MUC gives you the (Schengen) domestic segment in Lufthansa EuroBusiness (aka Economy with an empty middle seat).
EWR and IAD give you the potential to access the Polaris lounge when connecting. MUC gives you the advantage of not having to re-clear security/re-check bags on connection.

Since all 3 flights are on UA metal, where you enter the US is key. I would avoid EWR at all costs - it is the worst of all UA hubs. DEN will give you the better of the two arrival experiences compared to IAD.

Interesting that LH is selling an SN codeshare instead of their own.

I would definitely take the flight through MUC. It will be infinitely better than either U.S. connection.

Thank you everyone so much! I have decided to book the 789 through MUC.

..now for seats...we are three people. So I have been reading that the odd rows are the way to go. Everything is open right now. I am looking at rows 1,3,7,9 with ADF.

How much bigger are the footwells in 1 and 9? I am 6"0. Will it even matter?
I read where on row 1&2 you can't use the overhead bins. I'm not sure if this is a big deal or not..just use the bins above row 3, right?
Will seat 9F be bothered by the lavatory?
Is there a lot of noise/light from the galley in rows 1&9?
Who gets to use the bathrooms near row 9 - only for business class or can other classes use them?

Thanks again.

Everything You Want to Know about Where to Sit on 787-9 true Polaris and PP version

It�s amazing how different the connection experience is between Munich and Frankfurt. I would choose MUC over EWR or IAD for a connection, but I would choose either US airport over FRA which is horrendous.

9A and 9L are my favorite seats on this bird. Yes, it will matter.

FRA was built in 1936, and has gone through numerous expansions. MUC is essentially a modern clean sheet design, built in 1992. That's why it is a better experience.